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uudavispodcast_org

2015-03-29-EcoThe@logy_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome to our unitarian universalist church of davis where we been sitting for a full month now topic of a monthly has been sinning word with many levels of meaning ranging from the often-quoted sanskrit which the picture for that is an arrow falling short of the mark. The more extreme attempted to find the original sin of adam and eve in the garden of eden. Does unitarian universalist we have a lot of different beliefs. Think of the concept of original blessing gently don't subscribe too much to the idea that we are all inherently born in sanborn bad today we're looking at healthy ologies have been changing as many religions now look at damaging the earth as a sin. And not a right granted by genesis in man's dominion over the earth. Is under sabbatical 23 engaging with herself to return to us in june i'm john ashby or worship associate today is alex lee job now enjoy greeting each other gently or enthusiastically as the receiver wishes this is not a sin when you hear the piano music find your way back to your seats and will continue. Mommy come here on sunday mornings we bring the gifts and imperfections of who we are. This is a community where we challenge each other encouraged each other. Support each other. Our work is to keep our vision on the best that we can be. In this place we are surrounded by a diversity of religious beliefs. God or whatever it is that each of us called sacred it's different for each of us and comes from our life experience. We celebrate those of all sexual orientations and gender identities who welcomed people of all races classes and political parties and i'm even saying some good things. About a very very conservative republican in the reagan administration today. So it's true and we will continue to work to build the world we dream about. And cherish living earth as our sacred home. I'm here to talk about general assembly and john will talk more about it later. I always wondered what general assembly was all about. After 40 years of being a unitarian universalist i finally had a chance to find out last june in providence rhode island. Gta with a 5-day feast satisfying on a spiritual and intellectual level. Tumi. It was especially interesting to see and hear how we are creating new partnerships how we are reaching out in love which was the theme of this year's conference and how we are using technology and new ways to help people connect and stay connected. Wednesday evenings welcoming celebration kicked off with a traditional banner parade featuring music honoring pete seeger. Hundreds of people marched and danced in with the banners from churches all over the country. The colorful and creative banners. And him singing with a thousands of other you use imparted a feeling of merriment. Reverence and unity. Which lasted till the closing session. Each day started with a general session led by jim key a capable administrator. These informational business-like sessions were followed by a worship service. Each day led by a different group. The sermons and music were memorable. After the service doing numerous and varied morning and afternoon workshops. I attended workshops on restaurant workers rights. Immigration. Uu service committee work funding and others. An important part of general assembly each year. Is presenting discussing and choosing the proposed study action issue. In addition to the thousands of people present people from all over the country with watching on their computers and were able to call in with comments. The issues were age and ability discrimination ending the war on terror. Escalating in equality. Gun violence. And renewing and securing a democracy. The issues that we voted on was escalating and equality. Saturday evenings keynote speaker with sister simone campbell who organized nuns on the bus. Sister campbell lecture was lively funny and most of all inspirational. Sister campbell ended by advising us to walk to a trouble. After her talk everyone march to the riverfront to attend providences waterfire ceremony and listen to music. Enclosing she a was a memorable experience i'm sorry i waited so long the final service on sunday afternoon was led by rev mark singer inspirational minister of the first unitarian church of des moines iowa. Reverend singer advised us not to let our differences get in the way. Because we have important work to do. Today our chalice lighting reading comes from the international council of unitarians and universalist. The light of life shines through the eyes of each and every person. The truth shines through each life. May the light of this chalice. Remind us. But our search for truth and light is ongoing. And is enhance and nurtured. By every person we meet. May we honor the light in each other. Today's sermon theme is ecotheology. Which honestly i have never heard of before as i started to research this issue the first thing that bubbled up for me were the 1st and 7th principles. Which are. Number one the inherent worth and dignity of every person. And respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are parked. One the inherent worth and dignity of every person. 7 respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are parked. Does that mean that i. Choices i make affect people i don't even know. In this community. In this country. In this world. How do unitarian universalist if i believe every person in the world has worth and dignity. Then it follows that i made choices. To support them. And valerie brown's article she says. One of the strongest doctrinal statements yet by any world religious leader came in 1977 from his all holiness bartholomew the first ecumenical patriarch of the eastern orthodox church. Who said the committed a crime against the natural world is a sin. For humans to cause feces to become extinct and to destroy the biological diversity of god's creation for humans to degrade the integrity of earth by causing changes and its climate. By stripping the earth of its natural forest for destroying its wetlands. For humans to injure other humans with disease for humans to contaminate the earth's waters its land its are and its life with poisonous substances these are sins. So i decided to find out just how much of a carbon footprint i make in this world. I took a survey on the cool davis website. It turns out my household produces 34% less of a carbon footprint than an average household of its eyes so even though. We use shower water to flush the toilet. Share car. Line dry our clothes don't have a lot. Turn our thermostat down to 65. Shop at the secondhand store for almost all of our clothes. Take maybe showers use recycled paper and a printer and compost still only 34% list. So it's time to step it up i can do more. And i will. I have adult children and a grandchild and i want to leave them and ecologically and biologically rich world. To live in. Dr. sally mcafee is distinguished theologian in residence at the vancouver school of theology in british columbia canada. After serving 30 years as a carpenter professor of theology at vanderbilt divinity school in nashville tennessee. This reading is from herbo. A new climate for theology. God the world and global warming. Dr mcfague is talking about cultural anthropology which is simply where we humans fit it was in the ecologically structure of this planet. And she does not think that humans hover over the earth as overlords and masters with dominion and control over nature and everything else. Quite the opposite. Quote we can see now that ecologically anthropology is neither an esoteric knowledge for specialist. Nor sentimental plea to. Quote love nature on quote. Rather it is a truth. About who we are. The best truth at least that we currently have. A tells us where we fit in the scheme of things. Is a cautionary tale. In light of the way we have been living. It claims our attention to being the center of the planet. Rather than one of its neediest creatures is false. Head tells us that we have been living a lie. Head reminds us that instead of being the center of creation we are from moment-to-moment dependent upon all of it is. Supposedly beneatha's. All of the animals and inanimate energy sources they are our lifeblood. This new picture of ourselves is especially at odds with those who supposed quote according to genesis on quote humans are supposed to subdue and dominate all others this new picture reminds us that we have been decentered as god starlings and re-centered as god's partners. Dissenters as god starlings re-centered as god's partners. Well today we've already heard ecology. Theology anthropology. Synology eco theologies. We're in the ologies today think about the world. Where we place ourselves individually and collectively as humans within it. And our field logical belief systems these affect our views of nature. Our sense of ecology. And how we care and don't care. For ourselves. Each other and our planet. Perhaps you remember bill moyers 2004 speech where moyers was referencing james watt this is bill moyers quote remember james watt. President ronald reagan's first secretary of the interior. My favorite online environmental journal the ever engaging grist. Reminder that's recently of how w told the us congress. That protecting natural resources was unimportant. In light of the imminent return of jesus christ. In public testimony he said after the last tree is felled. Christ will come back on quote. Now this perhaps shows one end of how pretty hardcore fundamentalist theology. Might make preserving the earth unnecessary because the expectation is that god will step back in at some point and fix it somehow. There is one problem though. James w never said this. Actor bill moyers heard the rumblings after his speech and looked into it. I personally apologize to james watt. I'm not saying james watt was perfect. He was called by some an amazing quote machine with jon stewart instead of and now for your weekly moment of zen it would be and now for your weekly moment of james watt. The liberals. And the americas. He was quoted commenting on the diverse makeup of a coal industry advisory board in such a harsh way that both sides of the aisle demanded his resignation immediately i'm not going to quote it i can just see it later quote did you hear that john ashby said blah blah blah. Gibbs say in the testimony before the house interior committee in february of 1981. What started the game of telephone that resulted in the bill moyers misquote. What's the following quote. That is the delicate balance the secretary of the interior must have. To be steward for the natural resources for this generation. As well as future generations. I do not know how many generations we can count on before the lord returns. Whatever it is. We have to manage with a skill to leave the resources needed for future generations. This is rather different in words and meaning from the quote and intent that is still so all over the internet you could come away with this quote if you didn't dig in deep enough. This quote by james watt the real one expresses both james w theology. Is ecology. And how they intertwine his ecotheology. What's not perfect. But in response to the moyer speech w specifically said how has christianity obligated him to care for the earth. In his mind his policies were doing this. How. Each of us interprets. Care for the earth. There's the rub. I do many may disagree with a lot of w policies more timberwrights. Giving away more drilling rights giving away he was in my mind an ecological disaster even though he did save some redwoods. And just keeping consistency didn't avoid controversy after resigning either let's just say he managed to plea-bargained down eighteen or so felony counts 21 misdemeanor 5 years probation a $5,000 hours of community service. Certainly not the most stellar reagan-era appointment. Maybe our belief systems that. What do you think. Effects. How we act that's it. That's simple. Well maybe. How we. Affects our belief systems. Maybe it's more complicated maybe the exact situation we find ourselves in also affects what we think. And how we understand our place in the cosmos in the world and what we can do about it. How we at. Maybe it's a combination of all the above. Looking at the quote discovery unquote of the new world. We can see all sorts of interesting things going on. First of all this was really before the concept of ecology existed. Distance to the little but really not much to look again in the late 19th century so without a sense of ecology. In the eyes of the early european newcomers we had this north american continent source of immense riches in man swell the likes of which was in no way available for the average person under european aristocratic structures. All you needed. Was fun. Access to the land. N2. The resources to access the wealth that was inherent in the land. At this point. It was pretty much zero valuing nature. Pretty much zero understanding of how interconnected we. Were and are. To the land. The driving philosophy was the pretty much pervasive theology of man's and back then it was man's. Dominion over the earth everything was put here by god. For our hughes. Not. Our living in connection with. We were gods darlings. And the rest of creation was ours to use as it benefited us without concern for the rest. Recreation. But the situation led to some very interesting things. Two very different ways this would lead to working this resource this new nature and it directly led to treating different groups of people very differently. The native americans and the africans represented two very different opportunities. To exploit. The issue with the native americans was it they were on the land. To get at the land you had to get the native americans. Off of it. The value. In the native americans. Was the land underneath them. The native american cells were obstacles between. The europeans. And the wealth that they fought or rationalized god. Had provided for them. Do the native americans had to be dispensed with. And that's pretty much what happened. Now beside the land itself. It's usually exploitable wealth resided. Mostly into specific crops. Cotton. And sugar from sugarcane. Both of these crops have a couple things in common. First they were highly valued by the rest of the world. Cuz you can get at it you could get a lot of money. And secondly they required a whole lot of labor. And so to make profit off these crops you had to have. Cheap. Labor. So the quote value. Unquote of the africans. Was their bodies. And the labor one could get from them most cheaply. Most profitably. A lot of interesting writing now about how relatively little prejudice there was against africans. Until the new world profit opportunity of enslavement created. The incentive. For the prejudice. Not the prejudice was absent. Just didn't grew substantially. As a result of the profitability that's slavery. Now presented most people are shocked to find out that the wealth gained from sugar so totally eclipsed. What little wealth was gained from the gold that's found there's no comparison. The still exist today a company that began back then it's called tate & lyle huge multi multi multi multibillion-dollar international company that started. By putting slave sugar cane plantations. In the new world this was how it began it was that profitable. The last name. Of the englishmen who did this. Is ashby. I give thanks to god got us and humanists that i just don't know how to do genealogy so i don't. So which comes first. The situation in the world. How we situate ourselves in the world. The inherent attitudes one grows up being taught. Or the attitudes. Like slavery that become convenient. And then develop. In support of the convenience. I do marvel at how the writers of the constitution who made their wealth pretty much directly maybe at most one step removed from slavery could write a constitution that ultimately would doom their very system. Obviously this is a point that people like to debate a lot. Suffice it to say. That we have come quite a ways in 200 years. But also we move slowly. Away from inner still in too many ways struggling with the after aftermath of our early history of the early slavery. Native american slaughter. And the idea that we can take from nature whatever we need whatever we want and it'll be okay even up to the 20th century. The wealth seemed limitless. The strength of nature to rebound. From whatever we did to nature seemed limitless we could. Seemingly continue to act as god's darlings. And yet with time it was becoming clearer there were limits to what nature could provide for us. It became clear that if nature was going to provide for us. We were in part responsible. And what time is becoming clearer that we may in fact be destroying nature's ability to provide for us if we don't watch out. Cement itself represents a huge change in philosophy. Pennsy ology. It's pointing out even as james w pointed out we are responsible for caring for the earth and cannot rely on god to do it for us. The rumblings have been there for a while that led to doctor mcfague very strong words read by alex earlier. No we are not gods darlings. But at best god's partners not mansion how strong a statement. This is. This is a christian professor. In a christian bible belt relatively conservative seminary in the south. Saying that we are partners. With god. Very far from the genesis idea. That we have dominion over all that is here. We are coming along. Might say that we need to come farther. But this is not simple. It's changing. Some of you may remember reverend stripe food home of served are. Congregation probably 10-15 years ago she's got a phd candidate at starr king unitarian universalist seminary in berkeley. Just finishing up her doctoral thesis i'm not smart enough to understand it completely but it's sort of about what is natural and how does theology relate to the work we do in saving the planet. And she was telling me about this concept that. We have what we are right now. What we're doing right now and we have what we aspired to become. How we would like to be better as alex shared in her opening worse. And the area between the area between the space of where we are. And where we would like to be. This is the space where the religions work this is the space where our philosophies work this is the space where we develop. Where we change. Both by moving farther down the spectrum step-by-step and maybe even moving that boundary of what we aspire to is alex did. A little farther. Whether we're talking about changing ourselves individually or helping to lead others to change this is hard old habits die hard. The work has to occur within the space of the now. And the could be. And our theology zar underlying philosophies dictate much of our day-to-day responses what we do we can't go around we can't live evaluating every single breath ragana take every single thing we do and then do it again and again and again. We have to change the pattern of our actions in the pattern of our actions changes when the underlying motivations. And theologies support that change. Now before i get in. Trouble for saying theology too many times in one sermon. Have a little discussion of what the at sign. Is. An eagle theology word that you got there. Well this word has a bunch of different parts the eco course comes from the greek. Believe it's pronounced like us for home that are home. The word theology has two parts. Without. The ampersand more with his logos or knowledge. Nothing ology part. God. Parcel the knowledge of god end. Are home and tying all of this together. But the little auc it's got the circle around it so it's got the over the co it's got the male side. It's for the thea. The feminine side. And it's got the little whirly bird stuff for to look at in there and this mysterious swirl. Symbolizes the full range of theologies atheism through paganism. Nature-based through humanism goddess base through process theologies. The app is just kind of a playful way of making the term theology really widely inclusive. 8 point is we don't need a deity. To come to a theology you don't need a deity. To come to a theology or philosophy of ecology. Humanistic psychology achieved this. Without. A deity. Humanistic theology is the study of the general conceptions of nature and of the relationships of humans with nature. As well as the beliefs attitudes. And values that arise from those concessions basically has an understanding that the world evolves it changes. And if it is changing it could be changing in ways that are not sustainable. Ford can be changing in ways that are sustainable. This works in the human human is philosophy i'm comfortable with theology but i want you to translate that word theology away if you hear it as me forcing the deity on you which i think what i said hopefully makes it clear that i'm not. I just don't like to give all of these words to everyone. Elf little more on the fundamental side i like to earn them back. There is much eco theological activity now in the pagan earth-based theology sissy's theologies are rising and significance. Interesting that our country began by destroying the pagan. An earth-based. Religions. How the native americans in the africans. Now we're returning to them. In large numbers especially in the rising group of those who identify as spiritual-but-not-religious. Talk is one leading voice in the rising pagan goddess the ologies and points out another problem we have in leading people towards a more eco-sensitive way of living. The fact that we are moving people farther and farther away from nature into secluded. Urban environments makes it automatically harder to understand nature to appreciate nature. To see what we're doing to it. Starhawk talks about what we are up against. She's twenty-two years old and never knew that bees pollinate flowers. He's nineteen already a father. And he wants to provide for his daughter but there are no jobs to be had in this hood. She's 20. Pregnant. Eats at mcdonald's everyday. Her neighborhood has no supermarket or vegetable stand. How can you appreciate. Nature. If you never. Just work is challenging. Can seem daunting. A x. And seemed completely overwhelming. However i like what joanna macy the great ecologist says. Weather. We are the midwives who through our earth saving work are helping to give birth to a new life or. If we are hospice workers who can only work to make the ending less painful the actions we take. What we do in the face of our situation. Is the same. The actions we take what we do in the face of our situation is the same. We live and work. In that space between what is. Striving for what could be. Knowing we are not god's darlings but at best god's partners. Knowing that we are not goddesses darling but at best goddesses partners. Knowing. That we are not futures darlings but at the best futures partners. Whether the midwives or the hospice nurses. What we can do in either case. Is the same. Amen. I join. Together in the spirit of prayer and meditation contemplation. At our core we trust people are born into original goodness. The world is inherently good. We are all people animals nature rocks the universe. 1. God the divine. Process theology humanism conscience that which each of us calls out as their name. For the sacred is good. We are not perfect. And need help. We fall short from the perfections of the above but not because of original sin which we have to overcome but because we are inherently human in which we find joy. The world is not perfect we want the world to be a better place than we are willing to help we love our faith as it helps us to be more effective at bringing the world closer to its goodness and bring us joy as we celebrate the progress we make individually and together we look at the work we do to help heal our planet the work is not easy we look for strength and wisdom to pursue this work with joy to members in our congregation received acclimation just this week for the work they're doing this area maria thibodeau. Bringing bicycles to everybody who's not on one and stacy frerichs wins the gerber award for leadership could read about it in today sunday paper we're looking for a community that can help us to see the beauty of creation when we lose sight of it that can help us to experience the wonder of creation when we find ourselves separated from it and that can help us to bring others closer to experiencing the oneness that they to deserve and four hours ago my third grandchild gabriel john grisvar. Came into this not-so-perfect world absolute carbon copy of his older brother when he was born and i didn't tell my daughter gabriel john you realize i'm calling in jon-don you then we can separately or community. Whether we are the midwives.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-02-23_Judge-Not-Lest-Ye-Be-Judged_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov or further information. Good morning welcome to the you church of davis where everyone is accepted. We accept all beliefs gender identities and ethnicities and dance moves. Those who decide to drink coffee and those who decide to drink tea percent 2% or even those daring to drink whole milk. So today's service will be about judgement seeing is by how you all reacted to our dance moves a few moments ago we can tell that a lot of you were judging us in one way or another please raise your hand if you are willing and able if you judged us in any way during our performance and be honest thank you for being so honest. We will hopefully learn why those hands are raised. And we are going to go deep into the enigma of judgment. So. Now it's time to kind of get that sassy energy and that judgmental vibes out in the open. Oh snap. So the first step is the snap. You're going to go 12 the ride. Bachelorette. Then back to the right. Next. Participate. In standard. If it feel like you have a little exercise new stuff today. If you want to get that out you could also try bobbing your head from left to right as juice. Alright so now that we have all of that energy out of our systems and the chalice is lit it's time to get serious. Today will be deeply exploring the ideas and perspectives of many of our high-school group members. We will dive into the deep enigma that we know as judgment will ask questions like what causes us to judge and. If it's a natural occurrence or something that we have just created just to feel safe. So as we go into the following presentations please keep an open mind. And remember that the order of service is merely an approximation some stereotypes including the ones that teenagers put off stuff and planning until the last minute maybe true. The following is a reading. Strange and foolish walls by a powell davies. The years of all of us are shorts our lives precarious. Our days and nights go hurrying on and they're scarcely time to do the little that we might yet we find time for bitterness for petty treason and evasion. What can we do to stretch our hearts enough to lose their littleness. Here we are all of us all upon this planet bound together in a common destiny. Living our lives between the briefness of daylight and the dark. Kindred in this beach lighted by the same precarious flickering flame of life. How does it happen that we are not kindred in all things else. How strange and foolish are these walls of separation that divide us. Hello i am doctor doctor tobar esquire yes i have many titles and i consider them my only lasting achievement. Prejudice and psychology refers to a preconceived opinion of something or someone without reason. Typically attributed negative. Or social group with which an individual is not considered a tire. And many cases pageant dresses are based upon stereotypes which themselves are form of mental image or identifier. By which one defines a particular hour. According to psychologist gordon alphard prejudices and stereotypes emerge as a result of normal human thinking in order to make sense of the world around us it is important to store information into mental categories. The human mind must think with the aid of categories explained. Once formed. Categories of the basis for normal prejudgment. Regional hospital avoid this process orderly living depends upon a child. This process of categorization applies to the social world as well as we sort people into groups based on factors such as age and race. Research has found that in general. People tend to downplay the differences between members of a social group. And exaggerated the differences between two social groups. This process enter plays well with what is known as the fundamental attribution error. The tendency of humans to overestimate internal or personality factors and downplay situational factors and explaining behavior. These two psychological processes work to ensure that our preconceived notions of. Ignore glaring differences between pasture-raised of people painted in our mind. Under a single social group. Before the homeless beforeigners excetera excetera. And then exaggerate the differences in behavior, only a few members of a social group exhibit. As a single cookies of identity of people. Once we view these people as a single group without individual variance. We begin to see them as a single type of person and we treat them to a certain expected standard. This is the basis of discriminatory behavior. When are you begin to view people. Idiosyncratic identities of different treatment. So although this may not be standard practice for going to be showing a music video to you up above from the lyrics are kind of fast you'll need to catch everything you'll get the spirit of it and unity question marks all throughout it would kind of make us feel there's something about unitarian universalist as a joke about unitarian universalist burning question marks in people's lawn so the question marks about justice and about how how we see different people in society based on stereotypes. So i'm just going to start off by saying that i judge people. I do all the time and i don't think it's as bad as most people think it is. I'm not saying there aren't people who cross the line and judge people based on their race or gender and completely inappropriate ways there are but i also think that the people who say we need to eradicate judgment because it is a harmful thing don't realize the massive part of society and human interaction they would be removing. First the definition of opinion is a belief judgment or way of thinking about something. What someone thinks about a particular thing. This is merriam-webster's online definition so i think it's appropriate and saying that opinion and judgment are synonyms. So it's just quickly picture this opinion free world. We don't have an opinion on what we wear what people say and what people do. Anything we see we no longer have an opinion on. My thing by taking away our opinion or judgment we become obsolete we have no personality. And its opinion free world i see little gray human-shaped blob. And at the unitarian universalist especially i love being able to have an opinion. And being able to share my opinion and intern i love the fact that i can judge people. I have a game i play when i'm bored and it's when i look at some stranger and i judge them solely on what they're wearing and how they're acting i've never met these people i'm not harming them in anyway and yet i'm creating story and keeping myself entertained. I don't see any problem there. In world civilization a social science class i took last year we would have class discussions on certain world events or what not. People would share their opinion and we would occasionally get into a friendly argument. And i would always learn so much and he's class discussions because of the different opinions. Now i'm just going to make it when i first started speaking i stayed in my opinion on judgement at least a few of you judge me. For having such an opinion but you didn't stop listening you kept listening and maybe i won you over and maybe i didn't. But you learn something even if it was only the fact that i have this opinion. Again i know there are people who use judgment and their opinion and harmful ways they're always will be but judgment is not a bad thing it is an unconscious or conscious tool people used to sort out their lives that use it for entertainment and most importantly they use it for learning. Well we know that judgment can take a great multitude of forms and is present in all aspects of our lives but it's for moments subdivided into just two parts conscious and unconscious judgement. Conscious judgement as well fought through process in which be rational use our knowledge and beliefs to make a decision about a person or idea everyday we use conscious judgment to determine what route we're going to take one biking what programming language and what jobs are going to put our time and effort into. On the other hand unconscious judgment has a much lesser basis and reason and far more of a route in our fears are prejudices and their jealousies. Unconscious judgment is when oftentimes without even realizing it we draw a conclusion about a person or a dia that you can giving up files. We see unconscious judgement all around us when a person when people are nervous around one another because of race when someone's gender identity or sexual orientation is dismissed as unnatural or when a person applicant is passover do to their apparent view. We are we ourselves can sometimes be caught holding these ugly unconscious judgments and we must strive to recognize when we have them so that we might overcome them the main danger if he's unconscious judgments and consciously invent reasons for holding them problems just last year. As we've heard from mia not all judgment is bad and many forms of judgement benefit us every day. We can see today that many of these types of. Institutionalized collective unconscious judgments are being coming under fire and being removed from our society. This is the results of collective judgments of many people making conscious and rational decisions overtime with posies unconscious judgments of others it is always difficult and. Hi my name is lord milk and for those of you who don't know about little over two years ago i came out as bisexual and this is a poem i wrote about it. Deer homophones. I'm sorry. I'm sorry i don't live up to your cultural expectations fill your assumption that your stereotype i'm sorry that my lifestyle goes against your religion. You think that being gay is unnatural life star you feel that way because so your toothpaste grande latte and digital watch you think that my love is on isn't authentic why don't think your opinions are either deer society. Do you seriously expect anyone to kneel down and say will you civil union me also you put me out for being different but to be fair you're the one who gave me that label. Your government. This is cooling thing called separation of church and state you should try it out sometime you're closeted queer. Ps people may not understand. People may stare but if you start to see their faces. As mirrors. You will learn to smile at your reflection. If you find yourself lost at 120 beats per minute you will learn how to sing along to your own heartbeat in the spirit of martin luther king we have a dream. In the spirit of pope francis who are they to judge and if anyone ever decides that they have a problem with you then in the spirit of jesus christ let he who is without sin throw the first stone. Give him a house. For being myself. I will never be sorry. Thank you. This is a song called same love by macklemore and ryan lewis. Hello. My name is emma meads and i have a disability it might be hard to believe because you can't see it and just be on the outside looks perfectly normal. No cast bruises broken limbs thought oh she can't do this or i expect less of her because of this from afar i may seem like the typical teenage girl but don't judge too quickly cuz life has thrown me some pretty hard obstacles and just starting to get my feet back under me. A year ago i was playing water polo and my teammate elbowed me in the face. 2 days later i was diagnosed with a concussion many of you probably don't know about concussions and before this injury i never even considered as a disability a concussion is a traumatic brain injury that alters the way your brain functions effects can include problems with headache nausea concentration memory loss the list goes on and on concussions in most cases only cost temporary setbacks but if not treated properly a concussion can change the way a person's of brains function of person's brain functions for the rest of your life. Throughout the following months i had to drop 3 academic classes excuse myself from high school swim for go synchronized swimming season decline work opportunities and rowland summer school and quit water polo. And the beginning of my recovery i wouldn't listen to the symptoms i would push past the headaches migraines and nausea because i hated the power this injury possessed. Not only was i limited from the effects of this injury i also faced judgment from peers teachers and coaches. I've come to realize that if i look normal people expect me to go beyond the limits that i set out for me. Yet when people know of this disability they assume i'm brain dead. It's as if i'm living in this in-between zone on this romanticized idea of reality and the truth. Because of this experience i recognized how hard it is for someone to break out of society standards of themselves a prejudice or stereotype that someone is faced with soon change their identity for my case people have this preconceived notion that i cannot offer you under normal conditions. And the truth is. I can't it takes me longer to complete my homework i have to constantly take breaks from whatever i'm doing when i feel nauseous or dizzy and i'm very forgetful these days. But just because i can't offer under the same conditions doesn't mean i still can't get the job done i know i have the ability to prove everyone wrong everyone who ever doubted me who ever thought less of my capabilities. But i shouldn't have to prove myself to someone who's just ignorant to my condition. Learn for me don't judge someone just because you think you know what's best for them and most cases you're wrong. Thank you. We just heard emma encouraged us to think twice before judging other people. But i want to invite you now to get comfortable and join me in exploring the ways in which we judge ourselves. In fact i'm going to ask you to think about the negative ways that you judge yourself. Being hard on ourselves is familiar to many of us. We often dense distance ourselves from emotional pain or vulnerability anger jealousy or fear by covering it over with self-judgment yet when we push away the parts of ourselves those parts of ourselves we only dig ourselves deeper into the trance of unworthiness. Think know about the negative about a negative judgment you have against yourself. Maybe you have more insecurities than you want to or have done something you aren't proud of. Maybe you have a phobia or anxiety or afraid of failure. Maybe you have upset someone that you love and are looking for forgiveness. Take a moment now to choose one thing that you can focus on one thing that you beat yourself up about. Nothing about this one thing as you listen to my words. Whenever we are trapped in self judgment our first and why is this step towards freedom is to develop compassion for ourselves. If we'd entered someone and are embroiled in guilt and self-recrimination. Compassion for ourselves allows us to find a wise and healing way to make amends. If we are drowning in grief or sorrow. Arousing compassion helps us to remember the love and connection in our lives. Rather than pushing them away we free ourselves by thing are hurting placed with the unconditional tenderness of compassion. When you judge yourself you can feel your heart your heart can feel as if it is bound by type metal chords. Put your hand on your heart. This place is where you can feel the most pain and discomfort and send a message to the play place. Please repeat after me. I care about this suffering. By saying this you're not saying that what you're feeling is something you have to carry around with you and dwell on. But it is a feeling that you can acknowledge. And listen to when you feel it so that it doesn't consume you. Offering herself such care might feel strange and unfamiliar. Or even downright embarrassing. At first. It might trigger sense of shame about being needy undeserving or self-indulgent. But the truth is that this revolutionary act of treating ourselves. Tenderly can begin to undo the versus messages of a lifetime. Over the next few days whenever you become aware of your of judging yourself or others. I asked you to check in with your body to see where you are feeling pain. This could be your throat or stomach tightening and fear. Or your chest heavy and sore. With a very gentle gentle touch. Place your hand on the spot. And say. I care about this suffering. By holding yourself with a compassionate presents you become free to participate more fully in your world. Whatever we become addicted to judging and miss trusting ourselves. Any sincere gesture of care to the wounded places. Can bring it about a beautiful transformation are suffering then becomes a gateway to the compassion that can free your heart. When we become the holder of our own sorrows are old roles as judge adversary or victim are no longer being fueled. In their place we will not find a new rule but a but a courageous openness and the capacity for genuine tenderness. Not only for ourselves but for others as well. Okay with everybody please advise if you're willing and able and take an to one another we hope that by looking into the service you have all learned a bit about yourself into judgment that you hold the power of a judge other than yourself in the water one and we hope that you only did responded wait amen and what is the logo for thumb piano on i've been here and live long and play.

uudavispodcast_org

2016-01-17-The-Grace-of-Silence_09_30.mp3?_=1

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website at w.w. org for further information. So welcome to the unitarian universalist church of davis i'm beth bank the senior minister here and i do see some new faces and amethyst mckay is standing next to me and stacy is also going to have leave the service how can i participate in relationships of meaning where do i find the sacred in everyday life how can i make a difference for myself my family for this society as well as for the beautiful living earth we come together to create a unique community for this one hour but in this space center ourselves. Remind luther king jr. we must speak with all the humility that is appropriate to our limited vision but we must speak we are called as unitarian universalist to build the beloved community with both humility and courage it is when we balance these two human qualities that all souls are welcomed as blessings only when humility. Courage come together will the human family be whole and reconciled. Today's reading is an excerpt from the pop singer sara bareilles song brave which you heard and turn the sanctuary this morning what you want to say and let the words fall out. Honestly i want to see you be brave with what you want to say and since your history of silence won't do you any good did you think it would let your words be anything but empty why don't you tell them the truth when i first heard this song i was torn between the adage if you can't say something nice don't say anything at all and they dreaming about what i would say if i followed what the song lyrics implore say what you want to say what i say you have food in your teeth please do around me living room during the generations of their black family were told by white guidance counselors that they should lower their expectations for success at college they were told stanford will be due to difficult for kids like you it's too much pressure. None of them shared this with each other and michelle norris muses about these stories that had not been shared why had no one told these stories why the silence my mind goes back to sara bareilles song brave and since your history of silence won't do you any good let your words be anything but empty why don't you tell the truth after reading the grace of silence the song brave took on an entirely new meaning for me now i wondered what stories do we choose to hold in silence. How is sharing them change our relationships and the public conversations around issues that are important to us if we are so brave that we honestly talk about our fears and experiences and listen to each other and my personal reflections on race i realize that i have many friends from different races i assume that by being friends with him i was living in a post-racial world if i could be friends or roommates with someone who is black latino or asian that everything was okay the more i reflect on the life experiences of my friends i realize that although i can brace and be respectful of them i don't really know what it's like to live as black latino or asian our conversations are stories about race what stories had they not told and held in silence why the book. Michelle norris african-american news correspondent focuses on society and race. There are many steps leading to crossing a threshold and many are the people often anonymous who play minor roles in history's grand panels there many people who never appear in history books or their family bloodline. And marching for justice they quietly insisted on a lifestyle with the same benefits as the white people in their neighborhood and they did forced integration in a neighborhood and they use their wits to succeed in their goal of having what they saw as a normal life. How was it that her father who followed laws filed taxes early and believe jaywalking showed weakness of character who spoke with a profound economy. How did he come to be arrested and shot in january of 1946 stayed home yarn services all of them. The armed services began then to recruit black men historian howard then revealed that not all joined with the enthusiasm of seventeen-year-old belvin norris. In january of 1943 and negro newspaper published the draftees prayer dear lord today i go to war to fight to die. Tell me what for dear lord i'll fight i do not fear germans or chaps. My fears are here. America. If the black soldiers believe that going to war for the united states woodard them respect is american citizens they were disappointed there were separate training camps and most often the new soldiers were posted in the kitchens drove trucks worked on the docks or musician on the rare occasion that they were given a skilled position. They never received pay equal to a white soldier. A negro college student told his teacher the army jim crows us the navy lets us serve only as mess men in the kitchen preparing food for thousands the red cross refuses our blood. Employers and labor unions shut us out. Lynchings continue we are disenfranchised jim croce spat upon what more could hitler do than that. What. Nothing. To say. But n-double-acp leader repeated this quote to a midwest african-american audience he didn't expect thunderous applause. The crowd. Applauded. For a full minute and he couldn't get them to quiet. The dream of equal treatment was deferred again while they were in the military. And now the dream moved into the future with everyone would return home victorious. From a 1944 letter by black soldier published in the new republic. Those of us who are in the armed services are offering our lives and our fortunes not for the america we know today before the america we hope will be created after the war. When the end of the war came and the american troops returned home. The black soldiers felt pride. If they were swept up in the celebrations honoring the veterans. It's served in the most powerful military on earth. They felt that power. They were more willing than ever to do what was necessary to create a life of freedom and fairness for themselves they wanted the life that the white population took for granted. And they're right. They returned to a country with shortages of everything including men's civilian clothes. Those who serve had to wear their armed services uniforms until civilian clothing their size was available again it was one thing to see a white person wearing a uniform proudly but there were consequences for black veterans wearing their uniforms. Forest society that was ready to return to the normalcy of life before the war it was frightening to see black men with new confidence in their step and new expectations for how they would be treated. During the first six months after veterans return to their home communities the number of black veterans killed by police increased so dramatically that it was reported. And we can imagine that there were more death then there were on record. This is a familiar story of conflict between black men and police unexplained deaths and incorrect record-keeping. In the december issue of the atlantic magazine. Tallahassee codes. Right in his article hope and the historian. Something that is very disturbing actually. Writers who commit themselves to only writing hopeful things. Are committing themselves to an a historical. And the mythical. White supremacy said is likely a permanent feature in america. The point here. Isn't that white supremacy won't ever diminish. Nor that it won't ever change form. The point is that it will always be with us in some form and the best one can reasonably hope for is that it will shrink in impact. Tanahashi coates arrived at this unwelcome conclusion. From an increasingly deep study of history and following the work of the brilliant black historian nell painter. His conclusion is in conflict with that arc of justice presented by most historians of color as well as progressive white historians naci. Throughout american society. Taylor branch a white male civil rights color challenges his audiences in a different way. Saying when we look at our past and the ways is civil rights movement open the door to the rights of women and gays and continues to give energy to our race conversations now what reason he asked do we have to not be optimistic or pessimistic. Unitarian universalist theology assures us that the actions we take. No matter how seemingly insignificant and even if we see no effect on our surroundings now will bring about change. Each person has at very least the power to be an example to others who know us and the reach of each life yours and mine that reach is not know. This is what gives me hope. For this reason i turned to taylor branch for his optimism. That's why i looked at him. Many black soldiers who came home from wwii laid the groundwork for the civil rights movement that envelop the whole country 15 to 20 years later a second world war ended everyone was reminded that was their patriotic duty to vote. President roosevelt occluded in every newspaper. The right must be open to all citizens irrespective of race color creed. Without packs or artificial restriction of any kind. In response to his proclamation well there was great hope in the african american community. But the government of alabama pushback. The state passed a law in 1945 protecting those who wish to vote specially those who were a color and their knowledge of the constitution. I want you to imagine the tension when after the war there was suddenly 10,000 new potential voter registrations and 75% of them. We're black veterans. White politicians and lawmakers were alarmed. Returning black soldiers were determined to receive the equality that have been promised many times and then denied. Black leaders brand citywide clinics to study the constitution and african-american population prepared coaching quizzing each other meeting together. January 23rd the black leaders held a victory parade in birmingham and they marched to the county board of registrars office and they carried signs join us to register and bring your discharge papers. But at the registration center they were turned away for small insignificant errors on their forms or mistakes fabricated by their examiners the right to vote was denied. It is in this climate of increasing tension but i'm february 7th k norris newly discharged from the navy just barely discharged narrowly escapes becoming one of the statistics i mentioned before it's an evening he never talked about his children although it was used by his brothers to teach their children never look the police in the face. The norris brothers got on the elevator of an entertainment club and an officer tried to stop their elevator by putting a stick in the door was closing and delavan knocked it away to allow the elevator to close. K struggle to keep the officer's gun in its holster and when the gun went off. K was shot in the leg. He was jailed five officers charged him with crimes he didn't do. But his family got him out of jail quickly it was a dangerous place. The records show. But he had nothing in his possession except his navy discharge papers in his pocket. When he and his brothers were released they left for the north because it wasn't safe for them in birmingham anymore. When he died michelle found a medal of honor from his service in the navy hidden in his dresser drawer. But with this new story and her new understanding of her father she knew the significance now of a small copy of the constitution that he always carried in his back pocket when he was alive. Always carried it. And why he kept every years i voted sticker what she used to make fun of him for. As a symbol of freedom. Michelle norris feel that there were many reasons our parents built a wall of silence around the story of belvin norris's encounter with the police in birmingham alabama. Primarily her parents wanted to keep their children's lives free from their own pain. So as young black people they would not be held back. By bitterness that she witnessed in many of the black families. She interviewed. But michelle responds to their protection by saying i would have been a different child and likely would have been a different adult. She doesn't elaborate. And what she mean. I different. The grace of silence is to listen to what is unsaid. But she tells us that the power. Is found in understanding. Ultimately. Looking back to the word that stacy was using from the song. Is it being brave enough to speak and brave enough to vistana. And then to find that power and understanding that is when any change is possible as a project to hear what people are saying in there more private conversations about race. What we say in a public venue in front of a whole family at thanksgiving. For christmas or a big crowd. Can become posturing and sparring or shielding ourselves with political correctness or on the other hand becoming intentionally shocking. We're more likely to hide that subtlety questions disappointment. Or hope that might seem unrealistic. But when we dare to say what we really feel. Tell the stories of what we really experienced no matter what our race. When we are so brave. We will have the energy to keep at this task of shrinking the racism that will always be a part of our society. We need each other. We need to understand each other. At a new level. And you are invited to be a part of this conversation. There are cards waiting for your six words about race in the social hall. We're going to be sending our cards to the project at npr. At the end of the month. Invitation is open to youth they are going to be receiving the cards. Two renters. Midweek visitors choirs. And all of the audiences that come through our doors. Today and tomorrow. And the guests of the interfaith rotating winter shelter will be invited to write your six words. About race. In my six words. You're here as a part of our closing. The invitation is for you to go under the tent and bump into each other as you're reading the cards that are hung there that is a part of the experience to read the card as you walk out the door today. Invite you into time of prayer. Meditation. In the hebrew scripture. Jacob was traveling in the desert. He didn't know the future of his own life. The lives of those he loved. The night game. He slept out under the night sky. With his head on a stone. I did dream that there was a stairway that reach to heaven. And ascended to rest on the earth. And on that stairway he saw angels traveling to heaven. And earth. Heaven. And earth. The connection between heaven and earth ideal and the real. They're in our society in our relationships. In our own hearts. And spirits. We are climbing. What we do in our lives. Matters. I can take us closer to the beloved community. Had we yearn for now. When we stumble and fall we need each other to help us because we cannot always completely heal the world those we love our own pain and the long distance is hard we need to know that there is a strength that will not leave us that will travel with us all our days and nights and foursome that presence is god for others it is building that ladder with others to go to our idea when we can gain strength by expressing our doubts and our concerns our fears and convictions and know each other bravely because we are climbing this letter. Already holding hands take each other's hands and hear some six words say what you want to say and let the words fall out honestly i want to see you be brave with what you want to say. I will listen to your story. I'm white what do i say. My six words are in my notebook. Something like rethinking. Mayflower families mayflower rethinking pride and families mayflower trip gathering say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2015-04-19_From-Dreams-to-Reality_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome davis for today we dream and then more importantly we think about what can be now in a bit of a reimagining of meaning and a slight rewriting that it suits me and might really annoy some of the english teachers or shakespeare fans in the audience no more heartache and the thousand natural shocks that flesh is heir to to oppose injustice 2 not merely dream. Are senior parrish middle school bags is on her sabbatical will be returning to us in june today it's your dream team leaving us from dreams2reality as yoda reminds us there is no try only do. When we come here on sunday morning we bring the imperfections of who we are this is a community where we challenge each other encouraged each other support each other our work is to keep our site on the best that we can be in this place we are surrounded by a diversity of religious belief in god or whatever it is that each of us called sacred is different for each of us and comes from our life experience we celebrate those classes and political parties the world we dream about. We continue to cherish the living earth as our sacred home. Arkhalis lighting this morning is adapted from unitarian universalist dr. seuss. Congratulations today is our day we're off to great places we're off and away. We have brains in our heads we have feet on our shoes in her shoes and we can steer ourselves whichever direction we choose. All the places we'll go. We are off on our way. We are seeing great sights will join the high-flyers who sort to high heights. Oh the places we'll go there is fun to be done. So be sure where you step step with care and great tact and remember that life is a great balancing act just never forget to be dexterous and death. Another mix up your right foot with your left and we will succeed yes we will indeed. 98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed. Folks will move mountains. So be your name boxopus or bixby or bray or modicious ali van allen o'shea today is our day. Are mountains are waiting. So let's get on our way. Over the past few months the dream team has asked this congregation and its individuals to seek their own prophetic voices. We haven't asked for your involvement. We haven't asked what great places you wish to store off to. We have been asked you have been asked to stretch and grow and connect with one another. We have asked you to make courageous choices using our uu values as your compass. On our collective journey towards deeper justice and stronger community. We know that sometimes it has felt like we are asking you to step with your left foot while your right foot is still in the air and we have felt that way along this process as well. However we hope that each of you feels but the fire of a commitment is fully ablaze and has started to call you towards further involvement with your personal face as well as this congregations work as a whole. We truly hope that you believe there is fun to be done and that you are itching to find that fun or adventure with us. Some of you have already shared with us and with each other the beautiful yet taunting mountains that you see waiting to be climbed for this congregation. Our team has loved reading all of the dreams that have been shared. All 215 of them. 215. That is a lot of dreams. That is a lot of passion and care and thought about this beloved community. At this point we would like to make some of this passion visible to you all. I'm going to share some of the dreams that have been contributed to us through small-group discussions and our evening party of meetings. Due to the fact that we have heard so many dreams i will only be able to share a few ideas today. Please do not feel that these are the only options for this community moving forward. When i read a dream please raise your hand if this is a dream that you have for this community or that you were willing to put energy and attention towards. What are you willing to be a high flyer for. Think about what you are willing to do to help this community grow and flourish. Even if it's not a dream that you've already shared or that you would even thought of before this moment when i read it you are welcome to raise your hand for as many as you feel are passionate about for this community. As people raise their hands. Look around you. Look at all the passion and excitement that is held within this community. How many of us are prepared to work towards improving our branding or how we present this congregation in the community at large. Who amongst us is interested in expanding our adult education programs. Who has passion for helping to make change in our spiritual offerings or to provide alternative or varied forms of worship services. Who amongst us is interested in strengthening and developing our interpersonal connections to one another. Who killed called the help our community by working to find additional ways for us to connect to one another outside of sunday services. Sorry i know i already did that one investor dancing change in our re programs. Who is compelled to work towards social justice goals and that support our larger community. Who would be committed to forming a team or exploring relationships and partnerships with other local and religious groups in the region on social issues. How many of us are passionate about developing farming or food garden programs to provide assistance to needy individuals in our community. How many amongst us are interested in enhancing our physical spaces and grounds. Who would be interested in forming a team that will look at the existing master plan created while reboot building the social hall and see if it is reasonable to revamp or erect a new building. Who raised their hand one time or more. Keep your hands up look around. That's a lot of people that are interested in being engaged in our community and helping us grow thank you all for sharing your dreams and your hopes for this congregation today and over the past few months. This morning service is the dream team's opportunity to talk to you about the need. For commitment. Megan has shared some of the dreams we heard from you at the altar church dinner and in small group meetings later. So what are we together. Going to do about them. Who among us. His willing to help turn these dreams into reality. During this service. You will hear how three dream team members. Have answered our churches call for leadership and what that is meant to each of it. I am one voice. And i'll share how participating on the dream team has been transformative for me. Just to give you some background during my 20 years with the uu fellowship in san luis obispo i have been involved in children's children's religious education and taught in their our whole lives program let a ministerial search committee and been part of a welcome welcoming congregation group. Karen davis i worked with the quilters and the campus ministry and intern committees and i'm part of a woman's group. Through these activities i've made rich friendships. And become very connected to my religious community. Yet however from filling my involvement was limited. While i was still working as a physician i shied away from long-term commitments. And evening meetings because of a busy call schedule. I had never been part of a worship service. In large part because public speaking petrified me. If i had to speak from a podium i'd have to give myself courage with a mantra. Hydrated even doing an opening or closing reading. A committee because it would take me hours searching for something i felt was appropriate. So why did i agree when the then board president marty west's asked me if i would share the strategic planning committee. The question for several reasons at the time i didn't have another major church responsibility and i do like to feel that i'm giving back. To a community that means so much to me. Also i've always liked to see the big picture. Of things and that seemed like what this effort might. Really involved. And yet this responsibility is stretched me in many ways. Some were expected since i was totally ignorant of strategic planning i knew i had to learn from many sources. But also in ways i didn't expect. Do i thought i had a good grasp of cheering committees. Our consultants on inge and liz hall of the bay area organizing committee. Have taught me a lot about. Delegating and about planning effective team meetings. The small group leader training that they. Provided for many of us. Was also very useful. And kate raymond and beth banks. Training for the committee chairs has really helped me to incorporate the spiritual aspect of committee work. Working on this team has been challenging for me because. Of the lack of structure. The previous strategic plan from 2004 had a cheap motel most of its goals so we had to start with a clean slate. There was nothing obvious that was left over for us to do our teams charge from the board. Was very broad to help the congregation determine the direction that wanted to go over the next 5 years. However is reverend beth's reminded us. So we had no map. We had a compass ruu values. Internet challenge. Was creating and participating in worship services. Five of them at first reverend beth model for us the process and gave us a framework kind of like training wheels. Then she stepped back while we planned. 41 service just after she started her sabbatical. We also will do one more after she returns planning worship services is not easy. But not so scary anymore. So how have i been transformed by serving. I wanted the big picture. And now i have a much better sense of how did our church works. And more importantly i know many of you much better now through. Our small group conversations. And other times we've. Connected during this process. I have more confidence and know-how with technology for doing committee work. I now know that google docs is different than a google search as i've learned to delegate i'm appreciative of the unique gifts that each of my team members brings to our work. Since i've had to write a lot for this team. I found that writing is becoming easier also. I am now more comfortable speaking from my heart. And addressing a group is not as frightening anymore. And now i have a great appreciation for the skillet takes to create a worship service previously i had no idea how much work on the part of so many people. Went into the process. I am very happy. Together and have given this gift of meaningful service. As well as to grow from the experience. This is the sound of two voices. And the sound of my voice with a call back around 2006 when i was serving on the church board we were wrestling with the development and implementation of policy-based governance. An interesting concept i assure you but one with not much excitement for non-policy people one of the tasks we had to create a vision statement. And i have to confess to significant prejudice against the mission vision work at least back then. Now i find it to be critically important to really know why you exist as an organization and what it is that you are working toward. But at that time working on the vision statement was a task that did not strongly attract many board members. However i was able to convince a fairly new board member and friend frank roe to help me with this endeavor we worked on taking the statements from a day-long workshop and. voting exercise with its many numbers and distill it down into vision statements. From from that work that the reflected what we saw for a future it let us into interesting side roads what have other churches done and what did their statements look like. Some of those were very compelling and inspiring and also showed immense detail in their future planning if i recall correctly our first attempt at the exercise took several meetings. And then the board wasn't entirely happy with it so we reworked it during a few more meetings and then the board felt it was an accurate and respectable guiding document. Honestly i don't know that it would look substantially different. From a similar document if we created one today but i believe that is a good thing because our goals and aspirations remain solidly grounded in our faith and values. And the problems and opportunities for us to work on remain stubbornly human and difficult. That does not diminish or resolve in trying to tackle them however so we press onward i remember that time working with just frank and realizing how easy of a partnership it was. How much easier the word became. Our vision statement from 2007 had two principal main themes. Community and connection and engagement. Our community was focused on infrastructures. Physical people organizational structures and financial connection and engagement with both internal and external with eight major components. Some differences between now and then. Back then there really wasn't a process to easily or directly implement new visioning plans it was as possible for the board to take action as it was for the board to appreciate and read the documents and then file it away and our files have examples of both. Our process now incorporates methods designed to help make sure that the future plans become finalized with implementation firmly in mind a method development fire consultants. Secondly we have grown in many ways since the last comprehensive planning exercise both in our determination to accomplish large things but also an art ability to recognize that we have more capacity to make big changes than we had imagined previously. This is demonstrated by our accomplishments in both our physical campus and staffing levels giving us more strength to carry out our dreams. Just too small examples are the interfaith rotating winter shelter and the all church dinner neither of which could have been hosted here before i look back fondly at work thinking i did and believe that some projects are most easily accomplished with two people who can exchange and refine ideas without initially trying to find solutions or approaches that satisfy a large number of participants. This is the sound of all of us which you'll hear from the choir later. This morning. This church is our family. So many of you have said that you look to each other for support as you would a family member. The word family technically means a primary social group consisting of parents and their offspring the principal function of which is provision for its members. What family is to me are the people we can. Can depend on to support us when we need that support. They are the individuals that we turn to to make it better. I have a blood family or friends family and i have a church family. All of which i cherish with all of my heart. My blood family are the people that hold my history in their hearts and minds my friend family or the men and women that know my soul. And my church family are all of you. The people in the sanctuary that support and guide my children myself and my husband in our spiritual growth. You can see that all of these individuals would be important in one's life journey. I would specifically like to talk about my church family and what it has meant to me as a parent there is nothing more important than the precious lives of your children. You want them to honor and a mold the beauty and wonder of this life. There are so many questions that our children have and so many different ways to answer these questions. I purposely sought out of base or in this case the church family that could help me answer these questions and teach my children the real meaning of love. After being a part of this congregation for many years. I decided that it was important to give back on a greater level than teaching over the bridge house and the occasional volunteering for small projects here and there. I committed 23 years on the children's youth and religious exploration committee. It was the way that i could help other parents and their children connect and grow in love to. Cyre is one of the best decisions i have made for my own spiritual growth. This is my third year on this committee of which now i am the chair. I feel very passionately about cyre because it has given back to me so much more than i ever knew it could. I have had the privilege to work under the tutelage of our renowned re director kate raymond. Who is taught me to lead with gentleness and complete dedication. I've been graced with the company of parents and fellow cyre members that have touched my life and inspired me to be a better parent. I hope we have supported one another on levels that taught me what it is to be a church family. The love care and protection that emanate from my fellow cyre members both past and present. Make me feel grateful and blessed when i think of them. These people are my family. They are my children's family and i know that they will always be there for me when i need them. Whether i'm a part of the committee or not as i will always be there for them when they need me. I love and i cherish each and every one of them. I believe deeply that as a unit cyre has made a difference in this congregations children's and parents lives. It took each one of us on this committee to work as a team supporting one another to get these amazing results. So you see with many of us working together with a specific goal we can change lives and make them better. Is that not what are seven principles had here to teach us. There's much work to be done. You have given us many examples or dreams about what changes you would like to see. And we are giving you the opportunity to come together as a family and support one another's dreams. Walt disney once said. Our dreams can come true if we have the courage to pursue them. Try me now in the spirit of prayer meditation contemplation. Brimming. At our core we trust people are born into original goodness. The world is inherently good. We are all people animals nature rocks the universe 1. God. The divine process theology goddess humanism conscience. That which each of us calls out as their name for the sacred is good. We are not perfect. I need help. We fall short from the perfections of the above but not because of original sin which we have to overcome but because we are inherently human in which we find joy. The world is not perfect we want the world to be a better place. And we are willing to help. We love our faith is it helps us to be more effective at bringing the world closer to its goodness. And bring those joyous we celebrate the progress we make individually. And together. We're seeking a community that can help us to see the beauty of creation when we lose sight of it. They can help us to experience the oneness of creation when we find ourselves separated from it. And they can help us to bring others closer. To experiencing the oneness that they too deserve. We are people who take pleasure joy and wisdom. From being on the path with people who spiritual paths and life paths are different. If we try to bring ourselves each other and the world closer to the oneness of the above. Our community comforts us when we feel personal loss. The courage is awesome when we despair for the failings of the world. Provides a path as individuals to comfort others when they can benefit from us. Such community requires much from us provides much for us. And both these are key to our strong religious community as we strive to better serve the world and bring ourselves each other. And the rest of the world closer to the one that said calls. Each of us in this sanctuary. Is a part of an intricate web of relationships. When one of us celebrates we all have reason for joy and the joy grows when one of us grieve the loss the web of life moves to a new shape and we show the loss we are apart of the turn of the earth the shift of the stars the pull of the sea and all change i invite you down to a brief moment for you to reflect on what it's past in your life this past week your joy is your concerns your gratefulness has your dreams where your dreams may be taking you. Find a hand and joining together let us together. Find ways to make all of our dreams. Into realities. May it be so.

uudavispodcast_org

2016-05-15-Transcendence_In-the-Boat_09_30.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. So we have new people here every week every week until i need to introduce myself so that when i say my name and what i do hear you don't look at me like you are welcome here if you have a message to share or need to be quiet and listen you are welcome and all your fullness your race and culture sexual orientation gender-identity religious views or political party come to connect with community come to honor the earth come to claim your spirituality come to build the world that we dream is possible come to transform your life. We like this chalice and although it has only one flame it represents our community as a whole today we talked about what it means to be part of a team when a team works well together their light shines as one when this happens we forget individual desires for the good of the team today i'm vitalis the cox'n for the uc davis rowing team to light the chalice as carson she is in tune to the boat and rowing team and knows when the light of the team is burning strong and bright she is also part of the uu campus ministry group that meets on thursdays please come forward and like the chalice house erase is an art not a frantic scramble in must be rode with head power as well as hand power from the first stroke also lots of the other crew must be blocked out your thoughts must be directed to you and your own boat always positive never negative. An excerpt from the book boys in the boat by daniel james brown great crews may have men or women of exceptional talent they may have outstanding coxon or stroke wars but they have no stars the team effort the perfectly synchronized flow of muscle oars boat and water the single hole unified and beautiful symphony that accrue in motion becomes is all that matters not the individual not the self great crews are carefully balanced blends of both physical abilities and personality types in physical terms for instance longer than others but the latter may have a stronger back than the former neither is necessarily a better or more valuable oarsmen than the other both the long arms and the strong back our asses to the boat but each must be prepared to compromise something in the way of optimizing his stroke for the overall benefit of the boat crews are also good blends of personalities someone to lead the charge someone to hold something and reserve some things through someone to charge ahead without thinking somehow that's the steepest to challenge it is an exquisite thing when it all comes together in just the right way. Forward forward forward. I woke up from a dream will sleeping in the tent at the edge of the american river in camp lotus california elevation 700 ft near where gold was discovered i have never since and never before woke up from a dream yelling it was in the midst of summer i would wake up early in the morning when the do covered grass with my sandal feed and i would go down to the edge of the river to prepare for the day that summer i was a river rafting guide for the juvenile hall system youth on their way to completing their ged would have a project that culminated in a multidisciplinary trip on the river map reading natural in california history trust college coaching and even a little bit of swim instruction i think i woke from that dream because it was stressful swim on a wild river. Ecosystems maps and navigating a handful of minor rapids our boats would enter would have called the gorge a series of larger rapids that required the youth to listen to my instructions forward paddle left turn right turn when the boat was working well together we would hit the most fun parts of the rapids and safely get through them their paddles would all move together and eat youth would become part of a team that was greater than them as individuals use that came from traumatic childhoods had a shared experience. Found the willingness to trust me and their fellow rafters people don't often talk about the term swing in drafting but they do in rowing swing is a term that refers to an elusive sensation of near perfection estate in which all of ours in the boat are seemingly in a symphony of harmonic motion with no wasted energy this technique may not be perfect or the boat may not be absolutely said but swing is the feeling of a crew coming together and understanding how much potential there might be swinging is the realization that a team not is not simply the sum of the individuals but something much more cooperation trust teamwork selflessness and a shared experience weather rafting under the bright blue skies of the american river with youth that we're working towards a second chance in life or in our committees in our community volunteer groups or workplaces swing is elusive but possible. Attention go 3/4 full and swing 12 quick hands 3 control 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 8 powerful women in front of me straighten and drive their legs down bodies swinging in unison and hands pulling the or handle and controlled towards their bodies. The growl of a coxswains left and right. Roars across the river in this moment nothing else matters but the eight girls in front of me and our location to the other boats. We settle into our race base paste and the masonic rhythm of oars turning in or locked acts as a metronome instilling a familiar feeling of calm and collected consistency the 750m mark approaches and i know that the burn of lactic acid is rapidly building in the rowers body. But the next to us start gaining power. There's no turning back once you commit you must follow through. Every ounce of energy and mental focus is dedicated to this moment rowing is a tough sport mentally and physically and racine ultimately comes down to who can perform the cleanest and most powerful despite the feeling of utter pain from pushing oneself the limit as a coxon sometimes i feel like i'm a detective. Looking for clues in each row astro that contribute to and change the feel of the boat. My job is to steer safely and straight as possible but collecting the clues into a strangely organized but yet interconnected jumble of excitement quick analytical reasoning passion unbreakable determination to orchestrate 8 unique people into a unit of immense power confidence and focus we crossed 1000 m mark impossible. We are capable of so much more than our minds think. The only way we will cross the finish line is if we nine individuals hailing from different places and experiences put aside all unrelated to the task at hand and place and unbreakable amount of trust in the person sitting pusheen giving it her all in front of us we are nine individuals but the second step into the boat we are one vote one team one united movement of mine body and spirit. James daniel brown walk in the misting rain through the grove of trees. He climbed over the head split rails built on 2224 ft of pasture and he admired their construction there in the center of the pasture land was the humble home of joe ran. It was jose strength that many years ago before he was slowed down by congestive heart failure many years ago she build the wooden rails he split them and constructed this nearly half mile since they competed in germany hitler hosted the games and had bill. In the 1920s and 1930s the sport of competitive 8-person rowing team member the ninth person is the cox'n. Was it popular as baseball or football sometimes 100,000 people with line the shores of lakes and rivers to watch the university teams compete and hope that makes you want to go out and watch alice. It was worldwide enthusiasm for crewing. Getting this specific gold medal was one of hitler's most important goals at the game. Joseph teammates were not the young man that were expected to be competing nationally or certainly not at the olympics it was more likely that those who would go out for crew would be from more privileged families but this was the depression and being on the rowing team meant that they would have jobs on campus not exactly scholarship pay their tuition. They were motivated very motivated because of their financial need and they came to the sport with an unusual physical strength. The young man were from farming and fishing villages this was the pacific northwest they grew up in lumberton mining camps and shipyards this team built their strength working with pitchforks and hammers testing fishnets heavy with the day's catch they felled trees with hand axes and learn the grain of the wood to split trees for fence rails and roof shakes. Also experience the hardship that haunted him all through his university years and years later one day in the depths of depression he came home from high-school to find his father his stepmother and younger brothers packed into the car he was a child of his father's previous marriage. You watch the family pull away leaving him alone in an empty house. He never forgot the experience of foraging for food to survive after he had eaten what was left in the house. Other family members took him into their home after he survived for several seasons on his own. He learned from this experience of being abandoned. To never offer his trust to others. And never. Let others see what he might need each young man who was on his team of eight rowers had a story that could rival jose they knew how to overcome hardship they showed up for college strong and determined to fund their education intellectually they were as fine as any other unit any other unitarian universalist. People needed howar and superhuman stamina willpower and intelligence but there were many young men who had that kind of physical strength and intelligence there was another level of character needed to crew competitively. The coaches looked for a balance of strong ego self confidence and humility. And finding these qualities in one person was far more difficult. Finally the team members needed to rely on others they had to be willing to set down their own ambition and they came with lots of ambition push themselves beyond their endurance not for themselves but for the sake of others. And the coaches had to see proof that each rower would be disciplined enough to bring the best in himself for the sake of something or someone other than himself. Is brown interview joe on that rainy afternoon in his home it was clear that winning the gold medal was important to joe. What is the years passed the gold medal itself was set aside and it was forgotten. When the family looked for it when pointed head disappeared and many years later he was found buried in the insulation of the attic where had been hidden by a squirrel attracted to the bright shine so it was clearly not in a place in the center of a room. Not even in the beginning. Winning the gold with a recognition. By the world. But it was not the achievement. From those olympic games in 1936 that mattered the most for joe. As he told his life story that culminated in the olympics he's books thoughtfully taking some of his precious strength. But when he would talk about the boat. He would have to stop speaking because his eyes. Which shine with tears and he would say quietly tell him about the boat when you write the book tell them about the boat. Not the metal not hitler turning on his heel and leaving the podium at the announcement of the german teams defeat not any of those things. Only tell them. About the boat. Throughout their conversations it became clear that the boat wasn't the husky clipper the beautiful skeeter boat with a delicate surface like smooth silk the bose men 28 young men rode together their breath synchronized being in the boat was when they had become part of one single thing you've heard about this this morning already something alive and spirit. It's joe failed to find the right words to describe that moment of transcendent membrane that this is the month when our focus is on transcendence his eyes hammered with tears. Is it team trained for the national competitions and then the olympics the individual rowers struggled to find their rhythm together and when they did the potential was breathtaking newspaper reporters and they would be lined up just waiting to get their news into the newspapers and helping alice imagine this. The newspaper reporters roads they don't row. They fly. But you'll often it didn't happen and joe's present was a variable that seemed to create either a team of individuals or one body of men dojo was taken off the team several times and then return to it. George pocock was the artisan he really was an artisan who bills the husky clipper it was said that his votes seem to be in motion when they were still resting on their boathouse racks the husky clipper was one of his best feed watch the crew. That the coaches would go back and ask questions this for laying his hand on wood and knowing is possibilities and laying his eyes on a rower and action and knowing the potential of that athlete to he invited joe to his shop where he built. There were flies from lightning strikes when storms evidence of insects and did these trees in jordan wear more beautiful they're actually magnificent milled to a delicate fitness for the skin of the show in his hand. Believe in yourself. But trusting others who have proven themselves and then give yourself completely be yourself perfect your gifts and then let go of the need for those gifts to be recognized as yours. I'm glad you the congregation to think about when you've been asked to do that. In your life. These final days the hardest ab but he'll joe back from fully experiencing his life in the boat and pocock told him when you really start trusting those other boys you will feel a power at work and you there's far beyond anything you ever imagined sometimes you will feel as if you would road right off the planet and a rowing among the stars. Trust yourself. Believe in yourself rely on yourself this is what our culture understand as strength. But this self-contained strike breaks under the pressure of difficulties that come to every person. Every person at some point in life. To survive we need resiliency in the ability to take a new shave to take who we were and to create a new shape. And finally beyond strength and resiliency if we are to live. Joy in our life. Then we have to give ourselves completely. To be willing to let go of fear and trust life itself whatever that means. There many ways that some. Had the opportunity to let go in this way. Surrender to love. Surrender to parenthood. Surrender to giving yourself completely in friendship surrender to telling the truth instead of dancing around it surrendered to aging and even to death like a trust fall into the arms of some loving mysteries that we do not know that we have no proof of and yet we feel as unitarian universalist we know the tension between cherishing ourselves as individuals and being vulnerable to others and letting go and trust most of us struggle with it i think i don't know that i met a unitarian ralph waldo emerson iron string. But the reasoning reasoning with always flood right from the start it is still flawed today. An iron string is limited in its usefulness is versatility. Ability to bring beauty and to connect if joe had continued to rely on the strength of the self-reliant iron string as it's only approach to living he would have been denied the most memorable experiences in his whole life and if we said our heart to vibrate only with an isolated solitary ironstrength and we will do the same. But we are lucky because we have two threads of theology as unitarian universalist our historic universalist theology invites us to look for strength beyond ourselves to what is loving and benevolent and will always be present. Is force of life lures are towards surrendering our self-reliance invites us to take from the strength of a great love. Is known by many names that found in many places is found in nature and our best moments of relationships in moments of reconciliation and forgiveness when we make a commitment to stand up and sing in a choir we're rowing with every breath synchronized by some unifying force and we know that when choir sing together they breathe together. And research is showing that their hearts. Start to beat together. Whenever we risk falling into something that dissolves are carefully created separateness. That's our universalist theology. Too often we hold ourselves apart. Losing the grace and strength that comes from trusting how many of us. I like joe in some way in the boat. But not growing. With others. Not quite daring. To buy into the team putting on the edges come out. Is there an area of your life. Where you are not quite. In about. When the university of washington rowing team arrived in germany in 1936 the hatred and genocide that had already begun in that country were hidden from the participants of the olympics it looks beautiful. The entertainment that was thrown at them every hour of the day seem to halo and they saw that anger flared up in the streets. The young athletes started keeping to themselves they practice throwing on the river with a didn't know was that. And they practiced on the river. They were rowing on water tainted by ashes. I'm bone and flesh by the time the competition started the stakes of winning we're clearly more than one nation against another attention that electrified every interaction was not the central message that jose shared with james daniel brown as they talked in that small house on the pasture land. The olympic team from washington state wanted to recreate in that moment the experience they had in the boat on the water one night when they were training in the pacific northwest. It was a moonless night. The water with ink black. Warm yellow light poured from the windows of homes along the shore. I have pulled far ahead of the other boats on the river. They rode silently alone. Health in the night. Even the shell of the boat was silent as it moves through the water. This night of training was the pivotal moment when they gave themselves completely to the boat and all that word meant all they could hear. With one or in unison. Heading into the surface of the water. And if they looked into the blackwater. There might have been stars. Did i say amen. Invite you to join with me in prayer and meditation. The time when you look deeply within yourself and hear that still small voice it will be a time of silence. Cuz you've heard so many words. Time for you to hear your own truth. I invite you to enter in together. It is time that does make us one. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships. When one never celebrate the joy for grieves the loss the web of life moves to a new shape. We are apart of the turn of the earth the shift of the stars pull of the sea. And oil change. Amen. Invite you to take hands around the room this week give yourself to this life in such a way that there are stars not above you but all around you step into the boat.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-07-21_Worship_Worship_Journey-to-the-Navajo_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons another recording from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Good morning to the unitarian universalist church of davis eye senior minister by the bank's is on study leave so she won't be here today my name is miakoda food i was one of 15 youth and adult to journey to the navajo nation in june our service today is about our spiritual journey to arizona. I'd like to point out the tea candles in the on the table in the back of the sanctuary if you have a joy or sorrow you would like to remember please feel free to light a candle at any time you may also write your joy or sorrow and we will remember you during our service. If it is a pastoral emergency someone will get back to you before the end of the day. We come to the sanctuary to celebrate the beauty of the earth and to be in community. His congregation comforts us when we know lost and celebrates our best dreams we bring our differences. Together we offer a fuller truth than anyone point-of-view. This is a place of challenge and compassion. The holy experience in many ways and is given many names. People of all sexual orientations and gender identities are celebrated we welcome all races classes and physical abilities. We have much to learn from each other. And this is a place of learning. And a place of hope. Together we accomplish more than we believed possible possible alone. This is a place of change. Weather because of the touch of a friend the words music or a moment of silence may you feel more alive. Could you look around our sanctuary this morning you will see four mountains please for mountain define the navajo nation. And don't ask me to repeat the names of these mountains but they are on the mountains and which mountain is associated with the color and the traditional navajo nation that starclan avenue navajo nation is within the confines of these mountains and these mountains are sacred. To the navajo or the denied the one mountain that i do know of the san francisco peaks just north of flagstaff and i believe that his there. Western store western or southern it's not quite geographically the way you think it would be but anyway so might look at those after the service for that's why those are up there like to introduce shasta. At this time i'd like to invite the picket family up too late the chalice of the sacred fire in honor of the sacred one. Who teaches love compassion and honor. That we may heal the earth and he'll each other building bridges was not the reason we went to tuba city. But it was certainly one of the many things we accomplished over the past year a group of people in our church worked hard towards one specific goal our journeys of the spirit trip. We fund-raised all year in order to be able to travel to tuba city arizona. Which is on the navajo nation reservation. When is a part of an of a service learning group called anasazi ability to make the best of and take the best out of every experience. I believe we prove that a group of you use on a service trip it's so much more. A group of people on a service trip. Are anasazi l melissa mentioned over and over how unique we were. And how close bonds with each other allowed the present owners to form to form closer bonds with us. She said that our ability to react to situations together. In both logical and emotional way. What's something that amazed her and was part of what made us such a wonderful group. As the trip went on we to started to realize that maybe we were getting treated differently because we acted as one group instead of as a bunch of people in a group thank you. Settle in breed. Get comfortable be holy in this space. Spirit of life. We acknowledge that there are people among us here in the sanctuary. Who are experiencing. Pain. Grieve. Sorrow. But there are others among us who are experiencing joy and happiness. We acknowledge this and we comforted each other. We also acknowledge. This week something momentous happened. When president obama. Big heads. Personal. View of what it was like. Tia black man growing up in america. We realize that this is. Lit up the airwaves. In contention. But that it provides for all of us a window. Into what it is like for some of those who live among us. Some of those who are in this congregation. Do you reach a part of the interconnected web of all existence when one of us grieves we are all touched her joy is contagious let us honor our feelings here together in community ending worship. Ki good morning then today i'll be doing a reflection by austin mack and fortunately he couldn't be here i think he's in europe right now so hopefully she's having a good time so he named his children of the navajo. Before i met any of the navajo men and women i had in my mind of a conception of who they were and how they reacted i thought they would be very traditional people living in the same kinds of homes wearing the same kinds of clothing. And blame the same beliefs as their ancestors. On the first day we arrived we went to the hogan restaurant with melissa. Her daughter maria who was 10. And her boyfriend son dylan was about 6. Throughout the course of the trip i got to spend more and more time with these kids. They seemed no different than any other children i've known. They wore shirts featuring angry birds. Or other name brand and they would ask to play on my phone i gave him piggyback rides and shoulder rides. And we even had water fights after finishing work on the house for the day. I began to text with the navajo children that's just regular american kids. However i was starting to think jesse when i start to think that. Maria warned me about catching lizards. We when we were in coal mine canyon. We weren't trying to catch a lizard. And andrea came up and told us that we would get a nosebleed if we heard if we heard it. And it would happen for mastermind to get to stop. Central asian people people were one of the first holy people in the navajo creation story. W. hurting a lizard would cause your nose to bleed. Which can only be cured by the medicine man. Then i started to see the kids in the new light. Yes they like the same things that i did as a kid and i couldn't much the same way. However they still had many ties to their culture bleeding in the traditional navajo. Stories and participating in traditional ceremonies. My coming-of-age and sweat lodge. Do my experiences with the children i was able to really see how the navajo weren't either completely traditional western but the mixture of a2. Breeding together pieces of each world. I feel privileged to have gained this knowledge with another culture because it's something that you can only truly learn to experiences that i was fortunate to participate in and our journey. And now invite jeannie played to take the stand and share her reflection. Timeless and eternal. Red brown gold black size of stone mason to the skies fingers of ross training into empty air. Show me the birds disturb miss thomas. I stand and stare at the mendes. Magnificent crevice ways of stone reach into the distance they say that if you listen if the wind is right you can hear the cries of the navajo as they fled from the long walk. Where we see animals of stone they see their people trapped in the wall of the canyon. Driven to their deaths by the soldiers. But as a canyon it is a graveyard. I would like to invite fred tobar to show his reflection. Hello hello. Call my other colleagues restart by the respondent landscape the cordial people and the distinct culture i think that resonated most with me the somalis of healthcare of the navajo nation. Lenovo t530 india peachtree and type 2 diabetes which reflect the navajo nation as a self-inflicted wound. Best songs from the long walk at 300 mile horse. Therapy juice for a displaced from their native homeland and forced to feed their families with sugar flour and lard assigned to them the result being bad. Furthermore fast-food problem on the reservation as a quick cheap and easy way of signing in a place where many families can barely afford to skype even finally the search for healthy alternatives. Either being about the money so participates in basketballs a living far away from the grocery stores and being unable to purchase such perishable food stores. Example in tuba city i noticed. I did not notice a clinical dietitian and an occupational therapist or an optometrist. Like much of the united states reactionary. The difference being larabars and by far riskier. As just mentioned a problem exclusively. Rather it is an american epidemic which has deep into the restoration and now pastor is the worst among them. To say that we need to help the navajo help themselves not only misguided. What is also hypocritical on beating in order to fix the problems of the navajo nation we need to first national healthcare crisis and solve that. By doing which we change our cultural view of medicine and health change and communities such as davis and the navajo nation thank you. Picture saying the happiness but most of all she was sharing the love. This food was purchased at the flea market we went to on saturday and you can see the host of other fruits down here i think our group purchased fluss these were made by. I don't know how locally was but he was navajo so these are authentically made i'm not quite sure native american flutes traditional use native american flutes they might have but i did talk to the maker of the flute and starkly the sleuths were not tuned in in a european-based scale they were tuned however the maker wanted them tuned and they were played however the maker wanted to play them so i will play for you. Something magical happened in tuba city. 15 youth and adults from our church established and emotional and spiritual connection with for danae across rachel. Cultural and reservation boundaries. That this happened. Speak volumes about our youth. I had my own nervousness going into the strip. First the idea that a bunch of mostly white folks. We're going to come onto the reservation to help seem dubious at best and harmful at worst. I push down the sphere and put my trust in the leaders and process by which we chose amazon jay and this destination. S i had my own ghost to contend with. My late wife. Spent most of her last years working as a teacher with the wind tune tribe on the rumsey rancheria in the capay valley and with dq university in attempting to gain re-accreditation for that college. I had first-hand experience with the depth of cultural damage and dysfunction that exists among native americans. And how that impacted becky. Going into the trap i pray for healing for myself. We first met melissa our site coordinator at a gathering where we received instruction on the navajo language from a native speaker. In an act of inspiration i grabbed my hymnal and started thumbing through the readings looking for something indian. I found the navajo beauty prayer. Number 682. I showed it to melissa. This is our prayer she said after she read it. Excuse me goosebumps. She later reddit at our dinner gathering in the local restaurant. Melissa is 40th and divorced. Her two oldest children live with their father a navy chief in san diego. She was eagerly looking forward to their visit a week after we left. At the time of her divorce in morning she cut off her beautiful traditionally long hair. It is growing back to about shoulder length when we were there. Melissa lives with your boyfriend johnny and there's. Yogurt children. Like many johnny works off the rez. When he gets called to work. Very few are lucky enough to have employment on revelation. Johnny trained at cordon bleu as a chef. Popping cooked our meals for the week and help melissa and our group in other ways. Midway indoor week we met don and alma. Don is a clan father to melissa and led our sweat lodge. He is a member of the international brotherhood of boilermakers. 10 spoke with pride of the precision welding which he does when he does get called to work. He's also a medicine man in the native american church. And was recently on the northern california coast to do a healing ceremony. And out-of-the-blue don called me just two days ago. Make a derailment in the background and we chatted a bit. I don't know it's melissa's clan mother by marriage to don it was a school bus driver. In our first meeting on my service fry at navajo fry bread with burgers and bread you heard jamie-lynn and bread speak of. Two sides. Viewpoints. Wonderfully delicious but also not very healthy food. After dinner she spoke to us. Of the traditional coming-of-age ritual for navajo girls when they reach puberty. Melissa johnny don and oma all speak navajo an increasingly rare skill. While we were into the city we went to a beauty pageant. A traditional beauty pageant. Lol me too entrance. And. Spoke with the organizer of it afterwards and he said that they have. More and more difficult time getting anybody to enter because so few of the children speak navajo which is required to be in this beauty pageant. Melissa johnny donna noma. Replies which are a mixture of modern and traditional. They believe deeply in their native traditions and legends in the power contained in them. Over the course of the week i relationship with these for dignified and beautiful danae would become closer and closer. For many of us certainly from me the culmination of our week. Came with the sweat lodge ceremony on friday. For several of us it was making fry bread with alma. The sweat was broken into four segments of unequal length. Periods of respite and recovery in between. I'm a sweat lodge was that kind of round. Roundish dome-shaped structure that he saw several times in the in the slideshow. Not very big. Interior theolodge was dark. With as many as eighteen of us crowded together. Seated around a pit containing stones that have been heated for hours in a large fire. Preach session new stones were brought in. Periodically during the session. Dunwoody sage sprinkle water onto the stones. Dawnwood begin each session with some instruction as to the purpose of that segment. Each segment had a different purpose. We then began singing in his native tongue while playing the drum in the person next to him who play the rattle. After he was gone he would pass the drama in the rattle and it would. Go around clockwise. In the first two sessions only the five navajo in the present. Present in the lodge saying but in the third and the fourth sessions we were also invited to sing. At the same progressed around the circle i tried to think of what i would sing. I would be the first non-native thing. So there's this native singing going on. And i'm trying to cope with this heat and steam. Gand. Among this i'm trying to think of okay what you do hands do i know by heart but i can sing and i know a lot of them. But i can't think of any of them so it's getting close to my turn and all i'm coming up with its building bridges. Because we had recently spoken about it and the youth were wanted to sing that to don and houma. That's all i could think of. So i hope that they would forgive me for stealing their idea. They launched off into the him. And the rest of them joined as i knew they would. Repeated it many times. Some of the saying dear friends in the back rent in accompaniment. And it was beautiful. Kennebec finished us with a quick drumming. There were murmurs and grunts of approval from the navajo that were present in the lodge. Caught me by surprise and it still moves me. And we took our turn singing there were more sounds of approval. I noticed that the heat was much less intense while we were singing know what the physics of that but. After the sweat. I think that the navajo looked at us in a different way. Steps together and talked. An old native medicine man had driven in 30 miles through mostly dirt roads to participate in the sweat. He spoke no english. So when you left. He made a point to thank us in his native tongue. You've concluded the evening by singing building bridges to alma in your kitchen. And i noticed that she dabbed tears from her eyes as they were singing. Connor last morning in tuba city we were scheduled to breakfast with melissa and johnny at the denny's there. After the sweat weird invited don and alma to join us. And we're excited when they agreed. 2 amazing things happen at this breakfast. People who died on and alma new stopped by the table to say hello. Alma introduced. How are you. How's it going on shoulder. I was and still am blown away. Can melissa and johnny stood up. And told us that they plan to marry in a traditional maddow wedding. Remember that shoulder length hair that melissa has now. As soon as your hair grows long enough to put up in the traditional way they will marry. I mean blighted all of us and our family. To join them that celebration. Melissa added with a smile that her hair grows fast again i was blown away i felt deeply honored. Hi brad sherman alexie's absolutely true diary of a part-time indian which i'm sure many of you would read. I knew that these types of things just don't happen. Between outsiders and people on the rez. But with our group they did happen. Speaking for myself but i think my feelings are shared. I know i will make every effort to get down back down to the reservation for that wedding. Something magical happened in tuba city. And i feel privileged. The witness stand in a parliament. It was an experience i will carry with me always. And i think are you. I follow leaders ktg. Dardenne hose. Did they say blessed be. Inaho. The navajo beauty prayer. Beauty is before me. And beauty is behind me. Above me and below me. How is the beautiful. I'm surrounded by it. I am immersed in it. In my youth i am aware of it. Pain in old age. Oshawott quietly the beautiful trail. Candidiasis pecan. Beauty it is ended. Amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-02-16_A-Church-Beyond-Belief_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov or further information. Welcome you are welcome here if you are filled with joy or lost in the depths of your being you are welcome here if you have a message to share. Or need to be quiet. And listen. You are welcome in all of your phone mess your race and culture sexual orientation gender identity and expression religious views and political party. Come to connect with community. Come to honor the earth. Come to claim your spirituality come. To build the world's that we dream is possible. Come to transform your life. This place in this our can be the repository of joy and the sorrow of your week. The place where you can bring your concerns for the world. When the spirit says do we sing we dance we laugh we showed when the spirit says do we plant grasses to make the bike path green give food as gifts to make people happy build a shed for goats and painted white kathy alpaca and miniature horse. When the spirit says do we thank those who cooked and baked make phone calls organized organized and organized today we'll see what happened yesterday when the spirit says give thank you. So yesterday was give yourself away day and we have a slideshow to show where people were in yolo county yesterday giving themselves away often not always but often wearing these standing on the side of love t-shirt and so we had people like work with us to plan where we would be going about this last year. My name is tamara range and our special collection today is for autism speaks very special meaning for our family the money that you donate today will find essential autism research and heightened public awareness. Autism is the second most common developmental disorder in the united states affecting one in every 88 children born today including our precious son billy. More children are diagnosed with autism this year than with aids diabetes and cancer combined. Research is crucial despite some promising discoveries the cause of autism is unknown and acure does not exist. The goal of autism speaks is to change the future for all who struggle with with the autism spectrum disorders and to do it soon. I remember when i first realized that our son billy had autism initially it was like his future disintegrated before me had so many questions and so many fears will you ever go to school and play with other kids really be capable of having relationships of becoming a father and a husband. And how will it affect my relationship with him. I immediately began to drown myself and research when i look for information on the internet the computer kept referring me back to autism speaks i found out that with early diagnosis and intensive therapy billy could and would thrive. Kelly and i are so grateful to be a part of billy's life he is sweet loving and funny. We appreciate that he hugs us and then he can say that he loves us. He gives more to us than we could possibly give back one of the ways that i am giving back is by being a part of cyre the cyre committee here cyre has dedicated a large portion of their time and energy to learning more about how we as a church can be as inclusive to families with special-needs as possible. And another way that my family chooses to give back to him is by supporting this amazing organization autism speaks. Sodas with a loving hearts that we ask that you give generously to this very worthwhile cause please make your checks to uucd and right autism speaks in the memo line thank you for your love support and generosity. Thank you for these gifts for autism speaks. For those of you who are working with the generosity committee this is the time to pass out those baskets that you have. And i i will have 1% who's going to to help me with this and maybe a second to allison luck is going to come down and be a part of the touching power i need one other person who is under the age of 16 would like to touch power or talent they are here to thank you are the future of our church because they are. But they are here. To thank you. What is that you will choose to give to this congregation so. They are going to look at you. And say thank you they know this song she didn't know until right now but look at them and see that they are the people you are giving too so you just have to stand there and look good for a minute while i explain the purple cards are for you if you have yet to pledge to our church and we hope that you have thought about this. And if you are here the family to come forward as a family unit so we spoken with kate has spoken with families and said please talk about this with your kids because in my family we never talked about. Why we gave money how much we gave. White was going to do it so we're encouraging people to have those conversations and their families weather is about church or anything because it will change the lives of your children and your youth. So she still standing there looking good that's her job. Cuz this is what i want to say to you as a congregation. The weather child is welcomed into this church the family stands before his right here and we usually sing to them and all-around is arc of space we are one community. And when a person has died from this congregation whether they are as close as kin to you or someone we do not know we take hands all the way down to the front of this church and we again are one community. When we gather water that represents where we have been throughout our whole summer all the summer months we speak about how we were changed through the summer and in this place again in this place we are one community. When daedalus muertos comes we walk down this ramp and plays images of our beloved unbeautiful altars and in this face again in this place we are one community this phase is the center of so many of our rituals of water and bread and candlelight and song it is sacred space again where we bring our promise of a different kind of support to each other support there's no less precious for each other and what we can do in the world we are invited to express our financial support our joy our commitment together as one family and it does not mean that we agree with each other out all the things that would be impossible. Invited to take a moment to fill out those cards either way and to know that we have identified some ways that we know we do need help and then you know other ways you'd like to help but just take a few minutes. Can you gain knowledge and wisdom from what is offered within these walls it as we journey to the world bringing our ideals of unitarian universalism maybe so amen and blessed be met this place built by people pass present be wide and deep enough to hold our tears from shared sorrow and our laughter from joy let it be a place of learning and play for all ages. May it be so amen and blessed be as we care for this place the sanctuary of our faith let every contribution of time talent or money help create a place of hope for a world that needs to live the possibility of love. May our light shine and thank you so much for two courageous power filled young women. Here is a video folk responding to questions about how we live out our mission at our church through being a church of open mind helping hands and loving hearts and eric swanson has edited together videos from the last 3 weeks some of the stories that we've collected and he put together. Carol corvette. Come and share your good news with us i i just wanted to share a little bit about the pastoral care program in the church and as you think you are growing we have more people we have more babies we have more people who seem to be getting older just a few of us we have more hip replacements we have more traumas we have just more things going on and so that's why i think we need another minister to help out with that. And my personal experiences with the pastoral care associate program which was started quite a few years ago and i spoke about it a few weeks ago. And. I had the experience. Of learning. Are trying to learn how to be a listening presents for people who needed somebody to just listen to them. And our role was to. Visit with people. In times of great crisis or to visit somebody. Unless crisis but in no less need. To have someone who would just sit and listen to them. And frankly enjoy their company. But as much as i got out of those visits and i got a lot out of it. I also got a lot out of the training for those visits. I got to spend time. With. Members of our church who could teach this kind of loving presents. Peggy north of dawson and claudia mokan and beth. And sharon thompson wilson. And i got to spend time with some of my very favorite people jill. Virginia. End. I attribute this training. Into helping me become a less porcupine like person into a little bit softer. quite a teddy bear but a little bit easier to get on with person and i think that that training. To all the people who received it was very helpful. And i think that. Our visits to those in crisis. And to those who just wanted somebody to spend a little time. In really loving care with them. We're really wonderful. And i think that's what another part-time minister can help us do keep that program going and of course the other programs. In the church in the pastoral care world. Thank you. Morning unitarian universalist have a long history of thinking for ourselves always testing the truth that others offer us in light of our own reason and experience this makes for interesting marriages. Along with 11 other couples reverend beth and church member and family therapist sharon thompson wilson we were led through a series of group and couple focused exercises designed to connect us it was really helpful to have a structure time together i think it helped us talk about things we might otherwise avoid we both felt supported by the content of the discussion the facilitators and the videos i especially love. For example rev. spoke at one point about the uu theological notions that revelation is not sealed i didn't know what that meant what it means is that ruu theology it's not complete it's a work-in-progress it's an evolving living tradition it's not sealed not a done deal or experience and reason both tell us that human beings still have the capacity to discern as well. Craig's and my first gift to each other was committing to go our second was to be present with each other and listen deeply our third and sustaining is to participate and donate. Generously as we can into the life of this church so that many more opportunities like this can be realized. Youtube. Look at picture. Peloton. Until what kind of page that says uucd special collections gave away over $43,000 to our community. And you can look and see you know what were all the ways that we did that. And i would encourage you. To avoid thinking we could give more. Or to say why did we give to an fill-in-the-blank or something else just stay with it. And celebrate the fact that over the last few years we keep giving more and more money. Two other organizations. Outside of our own doors. And he gave $43,000 plus. And test celebrate that. That. His crate. And we could not have done that alone. We had to do it together. We had to do it with each other and over the past 12 months. I wish i had a way to count all the hours that we gave to the interfaith winter rotating shelter and patmore pickett gave us this huge long list of people to think so you can just imagine if you were to add that up and that's it that's one big event there's so many other ways that people are giving to each other and thinking about what i heard carol say and all of that 121 giving that also happens if you added that all up. It's really pretty amazing. There's three simple messages about this pledge season and i went to line them out for you very clearly. The first $10,000 that is increased. Goes to pay for our mortgage so every year right now our mortgage is increasing. This year by $10,000 so there it is i've said it and it's to pay for this beautiful building and the fact that we have air-conditioning and improved heating and lies and the read all of that. It's worth it. The second part of the increase would go to pay for the part-time pastoral care minister. Who would work with me for our congregation to do the kind of programs that you heard about today and so much more not only when people are in crisis. But for people who are living their lives fully. And the new position would allow me to work with you to organize together and bring a stronger unitarian universalist message. To our community and i'm talking about social service and social justice which currently i do very little of. Because there is one of me as it would seem that my great love is teaching. And i hope to return to offering adult exploration classes and one of the things that i yearn to do with you is to explore how do we live as unitarian universalist. How do we do that. In love. In grief. And death. What is the particular take. For unitarian universalist. And a third way that that 10% increase would be used. And this is the third tier is to improve. Add more to our music program and you have witnessed the kids singing in the kinds of this new thing that we can imagine. Or we could go with our music. Atlantic had an article this month if i emily smith and she writes about what it takes to be happy. When our needs are met by others our own accomplishment for life circumstances in case you're wondering i'm not going to speak against being happy. I think it's good and yet i hear stories of people who are puzzled they have everything that they need everything that they need but they still feel as if life is kind of empty. And i've seen this for years. Years and years. The article said that four out of 10 americans have not discovered the purpose of their lives and having purpose always always. Has to do with goals. Beyond this time. And beyond your own life. It always. Has an element of doing it for others. For something larger than yourself. And she had a whole list of what having a life of meaning would do for you and it just sounds as if it would put doctors out of business it increases overall health life resiliency self-esteem and decreases depression. In essence it gives people a sense of hope. Agency. And they know that they need not despair. I cannot tell you how important it is for our children and our youth to witness this. As the norm. That you can. Make a difference in your own life and the lives of others around you and the causes of the world. Childhood and youth times of youth are the times when we set a lot of our own norm and if they can walk into the world believing knowing that they can make a difference as adults they will live their lives in that same way and this is proven by research. I want all of us to be happy. But more than anything. I want this church to provide all of us. With meaning filled lives. And you are the meaning makers. And what you give to this congregation and always i want to say thank you. Because you are giving. To this world. By what you are giving to each other. And to that i say amen. Simple gratitude. We're going to move into a time of prayer and reflection. The service has been full of words. I thought we will end with music. For those of you who need to be filled met this music fill you. If you are afraid. Let this music call mia. If you are weary. Latest music. Give you energy and peace. You have your hand out the choir sometimes it's among you they will move into their own parts and we just going to sing this and let it surround you and hold you remember that the words mean my cup overflows. I'm at. Busby. There's a reason why we're wearing these standing on the side of love t-shirts. I have to give yourself away weekend. We're going to end our service by singing standing on the side of love and thank you for johnny for your music with us getting us a little kick going standing on the side of love 1014. And i invite you to take hands take hands around the room to ken's with your neighbor unless you have the flu and then take elbows out into the world. Maybe we take with us the spirit of this hour. And although we have felt and all that we hope for this sacred place and community and our blessed world and the people say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-08-17-An-Invitation-to-Our-Life_The-Dream-Team_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. If you see cuchurch that values open mind helping hands and loving hearts if your spirits journey has brought you to a place of questions in wonder. If you're seeking an open-minded community of individuals connected to love if you want to be part of a faith community that strives to bring justice to the world you are at home. Lighting your towels today are hannah and liz hall who are the consultants who will be guiding the strategic planning committee or the dream team over the next year we are so pleased to have them working with us and have them here today anna inge is the lead organizer with the bay area organizing committee and has over 12 years of experience working with religious civic and educational communities in california originally from portland oregon to make the world a better and more inclusive place. During high school i attended the unitarian universalist church of berkeley on the wall of the atrium of this church are parts of a rumi quote which are also used in the hymn come come whoever-you-are throughout high school there were a number of times when i found myself reading and rereading the words i was mesmerized by the message of welcome hope and belonging the following poem is based upon the same test, come to this place whoever-you-are wander worshiper lover of learning occurs after what is true a community of compassion and diversity come to this place whoever you are through though you've broken your vows 1002 busy and you don't have the time come to this place whoever you are lover of wisdom lover of humanity lovers of beauty come to this place where love we do not make surrounds us and listens and nurtures us come come to this place whoever you are ours is not a community of despair not giving not a place of certainty, yet again. Good morning so i could remember where to start from what are we where are we going. These words come from a song or hymnal in the teal book and they seemed appropriate for today. Where do we come from. Our last long-range plan identified a number of areas where we could better live into our potential and consistently identified an extremely high need was improved facilities we committed to an accomplished the capital campaign and building project which we enjoy today we did more of course. Adding staffing to maintain our campus and will soon be adding again to strengthen our pastor oil capacity. What are we. I would state that our congregation is filled with people who are energized by the challenge of living the seven principles in our congregation is always trying to live up to our self-described mission to welcome each and all. Cultivating the spirit and serving others in our quest for justice. Who are those standing before you today the dream team. We answered the call to help us answer the next question. Where are we going. We are inviting you to join us in dreaming our new future into existence. How do we want to continue to be together and what do we want to do in the wider world this will take all of us sharing our dreams or stories. Our hopes for our shared future. And we should dream big. The world needs us to be bold. If you are new to this congregation you'll have dreams and imagination for what you would like to see. Inter-community. What do you hear. We will soon share with you stories from our personal past. Perhaps you'll find yourself in these stories or they will remind you of something from your own experience. We answered the question. When have you felt a part of something larger than ourselves with in this congregation. For when were we proud to be here. Each story reveals us as individuals. Pantego to they tell about this community we invite you into a time of deep listening. In this community may you also feel heard and seen. Two among my many fond memories of our church was the first party in the new social hall was still in that betwixt-and-between phase of a construction site not quite yet finished space that we have today. Stopping us enjoy and price relief for those of us who know the risks of a big project virginia in the room were effervescent the crowd of you use were just so many pink bubbles. We seemed to possess an instinctual knowledge of what to do with the space. Christian course there was talking and laughing. Eventually after several calls to order several ruth hall and the resources required. There was some really good eating which was the result of the test run of our brand new kitchen. Because we are you use there was some wine and as well as some other beverages of the non-alcoholic variety and then yet even more time. But the part that stands out most for me that evening with the dancing. Come to find out there are a goodly number of us who can really cut a rug. I've never seen anyone quite so ready for primetime is leann in friedman anyway of who we are and what our community can achieve. We planned and organized around a shared goal we raised a lot of money and then made the vision of reality. They gave me a sense of pride in our community. And deep in my face and what happens here. It's a blessing to have been a small part of that. Having survived now for the better part of the year on the strategic planning committee with the people here today i see our social hall not just as a beautiful victory but also as a certain challenge to put it to good use. We need to ask ourselves what are those good uses. What more should we envision in plan together as a community. How can we use archers to strengthen strengthen not just our own community but died of davis and our religious movement. These are the kinds of questions our committee has been charged to ask. We need your help. Tell us and more importantly tell each other. Your hopes and dreams for uucd. The last dream catcher auction was a time when i saw the congregation engaged excited and alive it was the first time with the new auctioneer. Who had new ideas different. Concepts and a new style. We wondered about some of his methods and whether they would work well with our community. There were some luxury trips. No childcare unheard-of here and also the fund and need. After we got through most of our items are auctioneer. Moved to the funding need. Switch was repairing the bridge to the re-building it was anticipated that the project we need $17,000 in funds plus a lot of volunteer time. I wasn't sure how that would go because most people had already bought quite a few things. Ps4s for $5,000 gifts no one. Been $2,500 gifts. No one. So when he asked for $1,000 gifts pans popped up all around the room. Men $500 gifts. More hands popped up all around the room. Discontinued for a while. The board is budgeted for the auction to raise $15,000 to use as general phones the bridge alone not going into general funds was going to be 17,000. Center auction historically raised in the middle 20,000. When all was wrapped up in the accounting was done we have the funding for the bridge. The full amount of money the board has requested for the budget. And more than $8,000 in additional funds through which were carried over to future needs. People participated in the auction we're thrilled and proud to be part of another substantial project all the months of planning meetings and organizing paid off. Car auctioneer tates to dream much bigger than we had in the past. And gave us techniques to help us live into our dreams. But i'm most proud of my involvement with our church was last winter. But i served as an overnight volunteer when you use cd posted some of the homeless folks have davis. Cuz you remember two years ago we had joined other churches in the. Be part of the rotating winter shelter. Paint a picture here every night for a week our social hall is transformed. Numbered sleeping bags hang on racks in the entryway. Behind table stacked with. Benz of aspirin and socks and. Toothpaste. The student interns are. Handing out the sleeping bags to the guests assigning them mature and directing them to the cops over by the doors to the sanctuary. Cuz i passed the serving window i peek into the kitchen. And see a bevy of volunteers putting the. Finishing touches on dinner. Cables are attractively set out in the center of this social hall. If i were waiting to eat i chat with several of the guests that i know from. Working at the intake sheltered that's the place downtown where. The guests gather and wait for the ride to the host church. What they're saying is. Beautiful place you have here they hadn't been here before and they were appreciating our space. When everyone has arrived. Raymond leslie just send giving thanks for the food. We lineup cafeteria-style for dinner. Can i hear more comments about our church. We have a reputation for tasty cooking. After after dinner some guests play cards with the evening volunteers while others watch a movie. The smokers visit the patio for a cigarette. So many of the guests are weary and rest to read quietly on your crocs. One woman sits in a corner. Talking animatedly to herself. Over in the alcove. By the meeting room a mother tries to get pajamas on her two kids. But there are more interested in exploring the big space. After lights out. The silence is broken by coughs. And yes walking back and forth to the bathrooms. During the half of the night that i am staying awake. I'm all over how comfortable i am in our space. No i'd previously done overnight shifts and other churches. Here i feel ownership. I'm so delighted and happy. To share my church with unsheltered members of our community. I also reflect on the enormous generosity. Helleri congregation who filled more than 120 volunteers. Positions to make this happen. I was so proud of us. Nc winery i've also had a chance to work with other outstanding parents on the committee of educated me in ways that they may not even know that they have from one parent i learned how to champion my daughter's cause how to encourage her to stand up for what she believes in and then how to act on it from another parent i learned how to give the ultimate gift of myself even when my own life becomes so emotionally draining it might be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel i learned from another parent what it means to listen quietly i learn to teach my children with spirit and creativity and last but certainly not least lead with a mountain of strength and softly and supportively. When an intern minister leave the community there is a year in which they and their former congregants are meant to not be in contact with one another. A little over a year ago now when rev run annie gonzalez less his congregation after her internship i was so sad to have to wait a whole year to talk to her again that being said i was immensely excited when i saw her name show up in my inbox in january. She was asking me to be a part of her ordination which took place at this church in march. I was eager to help in any way she was asking because i was so grateful for the support she had provided my fellow students and myself my senior year at uc davis. This church supports a fantastic program for you young adults on the uc davis campus. Intern ministers that serve at this congregation spent half of their time working with the congregation here and the other half of their time leading the weekly meetings and activities for the campus group. Throughout the internship process reverend best supports the work the intern does i am proud that we have an internship program that is widely known throughout the usa. We not only trained our intern but reverend beth and others also work to train the committee that work with the intern. I am proud that reverend beth takes the time. An energy to support these interns who help the campus ministry programs so much. During the time i was in campus ministry. There were ups and downs as i know there are within any group. There were many times when i was immensely proud to be part of the particular group. I was proud of our fundraising efforts that we did for relay for life i was proud of the work that we put in to get some of us to general assembly in arizona i was proud of the worship services that we presented to this congregation. In the end i was the most proud of the interns who worked with us. Eyewitness all the interns who serve this congregation grow in noticeable ways eyewitness all the interns who serve this congregation be welcomed with open arms by the campus ministry group and be fully supported by this congregation. That is a congregation and a campus ministry group that i am honored to be a part of. Annie would be entering my senior year and when she asked me to speak at her ordination i was deeply touched i was proud to made enough of a difference in her experience that she wanted me to speak at her very special day when she became reverend andy gonzalez and became a part of the amazing group of uu ministers. I am proud that this congregation supports so many new ministers. I am proud that this congregation. Listen to what i have to say and continues to respect and listen to those words now. When i think of a moment when i felt proud in this congregation and i think of standing up front in this community and being truly listened to. This community supports young adults. And by doing so allows them to support others young little voices are valued in this congregation and for that i am truly grateful young adult experiences are appreciated this is different than in many other communities. Even religious communities. I am proud that i am a part of this community that is different in this way and i hope that this remains to be the case for many years to come. 2007 when i first traveled with a quaker barbarous when to visit. Padre lino. The catholic priest in a small village on the edge of tijuana. Their justice issues were access to water. Electricity. And to have a local medical facility. Barbara returned with me to our worship service here to tell our congregation the story of the village. And 20 people from our church signed up for a trip on april of 2008. Parents find on with your children are oldest participant was will lauder who at that time was 80 years old. The trip was educational. We visited a factory at maquiadora and straw the mirror frames that they produced learned how they were primarily for americans. Because of our high consumption of goods. That the owners of this factory assumed would always continue. We witness the working conditions. The exit doors chained shut. Only a painted outline of fire extinguishers on the walls but no extinguisher. Famous local artist open their homes to us. And they created protest art in front of the wall dividing mexico from the united states they told us stories of their pride of mexican history and culture. They showed their agitation and mexico's current relationship with the united states heatedly about the struggle of the water and electricity. The memory that i returned to often. Is working from the relative cool of the morning through the heat of the afternoon mixing concrete by hand. The energy was highest when we formed a circle around the sand and the water. And shared a rhythm. We move together. Fly the shovel that. Drop the heavy mix slide. Lyft. Drop. In the same beat. And when we get tired we did relinquish our shovel to another waiting to take a turn even the strongest among us was it some point simply overcome by the heat. Easter was at the end of the weekend padre lino invited us to the service and we sat among the believers some remembered fondly their catholic upbringing and it felt like home to them. As family padre lino would be medicine cheerfully demand strain. Can we had no hymnals and remember we were from ages i don't know preteen 280. Not what we were fine with spirit of life but he did this six times throughout the service and we would scramble to find songs that we all knew from our hymnal. And singing moved eating together and then all of the guitars came out. And the listening continued both ways. And we shared songs from both cultures. This is an effort that i remember with. With deep satisfaction. And deep-fried. The response of the whole congregation offered twenty people and opportunity to be more awake in this world. One of our younger teams learned about the members of our congregation and saw the adults as more than just someone else when one young man admired virginia thigpen and said i didn't know that women could use power tools is in a holy place it is a time when we listen with a loving mind we are so present for another that we see ourselves reflected in their eyes of wisdom in what others say this week the perseid showers the heavens beauty of violence and the streets became a war zone. I want to raise up michael brown's death. And how. It is the spark. It exploded the frustration. And the long-standing resentment of inequality fear rules now. Throughout our country. I guess death becomes yet one more evidence that a black man. Still not safe. Maybe if he is in the wrong neighborhood at night. Or running. Anywhere. Or wearing the wrong kind of sweatshirt. To call to the spirit that is within. To hear that this is not a black issue. It is a moral issue a human issue. I think. About captain johnston. Who insisted that the armed law force remove their tear gas mask. And how he went into the community and listened. Listen to the stories of fear. And heartbreak. Alongside the people of color in the streets who were so afraid. Remember his strong courage to listen to be present. I know that nothing about this is black or white. A younger generation or an older generation a city or suburb the rich or the poor. Put one where everyone must be together. And asking questions. Speaking the truth. And listening with a larger love than any one person can possess. The barbers 20 me a bit before she speaks i've been asked to give a little context to. How we're going to be asking you to do fits into our history. Play backing. Between 1620 and 1630 on talking history here there was what's called one of the great migrations this we know there were other great migrations in our country but this one was when people were coming from england over to this new america. And these people they're twenty thousand of them that came we think about the pilgrims but there was so much more. Twenty thousand people came here. And they were really seeking religious freedom. In england it was forbidden. For them to. Discuss. The nature of church. And their theology. And they wanted to have a place where they could do that. Wendy's 20,000 people came to our country. This is now our country. They were asked if they could do tooth or two things to start a church. One was to elect physically to elect officers the board. And the second was. To elect or hire a minister. And then you were considered a church but then it left it open. To what were they about. And they decided they were about. Loving. They're god and walking in the ways of god that was it. That's all. That the total definition. So they gathered together is small communities. To discuss what that meant. And they are so excited about this. So excited that they would much rather gather together and talk about you-know-what didn't mean to walk in the ways of god they would rather do that then bring in the crops in the field or go hunting anyting this was so exciting. To define how they were going to live in the world. I do actually those who had authority in in the province has started to get really alarmed. Because the crops were not coming in. People for different gathering gathering end. Going to different small congregations to get ideas from each other. And each person's opinion with heard. As to what they should do to live in love. I did that is actually what we are going to be an acting in this congregation is going way back. Wayback. Charlie x. As. Free congregations. Cousin barbara. The invitation so shortly the board and the dream team will be. Passing out our invitations to you. And over the coming months. Will be inviting you to do just exactly what beth said. Meet in small groups and decide. What church means to you and what where we should go what we should do next what's our future. More of the church and its best and. Other possibilities so right now we will be inviting you to ask more questions people have been coming up and saying how do i get involved. What you going to do next when is this going to happen how is it going to happen. What should i do come to the library after the service and we'll get more into the nuts and bolts of all of this so that you'll find out then you'll know and there's cookies. I'd like you to take hands around the room we bring you just some of the stories of enormous generosity to care for others and accepting care.

uudavispodcast_org

2016-06-05-Bridging-to-the-Future_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Good morning this is a wonderful morning and it's our bridging ceremony and many other celebrations only happening. They're going to be so many people as a part of this service i said don't give me a headset. Because my voice is not going to be heard that much. The welcome. This is a community where we challenge each other sometimes encourage each other always and always support each other. I work is to keep our side on the very best that we can be. This is a place where were surrounded by diversity of religious beliefs and god or whatever it is in which you place your ultimate trust is different for each one of us and comes from our life experience. We celebrate those of all sexual orientations and gender identities. We welcome people of all races classes and political parties and we will continue to work to build a world we dream about. And cherish the living earth as our sacred home. Services in the season often honor transitions. We are moving into summer for teachers and students. Today we honor students are graduating from high school. We call them youth before the service. And young adults after the service. Is that easy today we will also hear more about our assistants our new assistant minister morgan mclain. We end the morning voting on our new board members nominating committee and our budgets. This is a day of honoring a new time and our lives together. Just a minute jack will come forward but not quite yet. He's lighting the chalice this morning because he received his duty to religion and family award from the kubz scouts. Unitarian universalist cub scouts who complete the necessary requirements receive a merit badge. With auu chalice in the design. This is the final step to achieve the rank of wee wee blows which stands for will be loyal. The highest rank before becoming a boy scout. And so when you see him after the service asked to see that you you chalice bad's designating his unitarian-universalism so jacked you and come up and light are chalice this morning. Come sing a song schedule. And maybe we will understand each other. Especially if it is a song above. Come dream a dream with me or dream show us hope for the future. Come walk in rain and fog. Walk with me and sunshine. And hot dry heat. Look for roses with me. In every season. Charlton noemi and shira rose sharehope in the greatest thing to share with me is love. I'm jill pickett. And i am very very excited to tell you today and you've already hurt a name that we have a wonderful new assistant minister coming to our church and her name is morgan mclain and she signed a contract this past week and we look forward to welcoming her and her husband daniel. To watch it she's going to start work on august 1st. And very excited. At this point i'd like to invite the rest of the hiring team forwards. So we have maury autumn sarah judy. Bass. And when missing jack and. Check with sit on that silky who i don't hear this weekend. But we have worked very hard for months to find this candidate someone who would be a good match for our church and we're so absolutely delighted to find her you learned about her in glowing terms lost in last week's bulletin and today we were able for the first time to mention her name because you don't supposed to keep it private until she was telling her own church today and her husband was telling his work. So. You all got a description of her also with your order service today. She's a lifelong unitarian. Grounded in our values and beliefs. She has the background in both religious education and pastoral care that we have been longing for. Including the supervision of religious education for the past 5 years. Since her internship in a uu congregation she's worked for five years as an associate minister which is a higher level near philadelphia. During that time she's being a trusted and resourceful presents as her church has gone through three changes of senior minister within those five years. We are blessed in our chips and also changes in re-direct. The culmination of have valuable experience. And her desire to be of service a lively personality which you will get to know and a great sense of humor make her a wonderful choice for us. Will be creating a transition team from various members of the church members of the re council members have postural care and someone from the board and and so on a valuable team to help plan her transition. She wants to meet with various folded different members when she comes she's going to come in july and she will probably plan some of her own meetings with people small groups at you go to the retreat with the board in august. And then gradually will schedule of of ways for her to meet different members of the congregation so you will get to know her well. Sheehan. We'll also have some social gatherings for her so of course we love to party. Meanwhile. We'd like to thank adrian i wonder if adrian could just step down for a minute. She didn't know until this morning she was going to be mentioned that thank you adrian adrian has them life span letting director for one excellent year service to religious exploration. She's supported our teachers and our families. She's contributed to many special events that include the whole congregation thank you beth. She's being a valued team member with a whole stuff. She's worked with our adult religious exploration council as a revisionist the scope of their programming. Members of my family love seeing her at the old church memorial day camp out she was here for much of the weekend with her family setting it up and planning. With bass she's been reviewing the new curriculum somatis and will be working with a member of children and and religious used exploration council to develop the religious exploration programming for all for all church monthly themes that is next year or reprogramming will be very integrated with a whole church with these themes. She'll also be communicating closely with morgan to help her transition to her new position. There will be a policy for adrian i don't know if she knows it's that i hope. And i would like to thank the whole congregation for your positive supported every aspect of we have as we have pursued the hiring of on you assistant minister. We have sufficient especially appreciate those who increase their pledges to make this happen any further increases of course would be much appreciated thank you so much everybody. Today we celebrate the bridging ceremony. Bridging is a ceremony to mark a milestone transition. The ceremony celebrates the transition from youth into young adulthood. This happens as youth are finishing high school and looking towards their next steps in the world. Weatherby college full-time work. Or continue discovery. Preaching allows for a conscious recognition of the increased independence and responsibility. That comes with this. of life. Unitarian universalist rite of passage. Regina's recognize that congregations regional youth regional you youth conferences and general assembly. Please take a moment after the service to offer our bridgers a word of encouragement or advice as they continue on their life's journey. Their journey continues with your support. And with the love and guidance of those on this church campus. And that 11 got inside those honest church campus have added to their wives. Inner child naming service. We give the family of the baby a rose with no thorns because our responsibility is to protect the child. In this ceremony we give the young adult the rose with thorns on the stem. And gardening gloves. His parents and is a supportive community we still have the responsibility to support and mentor. But the children have become young adults. Now we hope they have the tools to overcome some of the challenges of life. We are still here. But they have grown. And have much to share with the world. So i'm going to call you one at a time you'll get your. Gardening gloves. Roses. And then you will pass through the bridge and we have a gift for you on the other side. Thank you all for helping out with the bridging. A small battle asturias group this year you're welcome to take a seat if you like. In february are unique group spoke about education. And what made for really good learning and it was a very inspirational service. Today we took that same and i've invited some young adults. I would say have now joined the ranks of. To speak about learning in a larger context learning outside of the the institution of a school. So how does one learn how does one learn to be an adult. And what does that mean anyway. I'm not sure. I'm always in a toke. Good morning. Along with alison krauss is he fisher couldn't be here today so my name is adesa mcclain and i will be giving out some advice from a-z with i wholeheartedly agree with. Graduating seniors congratulations. Here are few of the most valuable things i learned as an adult. And even so i have to keep telling myself these things all the time. I hope you find them helpful in some way. Number one. Don't ever not do something because you're afraid of it. Don't ever not do something you don't know how to do. That fear is natural. But as soon as you do whatever it is most of the time it turns out to be less scary than you thought. And nobody knows how to do something the first time they do it. Number two. When you're faced with any tasks. Just start. I know it seems daunting. But just started. The hardest part. Once you get into whatever it is will be easier and easier. Number three. Don't waste your time with relationships that make you feel bad. Friendships or romantic relationships or any other kind. Not worth your time and energy. Figure out who is worth your time and energy and cut ties with people who you don't want to be around. Number for commit to things you actually want to commit to. Think about which commitments are going to enrich your life and which ones aren't. Number 5. Remember that you are just a person. Everyone else is also just a person. You can be easy on yourself. You can love yourself. Because in the long run it's going to make every aspect of your life better. This is a tough one it might not happen immediately. And it is ongoing. But it is possible. Besides you can't be anyone else except you. And that's so crazy and so awesome. Number 6. Life is amazing. Let yourself be in all. Let yourself be excited. And he was erica kenny and i went to the campus ministry program here a few years back. What has influenced me to become who i am as an ever emerging adults. I was excited and flattered that somebody thought i was enough for adult to ask me about it and when i think about it i can influence to be who i am mason at anything and everything i've ever come across. In no particular order here are some of the things that have shaped me my upbringing. My friends. Sociology 101 my freshman-year uc-davis. My gut instinct for what i feel is right. My family. Coincidence and luck. Ridiculous job opportunities. My failures. Growing up in the bay area. Having special needs sister. The book stargirl. My two years at worship associate here this church. Being camp counselor. Organic chemistry 118 a b and c and so forth. Play my focus on a few things especially help me become the most myself. Particular i want to thank all the times i hit rock bottom. Because the vast majority of my specific personal growth. How come out of struggle. The first hardest love my life. Miss beginning of my sophomore year. Relationship needed to end because he was controlling a lot of ways but he also controlled my life in a way that was a little bit convenient. Suddenly i didn't have someone to drive me around. Help me with my school work and tell me what to do and tell me what not to do. Give me some kind of direction in life. I was all alone it was awful i didn't know who i was without him. But then i learned to do things for myself and have confidence myself and trust myself. The next time i was alone and hit rock bottom. But then i drove out to georgia with my dad to georgia 2 years ago for graduate school. 1 speed unpacked my meager belongings into my ugly new cavernous apartment. I just kind of flopped down on the carpet and just stopped because i was terrified of being alone again i don't know who i was. When i was outside of california. I was crying because i realized nobody else was going to do this for me. Once again i did figure it out all on my own. Going to sound ridiculous i know we have them here in california. But there is a definitive moment in georgia which i transformed as a person. At this point i've been living there alone for about 3 days i basically zero furniture i was so sad anxious mess. And then i saw creature. A scary scary leggy intrusive unwanted creature. In my space. A cockroach a huge cockroach came out of my closet i was furious terrified for the first time in my life i had nobody i knew nearby or even in town i could call to do this for me. If i didn't take care of his monster nobody else would i was shaking and crying and somehow after a great struggle i managed to physically have the cockroach the dish towel throw it off my balcony screaming in the process. I would pass trump signs in confederate flags on my way to campus everyday i was reminded i did not belong this conservative town. I made it through. Completed my thesis move back to california when you do. And my timing real georgia made me a much more open-minded and understanding person. So. So many things in my life of come together to make me who i am family friends. Community life circumstances so many things have shaped me and continue to shape me into the person i am today. I'm about to move to master california to work at e & j gallo is dream job and why is censoring consumer insights. Once again i'm moving i don't know anybody else there. I'll be alone again and. I'll go again. He'll be hard it'll be good experience. And if there are any cockroaches in my new apartment i will be ready. I'm jacob sacks and i've had the pleasure of working with many of the youth this year. So let me take you back on a journey to wayback 2007 i had personally bridged in my own home congregation of fresno. And was hiding in a car packed with many personal belongings toward a largely unknown kind of scary place called davis california as i sat in the backseat of the car heading north. I was certain. That i was about to die because my parents were driving on safe i rather i just i just had no idea what to expect from my future. Everything else in my life had been so scripted and predictable i went from elementary school to middle school to high school and each step was expected obvious and visible. Now i was heading to college and to live on my own for the first time. And i had no idea what this was going to look like. Because this was the first time i've ever really felt like i didn't know what my future was going to look like i really thought that it must be because i wasn't going to have a future and that my time was up i was done for. But thankfully i did not die i came to davis i had many amazing experiences and i had such a great time that i ended up coming back. While young adulthood can be terrifying it can also be exhilarating. Tire jar bridgers to walk with all these emotions and head with confidence into the unknown. Young adulthood provides a fantastic opportunity for exploration and development as you continue to determine your path in life. My personal best life my best life experiences to date have come out of situations that i went into terrified because i have no idea what to expect. Some of these experiences have included exploring other cultures through living abroad. And this has been huge in my personal developments and shaving my worldview. I like to encourage everyone especially young adults to explore other cultures in this way if you have the opportunity to do so. Through life experience i've been able to develop my identity and gain confidence. Yeah i still feel like i have so much to learn. I want star bridgers expectations to be clear. That was some things might get figured out. Many questions remain throughout young adulthood. What is unknown can be scary. They are also they also provide countless opportunities. Try to remember and embrace this. Am i experienced as young adults i've been helped immensely by my unitarian universalist faith. As well as the relationships i've developed. With those in this religion. I really hope the same is true for our britches. I hope you maintain the relationships with your mentors and friends. And fortunate ones within the larger face community. When the uncertainty of young adulthood weighs on you. No your voice no you can voice your concerns and be met with understanding love and help within unitarian universalism. As young adults i'm excited to be welcoming yuan into this new. of what life. And i'm also excited for all their futures hold. I advise you in your time of prayer and meditation those of all ages youth young adult adult. Center yourself and to breathe. To know that this is a safe space. To close your eyes. Should that bring you peace. Spirit of life. Kumo in all lovers of life. We are always crossing some bridge in our lives. How many transitions happen. And there are rituals that mark the times of birthdays. Graduations. Getting a driver's license weddings and anniversaries. Moving to a new job. Saying goodbye to one community and hello to another. Retirement. Childbirth. An elders death. All marked by ritual and ceremony. Bridges of the heart that happened with no outward sign. A shift of heart. Restlessness with a vocation or a partner. A new skill gained. Perhaps strength gained. Or lost. These two are bridges of the heart. All along the way there are resources we can call upon for help to bridge us from who we were. To who we are becoming. Virus. Encouraging remember to take a moment. To think. Of those times in your life. Times when they were ritual or when it was just a bridge within. Recognize the moments but no one else. New about but you. And who was it. Who was there to was there to be with you. Help you. Make that change. To live with a change. I a word they said presents. Kind touch. A gesture. Who was with you. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships when one of us celebrate situation or grease the loss. The web of life moves to a new shape we are apart of the earth the shift of the stars the pull of the sea and all change. And i do invite you to take hands and far youth to be. I'm sorry our young adults to be ready. The membership meeting formerly known as the annual meeting will start 10 minutes from now. And the board doesn't fight you to take a quick health break and you know what that means quick so come back to the social hall in 10 minutes. Let this be a time of discovery for where we plan to go is rarely where we come to rest in the end. The journey is filled with unexpected adventures more than we ever imagined. Fear them. Give up your fear. Move with them like a blue boat moving always moving. Go there. This place these people this is you're sure. Let this gathering say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2016-06-12-Together-Our-Gifts-Can-Bless-the-World_10_00.mp3?_=3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. So welcome. The mission of this congregation is to welcome each and all. Cultivating the spirit serving others in our quest for justice. On this day we recognize the leadership who oversee the life of this congregation the board elected by the congregation deserves our trust and must always have the welfare of this congregation in mind as they serve. And above all others are asked to be living examples of our mission statements ideals and they deserve our gratefulness. And thanks to those who volunteered to oversee the business of the church. Our operations co-chairs marty west and jerry fries. On this day we also honor the many volunteers who offer their gift this is a congregation of the people and we exist only because of what is given in time talent and money. May this service be seen as a celebration of the many ways people have given of themselves. From the sunday flowers on the altar. To tending the grounds outside. From the charing from chairing the campus committee thanks to scott ragsdale. So we can be a presence at uc davis to making meals for ruu campus students and they say they're delicious. We honor those who created lessons for are used for critical thinking and politics. And those who work in a nursery on sundays holding babies. And. Thanks to those who advocated for issues like black lives matter were convinced us to be a part of meatless mondays. And music. Thanks for those who sing play the flute the violin cello. The drums. We give thanks for those who conduct the choirs and as if by magic volunteers open their miles or hold up bells. And we have music. We give thanks for every person who contributes to the financial well-being of our congregation this is what is needed to care for each other and join with other progressive voices in the world and again thanks to marty west for her dedication to get us to open our wallets and give. Gratefulness to those who weed and digs gavin pine needles mow the fields those who paint those who build. Those who make this place so lovely. And did we say we're thankful for those. To those who make the ministry of coffee. And every scrumptious sunday super sunday lunch. Cha-cha and mixed and heated by someone some of you. For all these examples of the larger whole of giving we give thanks to those who make this congregation and if you are inspired by this list or by the long list of volunteers that you see in the order of service. This summer. We have asked alan karthik lisa former board president she was president between 1970 and 1971. And she is very kindly agreed to come up and like the chalice for us today. And one of the things that she was part of when she was board president. Was to rent the bridge house to the lakeview. School and what they gone today and rent income paid for all the pathways did we have on campus. Thank you alan so. This is for the chalice lighting. We light this chalice to find inner peace. Love for each other. And faith in ourselves. Also to be welcoming. To whomever we meet. And kind to all living creatures. So gather around this light of hope. And as we share this time together. And now i'm going to read the opening words for today. It is called song for the unsung written by steve crump. You make the coffee. Set up the tables and organize the cleaning. When the rest of us have gone home. You know where the broom send us supplies or cabot. You run this to the store in the nick of time. You'll find the great stuff to sell it fundraisers. You remember to use i language you speak passionately. With a clear voice. And you listen with open-mindedness. You consider your tone when you speak. You say you want to be part of the solution. Part of the healing by hanging in there. You come up with new ideas. You gracefully accept. The group choosing. Someone else's idea. You step up to me. The extra contribution. You make welcoming for others. You acknowledged children and our happy around them. You hold a child. Hold a confidence. And hold a hand. You go the extra mile. You contributed. The extra dollar. You give the benefit of the doubt. You know that church life is all about relationships. And because you know this. Spiritual discipline. Also give notice is always at hand. You with your presence alone offer a holy companionship. You accompanied others in their dark night of the soul. You do what you do because you can. You often wish you could do more. You labor not for praise. Or four song. That's for the good of doing good work. But we sing. The song of praise for you. The unsung. All of our church. An hour hard so glad in the singing. Because we know the many things you do. We appreciate you. Very much. Thank you. Good morning. I have the pleasure of reading the reading. What are we doing romans 12 verses 4 through 7. For as in one body we have many members. And all the members do not have the same function. So we though many. Are one body in the church. And individually members one of another. Having gifts that differ according to the grace given to us. Let us use them. In proportion to our faith. Bongia. I'm ramon urbano. It's been an honor to show up on the board for the last 3 years. In reflection. Have learned a great deal and i've come to appreciate what has has meant to me. Have gotten the opportunity to meet many people in the church leadership. However he has been to meet those people. Score on the periphery. And doing the necessary and important work for the church. Without fan for fanfare or recognition. I was able as a board member to greeting people coming to our church looking for a spiritual home. And community. Being able to share what are what are church's about and hopefully finding they find what they are looking for. It gives me great pride to say i am from uu church of davis. Denomination and in the community. I was able to bask in some of that appreciation. This has been one of the first board that i have served on that i say that i can say has a good start of representative versity. We bring our perspective to the meeting in the process. This is a step forward in the nation. Let's get things done board. While they were different opinions that i'm the good of the church was always on our minds and we were able to work out some of the different views. The board takes its responsibilities and obligations to the congregation seriously. I was able to share some of my experiences from passport that have served on. Terminology of the denomination. I believe there's been a great strive to work out being it from from being a purely reactive board. Visioning. We are there. I'm leaving the board i know that we are in good hands. And i have a great respect for the board's ability to move the unitarian universalist church of davis forward. Good morning. On this year. This opportunity to reflect on this last year. A serving on the board. I had an opportunity to compare it with 20 years ago and i was thrust into board president you know and i had no idea what i was doing but important differences between that time and this one. A lot of people have put a lot of work into governance policy governments. Policy governance okay will still we're still working on it but it allows the board to carry and shape and sculpt the vision of this congregation for the benefit of the congregation instead of being accosted every sunday morning or hammering out details that every board meeting well into the night as we micromanaged every committees initiative that's not happening anymore. And it is a wonderful thing to learn about cool initiatives that different committees are doing that we weren't even asked about you know they're just really good people we trust the congregation and i feel like the congregation trusts us now that is a huge difference it is a wonderful thing. As the song says. I'm going to be uplifted and i have been. I don't want to say one important accomplishment this year that means the most to me. Is. Something that maybe not everybody is aware of others been a series of beloved conversation sets going on. This year and i helped going to recruit leaders of this congregation to spend every other saturday and several hours of discussion how to have. Conversations about our own personal experiences regarding race issues and i tell you the year i was bored president 20 years ago we had a really tough time doing that we found out just how hard that was for us and it seemed like we'd clammed up since then. But this year. With the help of a b series and i think that's going to develop over time as we start talking more. We had to facilitate a conversation about the issue of posting or black lives banner out there and it went well and we posted the banner i am so proud of this congregation. But i want to say what i especially loved about the board meeting so as our new practice of. Taking turns evaluating how we're doing taking turns sharing personal reflections and i got it develops fellowship and i got to know the fellow members on the board. In a personal way that i didn't have before. I will always appreciate and katrina's distaste for doing things willy-nilly and i really appreciate your courage and chairing the board this year this is not your favorite thing. And ramones to-the-point comments always looking to make sure that we take action and not just talk about it. Marty self-effacing and always eager to help doing so much behind-the-scenes efficiently making sure things get done the new board is going to be so lucky to have her as board president that is my deepest regret as to not work with marty. Lisa thank you for your great experience in management and in finance and budget concerns you deep and dark conversations about that. And barbara what a wonderful quiet presents and really thoughtful questions. Carol's caring for the community came through. You care about nurturing our social glue. That meg our collective events and you know community matters to us. So the new board members are just going to be lucky to be working with these willing people. And you'll be bringing a new energy that the board will be lucky to have. This. They're willing people willing to do their part. Hallelujah. The pad help to do when my next section is indeed is to give appreciation for the board so i will start with an katrine so and gets me what you just come up here and put a stand i would like people to. Remember. Who you are exactly an air board chair knowing that you thought of this is going to be a challenge but you did it with grace and with courage and also i really loved how you willingly was mentioned love to really cut through any issues with process that were not straightforward and. Your sense of adventure. Got to be willing to go for whatever it looks like. I it might be difficult but you were going to go there and you were going to take us with you. And also your ability to bring others into any activity. So for that we give you a chalice. Beautiful chalice. And our love. And our appreciation. And i'm going to ask ramon to come up next. And i have to say that i agree with pat about your passion for justice and enlarging the circle of who we are as uucd to include woodland and i would like to encourage us to stay other places so what other places vacaville. Winters and we're getting there boston so the uua so the uucd comes twin cities comes this embrace is really huge and ramon would continually remind us that this is not just you you see. Davis. But the research is much much further. So for that at all of your experience on previous boards we thank you so much room on. And wanting us to reach into the interface world as well and lisa. The long way. That doesn't represent the three years just talking about so i want to thank you for your experience that you brought from many different nonprofits that you have worked for i think you were on how many boards is here something like nine it was incredible and for your continual training cuz you're always reaching to be a better leader always becoming part of national training for people leading nonprofit and also for your incredible dedication to your son which is always in your mind and. Thank you for modeling that so. And pat's come on up please. Pat who's singing all weekend in every choir i think. For your clear and rational thought. For carefully looking at all five of an issue before speaking and now i know the body language of when the wheels are turning and i know to wait is true i know i can see the head justice cleveland tips a little to the side and usually the hand comes up like this and then you know you're in for. A balance reflection that's going to come to you. And for bringing your past experience on this board forward and being willing to step in again until leadership and have it changed you. For all those things so grateful and we're going to miss that balanced point of you and i'm always going to watch for the. These are beautiful palaces that come from whenever you use stores. Purchased by a board member. I'm going to stacks and i'm secretary to the board. So i listen and i observe. And i have the pleasure of getting to know all of these people who have served and who will serve as their board members. How they are together. How they do their job. How they transition onto the board. Serve the three years and then move on. Each stuff can be transformative. New people begin. Define meetings that give spiritual ground to the work of the church. Chalices list. Opening reflections our readings are given. The board covenant is red. Everytime we remind ourselves. New people start to learn what it is to hold in their hearts and minds the whole of the church. To oversee the purposes and missions of our congregation. Guide monitor support. In my time i have seen people grow in partnership to learn from each other to value differences. To disagree respectfully. I have seen people come to know each other deeply to care for each other. Honor the individual gifts that each brings. As people leave the board they are honored by others. As you witnessed today. But at the meetings time is taken for appreciations. Deleting people realize that they may no longer be privy. She's so much of the inner workings of the church. This may be a lost but i understand it can also be a relief people decide what areas of the church to move into next. Sometimes people want time off from church work. Whatever they decide. They join a fellowship of those who have served. I hope that you can sense the ebenflow of all these transitions. They are a part of the cycle of the living in the breathing of our own beloved community. Angela pickett. When we give out gifts to the world everyone benefits. When i'll give the offer to a community with integrity and joy. They become an inspiration. Alright density today is shaped by our history. At all those who believed in the message of unitarian universalism. Thanks to all those who have served on our board since the congregation became incorporated as a fellowship. In the american unitarian association in 1958. The names of all those who served as president of the board are listed in the program. If you're one of those here if you have served on the board would you please raise your hand so that we can acknowledge you. Now a new board of trustee members 2016 to 2017. A new board term begins july 1st 2016 and i'll new board will begin its tenure at that time. This is a covenant with the congregation. With the continuing board members come forward as your name is spoken. Maria perla. Carol corbett. And barbara bauer. New board of trustee members. The following people have being cold out of the congregation to serve the church with the incoming board members come forward as your name is spoken. Matt silky. Odessa mclean. Karen klusendorf. And walter foodie. Donna sacs serves as a secretary to the board and is present with them at every meeting thank you so much donna. As people leave the board story. I was reading my notes instead of sharon hale. Our bylaws asked many things of uucd members. The board of trustees are asked to model what it means to be a member of our congregation. As members. We are to unite our individual search for religious meaning without restraint of credor dogma. Teixeira pleasure and things that inspire us. To declare our faith in the dignity of the free mind. To improve the condition of humanity we do not think small dewey to take care of our planet to the best of our ability. And a foster within this community and understanding of the principles of liberal liberal religion its history. Our growth and influence. If you. Are ready to lead and inspire his congregation please agree by saying we are. Thank you. Welcome. To you our congregation we will strive always to keep in mind what is best. For the whole congregation and its staff. We will listen and communicate thoughtfully. With children youth and adults. Maybe join with you in a relationship of learning. And trust. And encourage the message of unitarian universalism. We ask that you engage in open conversation and discussion with us. Speak freely. Offer your hands your time and your gifts to nurture this community. We hope that you will act from the question. What gifts can i offer uucd. To enrich our community. Will you offer us your partnership. As we all worked to create a community we are coming always possible. If you do. Please say. We will. A blessing on this board. This new board. Let's all turn our energy to them in support. May they be creativity together with a board and the congregation that neither could achieve without the other. And may the board and the congregation share openly agreement and disagreement. Always assuming good intentions. Let our time together be meaningful. And above all. Joyful. Amen. So this is laura's last sunday to work with us as a choir director. And so this is a recognition of your leadership to. And how wonderful it is been to be in partnership with you. For me. Barbara meixner for nancy lauer. The four of us. With every intern who has come our way this year laura thompson joining together to create worship. You know that i think that god is found in the spaces. And i've also heard that music happens between the notes. This is what i've heard. In the spirit that people bring. To let this thing. And so you are that spirit connecting us to the community. Connecting each singer to each other. And to this congregation. I'm so that tremendous spirit lives in you. And we have been the recipient for these four years. How blessed we have been. And now you will return to this congregation in a different capacity. And we will welcome you and we will not speak of music issues or problems but if music and our love yes. Thought for you. In the choir has a special gift of thanks. Are you. I have a written prayer that i'm going to share with you from doctor reverend rebecca parker who's the former president of starching but before i do that maybe. Just a moment of quiet and centering certainly we just shared a great moment of appreciation of loris gifts that she brought to this congregation and there we've heard so many other gifts here so if we could just take a minute and lift into this space think of the gifts you've received your gifts of music gifts of awareness gifts of kindness and comforts let us find a little centering space there. From rebecca parker. Your gifts. Whatever you discover them to be can be used to bless. Or curse the world. The mind's power. The strength of the hands. The reaches of the heart. The gift of speaking. Listening. Imagining. Seeing. Waiting. Any of these can serve to feed the hungry. Bind up wounds. Welcome the stranger. Praise what is sacred. Do the work of justice or offer love. Any of these can draw down the prison door. Horde bread. Abandon the poor. Obscure what is holi. Comply with injustice. You must answer this question. What will you do. With your gifts. Choose. To bless the world. Busby and armon. Go to, because you need comfort and inspiration. There's a time in all of our lives for this. Your presence is important to the wholeness of this community. You are welcome. To those who give your time in large and small ways. Ways to feed the gifts you have to offer. And for those who have chosen to accept a challenge and to grow in your ways. Your presence is important. Someday do some receiving reflect unlikely to take your role and you. If you are wise. We take a sabbatical to rest if you work on the grounds and no one seems to work. What if your work is often seen and recognized. If you devote your time to sitting with one person who needs someone to listen. Or did you speak from this pulpit. Thank you. Thank you for all the waste your gifts are given for the good of this congregation. Continues to. This is the ending of rebecca parker's poem that laura started reading. The choice to bless the world will throw you into community. The endeavor shared. The heritage passed on. The companionship of struggle. The importance of keeping faith. The life the life original and praise. The comfort of human friendship. The company of earth. The course of life welcoming you. None of us alone. Can save the world. Together. That is another possibility waiting. And now go eat pizza in hedges grove blessed be to this community and amen and lots of hugs.

uudavispodcast_org

2016-09-25-Promises-Big-and-Little_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Good morning and i am your intern and campus ministry. Associate this morning to the unitarian universalist church of davis a place of caring and compassion as unitarian universalist. We are encouraged to search for our own answers to the most important questions are the promises we make to ourselves and to each other why is it so important to be a place of covenant. We come together to create communities are sometimes overwhelming. Has been a burden becomes light. So i have to share is a little more expensive than your typical. This morning. Because i've raised isn't that runs our society. Because i'm overreacting. And because of the danger of being black. Twenty-four-year-old canyon road. Later that night i have an atlas. Everywhere. Name the realities of our world. Hope together. Keith lamont scott. In charlotte carolina were there peaceful demonstrations unitarian universalist clergy. Others. 50 other leaders. Unitarian universalist minister there. Pittsburgh on national tv. She said. Where she has been. And she said it does not have to end this way and tore it justin carr who died in those protests. Who died because. Justice reactive tear we suspect. For him they receded repeatedly that he looks like a bad mood. And elizabeth was coming in another desk just yesterday. It is really difficult. To see the truth. At the same time. The national museum of african american history and culture in washington dc. Black american experience. The museum's very location. They say. Location of slave pens. African origin. And sword. The museum's highest-level is when it filled with celebration of the gifts given to all of us by. The darker one. Referred referred by langston hughes. They send me to eat in the kitchen. Engrossed. Besides. They'll see how beautiful i am ashamed. Are opening congregational covenant. Are we from douglas dear teacher. The ancient question. Who am i. Inevitably leads. Bmi because there is not outside. You cannot be a person by yourself. Who's am i. Is to extend the question the little self-absorbed. Do you do you answer. Whose life is altered by your choices. Inexpressibly in obvious or invisible waze. When elizabeth and i met to discuss the service. Covenant. I probably learned it when i became a member. In many years. I understand the principles of uuism asian. But i could not tell you about our covenant. I started to reflect on where i am. A tie together in exploration small group ministry has a covenant. We disagree or question our beliefs. Would we allow. These were powerful emotions. I emailed the church office and quickly. Which is going to be reviewed and renewed this coming year. And which provided the opening words today. It is a bit wordy. And some congregations have short enough that they can recite them service. Covenant does not. Discussion the revisions this year but it did cause me to reflect on what evidence we have. As many of you know i was the finance officer for several years. I presented the preliminary budget. If you want to know what somebody's an organization. Look at where they spend their money. If you look at our congregations budget. Minister. Commitment to teaching those new to ministry to minister to a congregation. We sure are concerned and care for each other and our community. We care for worship. Music and memorials. We care for our investment in the capital that build our social hall. Elizabeth remember our commitments to each other. Community. What is celebrate them. But also know that living in covenant is not easy. This year will be any interactions opportunities experiences sometimes we disagree. Experiences and interactions. Give room for us to grow. When i was in seminary i lived in campus housing and living room 11 other people. And a bathroom would have that money. We've surrounded ourselves. Closest friends. Others were new students. No idea their new for mates. The school year we gathered in our living room. To create a covenant. For how we would live together. We wondered whether we would be an intentional community. Camille's. Promising to invest in one another's lives. Or whether we would live side-by-side. Promising to care for our own space. To live in a way that honored our neighbors needs. Kylie as our own. Snoopy new ideas. Was that we sat we made promises to one another. We rode out. Sharing a floor that made unwritten promises as well. From time to time. Uber. Did you get the job. Do you want to join our movie viewing. I recently came across from a woman who lived. During my final year of seminary. She was a first-year student was early in the school year. Performance on broadway. Extra ticket. We were filling the unwritten promise. Directly for one another. Meaningful part of the evening for her. Was not the musical performance on the big stage. Members of her community. Which belongs to us. And we to her. Are you. Do you make your promises. We make promises large and sons throughout our lives. Family and friends. Workforce. Many communities of which we are apart. As in the story of my seminary housing and as stacy reminded us earlier. Unitarian universalism promises. We make our covenants as a whole congregation. Our church board has a covenant that informs the work they do. Together. Students in the campus ministry program. Make a covenant before embarking on barrier. I want to clarify what i mean by big and small promises. Are big promises frequently looks like our formal covenants. We take intention. We agree on their components of a group. Is allison reminded us last week. Define how we want to be in relationship to one another. We make many little promises. We may not even think of them as promises. Imany we never discuss. When we show up at church on a sunday. We promised to join together in worship. When we stay for coffee hour. We promise to be available for conversation. We promised to invest our time and energy in the tasks at hand. Operation with our colleagues or classmates. These are little promises. But they are by no means unimportant. In some ways our little promises. Are the ones that have the most impact. On our lives. If our covenants speak the generalities of how we are to be together. Our little promises make up the details of our decision. Our little promises. Define our day-to-day actions and overtime. The only slightly larger town. Londonderry vermont. Like to consider south londonderry its own town. It's not. 629. No gas station. We have a post office. As a child i made my promises. Find. These were the people to whom i belong. And when i return. I find many of the same people who nurtured me as a child. Their promises to care for me have carried on. Even though i have. As an adult. In large cities until now. Anyways communities to whom i've made my promises. I settled into the places that like home. I knew you would care for me. My first experience of a place that i made my own through the promises i made a covenant psych at. Was girl scout camp. I spoke briefly about in the service planned by the worship associates at the end of august. My time at camp though. Wasn't simply a summer adventure. That i return to each year. Untermyer early twenties. What i value in unitarian universalism. Connected with others who shared my values. Who cared about the impact they had on the world. Make the world a better place. We created a space of welcome. For one another because we cared about one another. In the communities that we crafted together. Cabins at lake. Became a sacred place. In the promises we made. I found evidence of the divine within and around us. I imagine you eat have dispersed places. Where the promises you made and the community. Led you to know that you belong. Perhaps. Maybe it was a neighborhood. For a community organization. How did it foster in you. Desire for community and the world. The covenants and promises. And by extension each person in the congregation. Makes promises that many others do not. You made a promise to campus ministry. Promise. Emerging young adults that's a matter. Commitment to campus ministry offers them. Community. A place of refuge from the larger world. You have recognized the unique need of college students. Spiritual space. That happens on their schedule. Near their home. Address. Direct involvement in campus ministry. The sharing of your gifts and talents. Bad investment is being the congregation students can access. When they need a larger connection to unitarian universalism. Maybe you come to the services that campus students have led or participated in. Maybe you spoken with students during coffee hour. Or works alongside them in the life of the congregation. These are the big and little promises you make to students. Each important. Need. Another promise. Congregation. Each year as you're welcome. You are promising to be the space where they can grow. Beach challenge. You into their formation. Just as you have promised to be my learning environment. I have promised my side you. Ministerial identity. We will worship together we will ask questions together. Who needs you. Who loves you. Do you answer. Whose life is altered. We need one another. One another. To answer to one another. We will alter one another's lives. As we live out the promises made. We are the answer to the question our reading. I am invested in you. I make my promises this year to you. You are my ministry. You are infested. Me this year. Those promises. We will grow and learn. Together. Intuit i'm silence. Slice. Together joining promises we make to one another. Out of our individual lives. Into this community. Play the week behind us. Directions toward greater understanding. And one another. Play the week ahead of us. Open opportunities for greater connection. As we gather in the celebrations that we hold in our hearts. In the sorrows that we called in our hearts. And in the larger world. As we gather in the tension of our current political landscape. Play our time together. Our hearts anew. To join our larger world. Remember the promises we make to one another. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships. When one of us celebrate such a loss. We are apart. Stars. And if.

uudavispodcast_org

2015-12-20_The-Wholly-Holy-Wonder-fully-Human-Family_09_30.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. So you are welcome here if this is your first time through our doors and we invite you to. Visit our welcome table. Marty west will be there to answer your questions following the service i think i said once that marty would ask you answer any questions about the meaning of life and she said did you really say that. We gather as people of diverse beliefs. We represent different political views we are people a diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities. Are ethnic and cultural roots come from the four directions of this living earth. Families in this congregation are sometimes multi-generational from grandparents their adult children and grandchildren. We have families with 22 parents and those who are single parenting. Some families had two adults and others. Family of one. All our holy families and all live under the same shining stars in this dark season of darkness. Together we will celebrate the abundance that surrounds us question the mysteries of life urine for what could be in town to know the power we have to make our ideals real. And also this morning we are letting four candles for the fourth sunday of the christian holiday of advent. These words are adapted from an advent reading by the rev leslie takahashi. The first candle. Is late for hope. The second candle is lit for peace. The third the pink candle. Islets for joy. And the fourth candle is lit for love. This is the season of anticipation. Expecting. I was hoping. Of wanting. This is the time of expecting the arrival of something or someone. We are waiting for the longest night of the year. Become an invite candlelite. Is this time of living in darkness. A being quiet. Or reflecting on a year almost passed. Is it is a time to wait for a new beginning. Or for an end. We are waiting for a time when religious freedom is never challenged. Wheel is the fourth candle for love. With this candle we celebrate all families. We look for a day when the borders between countries will not divide us. And will open for all families to be united. For all these things we are wanting. Thank you. And now. I'd like you to invite you to open your great hymnals in the back to number 616 which is a reading. And. And you will be speaking the italicized portion of that in a call and response. For so the children come. And so they have been coming. No angels harold their beginnings. No prophets predict their future courses. Schneider child is born is a holy night. They asked. Where and how will this new life end or will it ever end. Thank you. They say that friends are the family you choose. I think they should flip that around and say that family are the friends you don't get to choose after all having strong relationships with family members takes a lot of thought and care on everyone's part. We often make friends with people we find easy to get along with. But sometimes were not so lucky when it comes to a relative. So we have to try a little harder. For instance i haven't have a hard time connecting with my brother. Of course you're up together but it can be difficult for me to relate to a 13 year old boy who loves video games and cares about such things as lamborghinis. But i just really want to have a good relationship with him so i try. Common ground isn't easy to come by but it's worth the work to find it. And talking to him on the drive home about the way the moon looks is better than not talking to him at all. I want considered my brother to be one of my greatest friends and supporters. But we're also very different. For me. The sacredness of family comes from the pact we make. To care about and support each other through all of our differences. It gets difficult at times. But in the end. We are blessed with friends we didn't even need to ask for. Today this is one of my all-time favorite services. And you will see why. Or holy families. And all live under the same shining stars. At this season of darkness. The idea for this service was birth when the religious right. Call for family values to be the central moral compass for our country. And we said. Good idea. And then we set out to define what the word family might mean. Our exploration of the possibilities of family has continued to expand families are more ethnically racially and stylistically diverse with every passing year as a matter of fact the recent research i did say that that research needs to be updated every 6 months now because the idea of what is a family is changing so very quickly. A service of defiance. Has become quite simply a service that is inspirational about loves possibilities and our willingness to welcome it. Who is a family what is possible. Interracial families that exist through adoption or birth are no longer unusual. Christian's mary atheist. Buddhist mary juice. Political liberals marry conservatives it is true. Women marry women marry men marry men. And like straight couples some choose to have children and others do not. Acceptance of transgender people and their loving relationships as open the spectrum of diversity of family and commitment beyond straight or gay committed relationships. Families of one are on the rise and those who are single receive less pity. Think about it people pitying someone who is alone. That's happening less. Or on the other hand and this is a very real thing. Their singleness is less often seen as a sign of selfishness. Selfishness. Being a family of one is now seen as a viable choice that offers a different life options than those for those who are married. The concept of a chosen family weather within a community such as a congregation is becoming seen as an equally life-giving option. Families. Avalon will often have chosen families surrounding them. And they are some of the people in this congregation i see who create community. Among us. They're only a few of these are only a few of the ways that we understand family. In the composite of american culture. The desire to have a committed companionship is just as strong as ever and everyone. Everyone will move through several. Different types. I've committed relationships in the course of their lives. With every passing season our diversity of options for how to be in deep relationship with others expands and is more accepted. Every year we offer this service of inspiration. Embassy that. One model is not the only way to receive love and support with all others considered as poor substitutes. There is an abundance of love for all of us. If we will use our creativity and are open to possibility. This service. Once the response to a narrow definition of family. Has open to become an inspiration for finding new meaning in our relationship. All of us. All of us as we love. Are sources of inspiration. Good morning everyone. I'm very honored to have been asked to speak this morning i have reverend beth asked me to reflect on how our family is sacred. And 2015 has been a very big year for our family in a number of ways. My husband matt and i welcomed our send joseph in may and he's now a crawling teething squealing and giggling unstoppable six and a half month old and a few months ago my parents left the only home they've ever known to move near us. Sharing our lives together and help look after baby joe. In comparison to a year ago our family has an entirely new shape and feel. As joe has grown and developmental milestones we've all been very blessed to share many special moments. My mom and i have always been close a relationship that i think god for countless times in my life. Today life is extra sweet to be able to see my mom's face light up. Wenzel rose over and smiles his over-the-top silly grin or discover something new and looks around the room to see if we're watching yes we are all watching. This is sacred time in each other's company. Time in which we've been able to settle into a new comfortable and safe togetherness. In one of our recent conversations my mom told me that she was doing some reading. And the dalai lama and the purpose of meditation. She related to me that she learned there are many purposes for meditation one of which is training the mind to be truly present. That by cultivating a mindset based in the present we can more easily and fully meet others where they're at in any given time in their lives and share in meaningful connections. Another way of saying this is that by being present with others. We're better able to care for their souls. This is something that my family and i have been lucky enough to be able to cultivate recently. The care of each other's souls by being present both physically and mentally. My parents are physically present with us and our lives in a way that they've never been before. And we're keeping our minds in the present during this very important and formative time in baby jose life. The actor being present is sometimes easier when we're tasked with the care of someone similar to ourselves. However such a task requires more thought and intention when caring for someone at a vastly different life stage. And from my perspective that's someone who's either very elderly or very young. To care for those at the beginning of their lives and those later in their lives requires a change of perspective. And most importantly a change in the pace at which we approach life. In the past decade i've become practiced at taking life and giant gulps to stares at a time straight on until morning classes exams teaching grading developing and coordinating research programs. What time with the baby is sacred for all of us. It's a unique time we get to downshift the pace of life. Do a gate that's appropriate for one who's experiencing absolutely everything for the very first time. This is simultaneously been a challenge and an enormous and enchanting blessing. The challenge to remain present creeps up on me in the middle of the night when i'm awake nervously contemplating professional prospects and trying to find a way to split my time between work and caring for baby joe. But when i'm successfully present. Bringing myself to eye level with my baby and considering his experience. Being present with him both physically and emotionally. I give him the time and space he needs to develop his own soul. This is meant taking time everyday to slow way down and just observe. To watch the leaves quaking on the trees in the wind. To examine every blade of grass. To rejoice in the discovery of colors. To consider the magnificent fascination that is the trash truck on the kitchen floor. To see fire for the first time. And to be beyond thrilled every single time the cat walks in the cat door. There have been times when i've struggled to be there for joe in the way that he needs me at the pace that he needs me. But my mom is here and she's the one who reminds me of the sacredness of this time. Just slow down and enjoy it. Having these reminders from my mom has really given me the gift of being close with my own son. Being present together physically. Emotionally and mentally we're all vastly better off for it. I am laura thompson i'm of the ministry lantern and campus minister here. And that position brings me here for 10 months. And it takes me far away from my home which is in st. paul minnesota we're reducing. Songs about snowing christmas it's really hard really really hard to be away from home for so long and it's especially hard. To be away from my wife emily. I'm happy to be here today this is my second visit. And. My second time to go out to visit laura it's been great to be able to visit each other. At home as you can imagine isn't quite the same in her absence. We do video chat text or talk on the phone to each other everyday. And that really helps but nothing is quite the same as having her. There in person i miss a meal she cooks the face-to-face conversations. Trips to the farmer's market. Impact snuggles with her dog. I'm sure the dog misses that's a lot more than. Dog really misses her. Cuz our 2 year wedding anniversary is coming up tomorrow. So if any of you have any. Restaurant suggestions be taking those. After the service. I'm really glad that emily has her right now and that we do get spinner anniversary together and some holiday time together especially since we're still newlyweds. Even though we've been together for 8 years. I very much feel like a newlywed. I feel like a newlywed because i'm still quite honestly and figuring out what it means to be married i think a lot of people when they're kids. Imagine what it's going to be like when they grow up. And they get married and they settle down to have a family. But jacobs of mine and emily's generation and those that came before us. Denali's. Do that. So we kind of imagine what it might feel like to become family. And the way that people do when they become married. It's quite honestly little baffling and amazing. That was a simple signature and a proclamation emily and i could go from being. Not related at all to being immediate next of kin. The newness of our newlywed status is not just an effect that we did get married but for us it's also the fact that we. Could get married. So here we are a family. They say love makes a family but there's much more to it than that. Laura and i are always learning and growing in a relationship. Sometimes this is easy and fun like when we're discovering new places together and making new memories. But other times. Is very hard like when we're challenged by a couple of thousand miles in between us. Yesterday we were driving back from portland so long drive and a question came up when we were talking about family and what what it meant us about whether being married made our time apart easier or harder. And we both thought about it and talked about it. A lot and passionately and then we didn't talk about it for a while then we did talk about it again. But in the end we did agree that. Being married somehow give us more strength to get through this challenge. We both seem to feel a deeper sense of belonging to each other. And. Because marriage is illegal status we also feel a deeper sense of belonging to our greater community. Now as newlyweds we still have a lot to learn about what marriage means to us and about what being a family means to us. But for now we're just very grateful to have the opportunity to do that. Having a child. It's a life-changing event. You are now apparent. A marriage ending. It's also a lot of changing event. I became a single parent. When my daughters were age and. 12 years old. Over 40 years ago. I was teaching in davis. The girl's father worked at university of california davis. Facing the reality of making major decisions. After a marriage and is a daunting task. Helping my daughter's at through those early times. Was my responsibility. How to be comfortable with our new reality but also. How to include their father in their lives. Where to start. My oldest daughter didn't want to go out to eat with us just the three of us. She cheerfully an angrily said. We are not a family. Anymore. Her whole comfortable world. Was gone her dad. Was gone. That was a wake-up call. For me. I realized i must do whatever i could. To help her regain that feeling that she was. Part of the family. Children's lives are filled with many milestones. Important events. They need to be celebrated as christmas. Thanksgiving. Are all important but many other events require. Parent participation. Athletic events. Davis that's on the list having family dissipation in all of these celebrations and activities. Was going to take organization. How to be able to share these events. With. Both their father and me. We all needed to communicate. Uncoordinated. During those first years the whole family. Gathered. At my house. For it all our traditions. Certain traditions evolved. If you were part of the family. You are welcome so or your significant others. All of them. The girls look forward to delete these all these family gatherings. Quit playing games from trivial pursuit to monopoly. Working on our yearly 1,000-piece puzzle cheering on the steelers and 49ers way back when they used to win. And one was the 49ers that help included. Including including everyone who was apart. Of each one of us has family. Communication is really needed in order to have an in. Any important. Gifts not become a source of competition between parents. To all of the gifts that the girl is received from both of us. 4 from both of us. Sound but true unfortunately this x becomes a problem for some families. Single families. The family gatherings gatherings continue. Our recent thanksgiving celebration in woodland. Was shared by more than 35 folks. From ages 7 to 90. And several families brought along your dogs after all they are. Part of the family my daughter's now. Are also carrying on that same traditions that we've had. At the latest thanksgiving celebration everyone was related to someone but. It didn't really matter. They were just part of the family. Looking back on all those many years of gathering together. To celebrate. These important events in the life in the life of a family. Makes me feel really blessed. The girls never have to choose. Who they're going to be celebrating celebrating with. They know that we will all be. Together. Thank you all. For your stories about your love. Invite you into a time of prayer and meditation with me and we're going to go right from that prayer into singing comfort me and i just want you to know that the lyrics are going to magically appear up on the monitors when the time is right but they don't need to appear until that time is right. 2. Clearing your mind. All the busyness it may be going on for you outside of the sanctuary. And even if you're in the julie bells and thinking about your next piece. Try to be still right now. And think about. Stories you have heard. The family that you gather around you. And to be together in this place. With this chosen. Family. Who are holy families we pray. They are created by blood kinship. And by the commitment of friendship. And under all the differences and the diversity. Holy families know that each turn around the sun. Leaves a mark on our lives. Like the circles of growth on a tree. Some circles are wide. Enjoy. An accomplishment. Another's narrow from just barely being able to hold it together. People will come and go. From the circle. Comparison death. Marriage and divorce. Graduations and returning home. The center is safe. So safe that our eyes can be wet with tears. Of joy or sorrow and it is okay. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships. When one of us celebrate to joya grieves a loss. The web of life moves to a new shape. We are part of the turn of the earth the shift of the stars the pull of the sea. And oil change. In this year ahead. May the families we create be strong enough for joy and sorrow. And may we know our lives. The lives of those we love to be precious. Comfort me. Last thing. Comfort me. This is the time to talk about some different family the different kind of family. The undocumented student center and i'm going to introduce. Andrea and so here. Gaten is worked for over 15 years advising and advocating for under-represented and underserved students. She has worked on the uc davis campus since. 2009 and uses across cultural and social justice lens to critically engage in her work. Andrea has previously worked with recently arrived immigrant used in the public school system in her hometown. She advocated for their educational needs and assisted them with developing their identity and empowering them. This is just the beginning of all that she has done. I know her as the person who greeted me at the center on campus. Who says yes. To learning the complexities of the immigration law for students. Gathering the resources of people in the community. And continuing to do the work for advocacy. Developing identity and especially empowering students for leadership. As well as those who seek to assist students and she has devoted hours to coaching me and helping me so would you come forward and please speak of the families. That you represent. Thank you everyone. I wanted to start off just by extending my thanks to the entire congregation for your support. Of ab540 and undocumented students at uc davis. I think this service has been. So profoundly tied to the stories of our undocumented students and their families and what i've learned by working with them over the past 15 years. You know the decision to leave everything behind. In. Your home country and start over again in a new land. Is largely a leap of faith. Many of our students were brought to this country because. Do their parents determination to give them a chance in life. To get an education. To live in a safe environment. Or to have a profession. But life in the united states as an undocumented person is not exactly easy. And many of our students come from families living below the poverty line. Ironically i don't think i've ever heard one of our students ask for pity. Or for charity. They simply ask for opportunity. For many of our students who go through the challenges any college student faces. Exams term papers homesickness getting used to the dorm food. There is an additional pressure to succeed and help raise their family out of poverty. Their education. And their success while at uc davis. Will be a major determining factor in the well-being of an entire family. Younger siblings who will who will have a role model of a successful college student older brother sister. Cousins who will have someone to help guide them through the college application process. And parents are grandparents who will have additional financial support and care into their late years. I have seen how amongst our undocumented students. The responsibility of working hard at school is actually there was sponsibilities to make sure that their parents sacrifices and struggles to bring them to this country where not made in vain. Your congregation support will have a lasting impact not only on our students. Who will be able to focus on their studies and their successes. But it will also have a lasting impact on their families all across the state of california so for that i sincerely thank you. Every night a child is born we know the spark of holiness. Every person has within them hope and love and tenderness. And so we come to the longest night of the year. Tomorrow. Let the darkness bring you close to others and gather the light make your own light. Define that holiness that tenderness. Look for inspiration. Let your life shine. Let this congregation say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-11-24_Worship_Pilgrimage-Home_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome welcome my name is caitlin connor and i am your intern and campus minister for the year ye indeed this morning you are accepted just as you are. And at the same time may you come here seeking. Perhaps that change is to live with more trust or to forgive others or to reach out to others we don't understand. In this our together some among us who wish to be changed by the quiet time. A time when they focus on their own spirit and how it is connected to others. Perhaps you want to make a change happen in our beautiful and hurting world. May this be a place of comfort. Unchallenged. And the people around you be known as your companions on the journey. On that journey are people with a diversity of beliefs. God. Or whatever it is you would place ultimate trust in. Is different for each of us. On this journey there are people of different sexual orientations and gender identities. Those of different class and race and physical ability. Come. Let us search together. And become our best selves once again every week a new opportunity. To remember. What is possible. If you have a milestone in your heart that you would like to share your invited to write it at our milestone table at the back and light a chalice. Please signify if you'd like your milestone to be place in a pastoral prayer. And if it is an emergency. Please let us know and i will be in touch with you by the end of the day. And now we light this chalice and honor of our unitarian-universalist heritage as our days grow darker. And the earth calls us toward the inner reflection and remembrance. May the light of this childless welcome you home. Like a fire in the hearth on a rainy autumn evening. May remind you of the warmth of community. And that you are not. Hello. When people ask me are you going home for thanksgiving i usually manage some socially appropriate response but inside there's a part of me that sent into a mild panic by the question not all of us share the same sentiments sentiments for a family's found in hallmark cards for some of us. That is true of my experience yet it's still. Yeah i still feel a sense of longing for my family. Especially at this time of year. I suppose that bittersweet longing to return home. It's something i've grown more accustomed to with age. Earlier in my life and actually partially fueled by desire to escape home i pursued opportunities to study and then later work and do research abroad i was profoundly enriched by those experiences and the communities and countries in which i made a home for myself. I still miss those places and the people who touched my heart most deeply in them. My time and those other lands has left me with a mild. A perpetual sense of homesickness. Regardless of where i am in the world. Early feminist theologian no morton leave the journey is home. Born in 1905 and deeply committed to racial and gender equality. Morton often found herself in a sort of exile from her faith community. Interview the journey does not arrive eventually at a final destination called home. Rather home is a movement equality of relationship. A state where people seek to be their own. And increasingly responsible for the world around them. Similarly but from a very different time and culture. The seventeenth-century japanese poet matsuo basho. Japan is one of the country's i'm homesick for. Wrote everyday. The journey. And the journey itself. Is home. Wherever you are. On your life journey. Be with us here today whether your journey is beginning or ending whether you are far from your roots. Entirely at home whether you are feeling a triumphant or deflated surgeon in your quest or unsure of your footing whether you are only just beginning a new path. For continuing along a well-established way be with us here in this moment be here in this moment our lives the story of our shared existence is full of flux a constant flow of change the world is shifting in every hour every moment every half instant be with us here and now in a moment of calm of oz of rest invite you to join with me in a moment of silence. The road goes ever on and on. Down from the door where it began now far ahead the road has gone and i must follow if i can pursuing it with weary feet until it joins some larger way wear many hats and errands meet. And whither then. I cannot say. Roads go ever on and on. Under cloud and under star. Receipts that wandering have gone. Turn. At last. The home of pharr. Isaac fire and sword have seen. And horror. And the halls of stone. Look at last on meadows green and trees and hills they long have known. The peace r-sparks choir will be singing today comes to us from the cherokee people of appalachia the song is it cherokee him loosely based on the english christian hymn guide me o thou great jehovah. The helmet has roots in the mid-nineteenth century trail of tears. In which of the cherokee people were forced off their land by president andrew jackson. And then forced at gunpoint to walk to oklahoma. Many of them died i know their descendants have since returned to their ancestral meadows and hills they recall that ordeal. When they sing this piece. Their ancestors saying the song as a plea for strength on that long march. And as we listen. We recall that not all journeys. Are joyful one. There once was a person. And their name. Was alex. Alex lived in a small place. Where nothing really good seem to happen. And there simply wasn't enough opportunity. Everyday was much like the next gray and thin. And they were often hungry. Hungary former food perhaps. 44 excitement or fame or acceptance or fortune. Or simply for adventure. Whatever it is alex was hungry for. One night. They had a dream. In their dream a voice told them to go to the capital city. And look for a treasure. Under the bridge by the royal palace. Or perhaps it was the capitol building other way. They had a dream. About a place far off. Full of impressive architecture and expensive restaurants. A place they had never been and never thought to go. His only a dream. Alex thought when they woke up and paid no attention to it. The dream came back a second time. And alex still paid no attention to it. When the dream came back a third time. Alex said. Maybe it's true. I know this part of the story has truth to it because i have felt it myself. Set need to go somewhere else. That hunger for something bigger or richer or more challenging. I've had that dream of a treasure buried under a bridge. Of that education a long driveway. That job. On the other side of the country. That opportunity to live or study somewhere exotic. Let's chance to be part of some big movement happening elsewhere. I. I must admit have long had itchy feet. I moved to alaska for the first time less than a week after graduating high school. Trust me. I know the pull of the dream that can spark. The beginning of a journey. Even when life is good. And one loves the place where you live. Couple of other places. Can reverberate in our dreams. These dreams gave hope to our hero. This person named alex what they yearn for might be found elsewhere. And so. Alex set out on their journey. Perfectly filling their bag with only the things they thought they'd really need. Plus some extra snacks. And off they went. Into the world. Now and then. Someone gave them a ride. But most of the way they walked. Alex walked through forests they crossed over mountains they wed fifield golden under the sun and over rivers both lazy and loud. They passed under a sky that shifted when the brightest of robin's egg blue to the fiery trails of sunset. To the deep dark scary story expensive night. And round again. Sometimes it rained. And sometimes alex was very thirsty. Sometimes the road was a wondrous place. And sometimes. It was terrifying. The journey itself. Is important. When we set out and place ourselves in motion. We voluntarily this place ourselves. Displace. Ourselves. On the road. As anthropologist in victor and edith turner pointed out we find ourselves losing or loosening. Are old identities. And freely and spontaneously encountering others. When we are on pilgrimage we find new ways of being together. Something that is now known an anthropology as. Communitas. No i don't usually walk the entire way as alex does. As all of the heroes of my favorite childhood journey stories did the ones who didn't have horses. I have found communitas. As i imagine many of you have. And still when i travel. I feel the distance. Whether i am seeking treasure or transformation. The journey. Always changes me. And like so many others i am often traveling in search of meaning. All of our world is in flux in motion. And sometimes i wouldn't we need. More than anything else is to put ourselves. In-motion. Ethnography verse. See the line between tourist and pilgrim increasingly blur. Taking a trip. It is becoming clear. Has become an important thing all on its own. Now i don't know what that journey mets for alex. But i do know that they finally reached the capital city. But when alex came to the bridge by the building from their dream. I found that it was guarded day and night. It was such a secure booking building that they could not enbridge that they could not quite work up the nerve to search for the treasure. The buildings were all very impressive and the restaurants were all very expensive. I had to come all that way though. So every morning. Amidst or son or smog. Alex returned to the bridge and wandered around it. Until dark. One day. The captain of the guards the leader. Of all that security came up to the pacing alex and asked. Why are you here. Alex told the captured about their dream. And the captain laughed. Cute or person security guard said what a pity you wore your shoes out for a dream. Listen if i believed in a dream i once had i would go right now to whatever place you call home and i'd look for a treasure under the stove of someone named alex. And he laughed again. Alex said thank you still laughing security officer. And turned around to leave the capital. This part of the story always gets to me. Sometimes we travel far i'd great trouble or expense and find that the people we meet there are pretty much just like us. And what we learn from them we sometimes fine has a lot less to do with what we thought we were seeking. And a lot more to do with ourselves. And we didn't realize we knew. We might travel to japan and to study zen buddhism. And find this sitting meditation is just too painful and the best moving meditations they can teach us. Don't work as well as the way we learn to sweep. Iron as a child. Or. One might travel to turkey as i once did and spend hours upon hours and the worship practice known as vicar or turning with the whirling dervishes. And discover that wouldn't really has a power2practice open like a cardamom seed. Is a traditional christmas eve service. And our home church. Or maybe. We decided to look beyond our own tradition. Go deep into something else and find that are true stressed and what we were raised with. Could we ever have known that. We never left. Maybe. Maybe not. And then again sometimes when we leave for far-off places. We find something of ourselves. We don't always find ourselves strangers in a strange land sometimes we touched our ruse and new and incredible ways. John denver sings and rocky mountain high up coming home to a place he never been before. I certainly feel that way when i go to colorado. For my family on my mother's side has farmed for generations. I felt that way when i went to ireland with my little sister. And we never had to spell out our names for anyone i will never forget the first time i went to boston. Where the unitarian universalist association is. Where unitarianism started. And how much i felt in the center. Of my face tradition. There are places we pilgrimage to in order to learn more about who we are. And what we came from. Alex. Was looking for treasure. Alex left the capital city and headed out into the world again. Alex crossed over mountains they walked through forests. Now and then. Someone gave him a ride. But most of the way. They walked. They went by a field goals and under the sun and over rivers both lazy and loud. They passed over a sky that under a sky that shifted from the brightest of robin's egg blue. To the fiery tendrils of sunset. To the deep sorry field of knights and round again. Sometimes it rained. And sometimes. Alex was very thirsty. Sometimes the road with a wondrous place. And sometimes. It was terrifying. At last. Alex came home. And when alex reached home and they looked under the stove and there they found the treasure. In thanksgiving alex built a place of worship. Or perhaps help to build one by contributing in a meaningful way to a capital campaign. They worked with the aesthetics committee to put together a hanging. In one corner is it red. Sometimes. One must travel far. To discover. What is near. Alex send to that captain of the guard some of the treasure. And for the rest of alex's days and they lived in contentment. And we rarely hungry. Again. I don't know. What alex's treasure was. Or where they found home. In the version of the story already shulevitz tells about a man named isaac. It is fantastic wealth in the form of jim's that is hidden under the stove. For alex it might have been money. Or the lost works of some great master full of wisdom and meaning. Or collectible star wars action figures. Maybe. They found family. The kind you create rather than the sword you are born with. Who loves you no matter your sexual orientation or gender. So that i must admit it would be hard to hide under the stove and their home may not have been the place where they started or a physical place at all. What is important is not the specifics. Butter there and back again. Coming home. A home filled with something. Precious. Something precious that is then shared. This. Is the hero's journey. To dream to travel to encounter. To go home. And to do something to make the world a better place. I hope. Didn't your journeying you find home. Find treasure. Find your way. Of paying it forward. This time i invite you to take hands with your neighbor in the words of the reverend wayne arneson with whom i once turned as a whirling dervish in a town called kania. Take courage. Friends. The way is often hard. The path. Is never clear. And the stakes are very high. Take courage. A deep down there is another truth. You. Are not alone. And the people say i'm in.

uudavispodcast_org

Worship-2012_09_30-1115a_ED-1.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. The flaming chalice. Symbol of unitarian universalist. Combine two archetypes. The drinking vessel and the flame. And was a religious symbol has different meanings to different beholders. Sharing generosity sustenance and love are some of the meanings symbolized by a chalice. A flame can symbolize witness. Sacrifice testing. Courage and illumination. The flaming chalice like our faith. Sam's open to receive new truth. The past the test of reason justice. And compassion. Argue your chalice. Can bring us closer as a religious community. It reminds us that when we feel lost. There is a shining beacon. To light our way. The winner faith falters. Others might be strong for us. It reminds us that we're all in this together. Practice believing. That's not so easy these days when our neighbors lawn signs. Distract us from our neighbors. This i believe podcast the presumption of decency briggs me to prison first. They're all people act out of a sense of decency. The people's intentions are generally good. And when actions fall short it's because the project was too big. The girls were too lofty information or resources were lacking. Well i do believe. The most people are good well-intentioned indecent. And i'm practicing believing in our abilities. In our actions. As well as our intentions. You'll hear more about sharon welsh. And the feminist ethic of risk. Patricia just that when confronted with social evil. Many people assert their good intention. And claim they are decent people. She argues that good intentions are beside the point. I would agree. Decency and good intentions are easy to espouse. Easy is not enough. When there is so much work to do. Responsible action. Must look beyond our cultural definitions of virtue or we risk being paralyzed. When faced with problems that appear insurmountable we may be overwhelmed and do nothing. We may even argue that a parcel remedy. Is foolhardy or deleted. Of course we can't solve problems like hunger and education healthcare homelessness all by ourselves. But i think we can achieve. Put some call miracles together through hard work. I believe in responsible action. We need to find a place with others who practice. Believing. And we refuse to despair over defeats. Or escaping to the luxury of the privileged. We need to take manageable chunks out of the big stuff. By working with other people. By working with decent people. To practice believing. Who practice responsible action who live out our principles. This guy believe. Please join me in a spirit of prayer. Source. Of our being. Almonds we have sung to you. That you call us on. As love. Hope. Faith. And life. Now we call on you spirit. Now we call on you to be loved. For all those who are hurting. For those who feel lonely. For those who are mistreated. Warface great loss. We call on you. Blove. For us. Now we call on you to be hope. For those who are struggling. And face uphill battles in their lives. For those who despair at the suffering in our world. Vhope. For us. Now we call on you to be faith. For those who have had their trust broken. For those who have been excluded by their communities. Beefy. For us. Now we call on you to be life. Do our world is full of pain. Violin. Injustice. Girl we dare to believe in life. We dare to believe in this complicated. And beautiful mystery spirits to us. B life. For us. Each of us is part of an intricate web of relationships when one of us celebrate a joy or grieves a loss the web of life moves to a new shape. We are part of the turn of the earth the shifts of the stars the poem the sea. And all change. Amen. The feeding of the 5000 is the only miracle apart from the resurrection. Which is present in all four canonical gospels matthew mark. Luke and john. This miracle is also known as. The miracle of five loaves and two fish. Interesting to me is that only the men were counted. In the story. When the women and children were added the crowd probably numbered. 10 to 20000. And i'll read the oldest version from the store of the story from the gospel of mark. And try not to edit. The apostles gathered around jesus and told him all that they had done and taught. He said to them. Come away to a deserted place all by yourselves. And rest for a while. For many were coming and going and they had no leisure even to eat. And they went away in a boat to a deserted place by themselves. Now many heads saw them going and recognize them and they hurry they're on foot from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. As they went ashore they saw a great crowd. And he had compassion for them because they were like sheep without a shepherd. And we began to teach them many things. And when i grew laid his disciples came to him instead. This is a deserted place in the hour is now getting very late send them away so they may go into the surrounding countries. And villages and find something for themselves to eat. But he answered them. You give them something to eat. And they said to him a week ago and by. With our two hundred denarii worth of bread and give it to them to eat. And he said to them. How many loads have you. Go and see. When they found out they said 5. Into fish. And then he ordered them to get all the people to sit down in groups on the green grass. So they sat down in groups of hundreds and 50s. Taking the five loaves and two fishes you looked up. To heaven. And he blessed and he broke the loaves and he gave them to his disciples to set before the people. He divided the two fish among them all. And all eight. And were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of broken pieces and a fish. Those who had eaten lowe's numbered 5000. Men. Imagine. Your. One of the disciples. And you're strange and charismatic teacher jesus. Has been teaching the crowds again. As per usual. Cute pay no attention to the logistics. It's getting late. Everyone is sitting out in a remote area in the desert. They need to go to the nearby towns and buy some food. So you remind him. Hey jesus. Here's the thing. It's getting late and i really think these people need to get dinner. Engine nacelle. You get them something to eat. Me. What is with this guy. He's totally irrational. He might be crazy. What you think i have 200 denari to go spend on bread for all these people. I can't feed these people that's impossible. It was impossible. At least some of our religious predecessors thought so. That was thomas jefferson. A man with strong unitarian tendencies. Who cut all the miracle stories out of the bible with a razor. Are the transcendentalist unitarian minister theodore parker. Put christianity's credibility in jeopardy. Details of supernatural event. After putting two educated nineteenth-century american. Said parker. Trying to believe in the impossible. What's foolish. It got in the way of the morals the ethics the progress. The enlightened christianity. We hang on too many of these ideas today and contemporary unitarian universalism. Many of us have rejected the bible. On the grounds of its absurdity. Frustrated by fundamentalist or literal reading the scripture that some take. Mini you use just say. Forget it. But not all of us. When i was in seminary in new york city. I meant with a newly-formed local chapter of the unitarian universalist christian fellowship. At community church in midtown manhattan. One evening our tiny group was discussing what parts of the jesus story called most to us. And one woman said that she loved the story of the feeding of the 5000. Because she interpreted it as. Not a supernatural miracle. But as a human miracle. Don't let's go back to that scene. But thousands of hungry people. Jesus telling you to feed them. What happens next. Well you go find out that you have five loaves and two fish. So. Jesus asked everyone to sit down. I'm making a public example he holds up the food and blesses it. And shares it with the disciples. Seeing his actions. Each person in the crowd takes out the m provisions they have with them. They break it into pieces. Donate to the common good. Venice people carry baskets through the crowd. Collecting redistributing loaves and the fish. And all eight. And we're still. Can you imagine that happening. Debit still seem impossible. Wow. Maybe it does. People are not always very good at sharing. We are used to fearing that there isn't enough. I'm getting what we can. We are often told that there are too many people on this planet. And not enough natural resources. It can be difficult. You have faith in the spirits abundance. It can be difficult. To truly believe that there is enough to go around. It can be especially difficult if you live in manhattan. New york city is full of people crammed into small spaces. If you've ever been there and tried to find a parking place or a table at a popular restaurant. You know first-hand. It's hard to get space in that city. So it would be easy to assume that the reason last month's on all-time high. A.40 3731 people. In the shelter system in new york city. Is that there is not enough space to go around. Well. I know a man named jean rice. Who says that that isn't cell. Jean is in his 70s. Keep an african-american man of small stature. With a slightly raspy voice. He loves to tease people and he loves to talk history and politics. And you can always tell when he's going to ask you for a favor because he starts to sentence with. My christian sister annie. Jeans does not have an address to call his own. He sometimes stays with family. Sometimes he sleeps on the subway. And sometimes he stayed with his friend george. Now george lived on the same hall as i did. In the dorms in seminary. The gene with around on the hall. And we got to know him pretty well. Gene is a passionate advocate. For the homeless population in new york city. And he is a member of a non-profit. Called picture the homeless. And is based in the bronx. Pictures of homeless. Believes in the impossible. This organization believes that housing is a human right. And that the entire homeless population of new york city kennedy house. Without great difficulty. If vacant properties in the city. When develop into affordable housing. Instead of being warehouse. The homeless and formerly homeless members of this organization. The inner old neighborhoods where they used to live. They were abandoned buildings. And vacant lots. That could house families and individuals. And they knew that these properties were instead. Being held by investors who are waiting for the right time to fix them up. And rent them at much higher prices. The beginning in 2004. This group began holding small demonstration. And making some noise about the issue. What was city government said that. Vacancy was not a big problem. And make shipping records on vacant property was not feasible. It would be too expensive require too many people. It would just be impossible. Bubba city was wrong. On january 26th of this year. I sat in the crowded overflow room at a release event. For a report titled banking on vacancy. Homelessness and real-estate speculation. The report that was released by picture the homeless in conjunction with hunter college. Show that 199,900 81 people. Could be housed in the vacant properties. Are currently going unused in new york city. There is space for over four times the amount of people that are in the shelter system. There is enough. There is an abundance. And picture the homeless knows that because they pulled off the impossible task. Accounting the vacant property all over the city. Do the government standard unrealistic endeavor would cost millions. Pictures of homeless and hunter college did it. With 295 volunteers. And 150 thousand dollars. They covered huge sections of all five boroughs. Now this miraculous feet was not easy. I was one of those 295 volunteers. Marching around central harlem in july looking for abandoned buildings and lot. It's not really that much fun. But block-by-block wewa. Recording addresses and details of any buildings that looked abandoned. And asking local residents for more information. Because we believe. That the public needed to know how much space was being wasted. Pictures of homeless if using this newfound information to educate the public and to lobby the city council. Fill the vacant property count is quite an achievement. Plenty of work to be done. And they will keep doing it. Because they have faith in their mission. Despite the overwhelming odds against them. They believe in the impossible. No. When i say believe in the impossible it is probably clear by now. But i'm not talking about just being in denial. I am talking about facing facts. Knowing what we're up against. And the full awareness moving forward. When i say believe in the impossible. I'm not talking about fairy tales. I'm not talking about waiting for god to magically make loaves and fish appear out of thin air. I'm talking about having faith. That the spirit of life can move through a crowd. Blessing people with generosity. And a sense of fulfillment. When i say believe in the impossible i'm not talking about developing a messiah complex. And driving yourself crazy thinking you have to make miracles all by yourself. I'm talking about working together in community. To accomplish what seem like i'm stirred unrealistic and miraculous things. Even. When there are still 40 3731 people in the shelter system. And the city has not promised to count its vacant properties. Even when you have not gotten your happy ending. Even when victories are partial. An ultimate failure seems likely. Even then. Especially then. We need to believe in the impossible. Far too often. We like to stick with what we know we can do. We are like the disciples in the reading from the gospel of mark saying. That won't work are you kidding. Do you think we have 200 denari just lying around to buy bread for these people. Unitarian universalist theologian sharon welch. Writes about the difficulties of creating social change. In her book a feminist ethic of risk. She talks about some of these issues.. The folks in picture the homeless face. The partial victories. The defeats. The enormity and complexity. I'm the problems we seek to solve. But dr welch's message is not really aimed at the folks and picture the homeless. They already believe in the impossible. And they can't afford to give up the fight. No. Karen is addressing people. Like me. Maybe people like you. She has a chapter in her book titled. Cultured despair. And the death of the morale and magic nation. She talked about how easy it is. Pharrell educated middle-class activist. To give in to despair. One quote. Revolutionary fervor or youthful idealism. A chicken. By the intransigence of systems of oppression. Yeah. I know about that. And as someone who does have a home to go to at night. I don't feel the same urgency. And the people in picture the homeless. Yet i care deeply about these justice issues. And i know you do too. It may not be housing and homelessness. But for each one of you i know there is something. That you want to believe in. Something that. Might seem impossible to achieve. Like me. You may want to give in to despair. When you think about how enormous and complex these issues are. But we cannot afford the death of the moral imagination. We must keep the faith. There must be an antidote. Giving up. The antidote i prescribed right now. Is to practice believing in the impossible. The character dwight queen in lewis carroll's through the looking-glass. Recommends a half hour of daily practice. She declares to the hopelessly reasonable alice. That she has believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast. Just super breakfast. We practice. By telling the stories. Stories about people achieving the impossible. It was stories like the one karen read about thousands of people being miraculously fed. But gabe earley jesus followers hope. Even though they were living under brutal roman occupation. Even though the man they worship. Executed by the state. They kept telling me stories. About this jesus guy and the impossible things he did. Because it gave them the courage to do impossible things to. I need a miracle tales in the new testament. Aren't doing it for you. And that's fine. We are part of a faith tradition that draws on many sources. So you can find what fuels you. Maybe it's the story of a historical movement. Women's suffrage civil rights. Union organizer. Maybe it's a personal story. Maybe it's a story you tell yourself about the time when you did something you didn't think you could do. Or maybe you know a guy likes you nice. Who's part of an inspiring organization. Maybe you came to church a couple weeks ago. And if you did you might have heard a story about a unitarian universalist minister. Who organized lawyers in cambodia to defend innocent people. When the government told her that it was impossible. We tell me stories. In our sacred communities. Because we need them. We need them to inspire us. To remind us of our values. Make us angry. And sad. And resolute. We need them to give us hope. And to push us to take risks. And to help us keep the faith. We need them. Because changing the world is impossible. And because that. Is exactly what i face. Call dusty do. Have we reach out to each other. Let's remember to share the stories. To tell the stories that helped us believe. To tell the stories that helped us to feel whole together. Amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-07-30-Aha.mp3?_=1

Welcome to sunday sermons another recording from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. I have been away for a few weeks and it is good to be back. If this is your first time here. Here you will find a community that offers support. A place to find comfort and also challenged please stop by our welcome table so we can know who you are and connect with you again. You are all welcome here in the fullness of who you are. In this place you will find acceptance. You will be challenged. Find a place to share. Place to give and receive care. That we hold in our heart and together in community. That we share. Sour as people of faith. With joys and sorrows. We like to speaking of hope. Shrine of our quest for truth. In celebration of the life together. Aspirations. And inspired to bring our gifts of love. To the altar of humanity. Connected in mystery. To the universe. To this community. And to each other. The reading this morning is a sermon. He's noted also for the cluster of churches in the washington dc area. Let me tell you why i come to church. It is not that i should think about the world and its problems. I must have my conscience. The most. Spirit. Church. I need to be reminded that there are things i must do in the world. Unselfish things. I want to experience human nature at its parent. And be reminded. It may seem as though the same things could be found in. But it doesn't. And reinforce each other. That is certainly true of a pulpit. Is the most intimately. Perhaps this is because. Paradoxical. Is the spirit of god is to find a full entrance into it. We meet each other as friends and neighbors anywhere and everywhere in the consciousness of hours. We do. That leaves us knowing that we all have the same yearning. The same needed was surance. We are brought together at the highest level possible. We are congregation. To an experience that. Got at the heart of life. There is a surance. Her soul will always be. For religious experience. Is something wrong. Who said reverend. Research. Express. Pierce. Unitarianism. Inspirational preachers. Church in washington dc. At age 55. Memorial services supreme court justices. Harold burton and william o douglas. Do you world summer issues of 2002. Creature to the nation. The article one of the most liberal religious principles. Heading. Growing with these years ago. A century ago. When was the reverend a powell davies a liberal preacher and writer of almost unsurpassed influence. The other was the first first of unitarian church planting. In a little more. Washington area unitarian churches. Today. Coronavirus. I admire him for living out. Something else. Quote. Life is to grow a soul. Lights to grow a. We hear that in the words from his sermon that we need each other as friends and neighbors anywhere and everywhere. We do. Do it. Do i say out loud. Pretentious. Is somehow embarrassing heart and soul. Like revealing more of myself this morning. Here i am reminded there that there is much to be done in this world. Much larger than mice. It also hidden. And that is why i come to church. A beautiful reflection and the beautiful reading of reverend davies i love working with ellie and all of our worship associates. They were talking about moment. When something happens sometimes form critical junctures in our pads. Sometimes this is something that reveal. Sometimes it feels like the last piece of a puzzle and we realize that it's in place and all of a sudden everything makes sense. Sometimes it appears as a. Choice. That gives us a sense of direction. Merriam-webster is an interjection. Used to express surprise. Oprah winfrey. Tv personality with the insurance company mutual of omaha over the phrase aha moment. Using the slogan that they were the official sponsor of the moment. Appraise that was synonymous with oprah and her show understanding. Video youtube playlist of oprah having a high moments discussions with gas. Certainly existed before. The dictionary and before oprah. Dictionary defines the experience as a moment of sudden insight or discovery of a solution to a problem. Early german hughes in 1908 to a german phrase but then in the 1930s aha moment actually shows up in psychology. Dictionary of psychology as a moment of insight. Chocolatey a high spirits the sudden achievements of insight. Call moments existed before psychology. Archimedes. Might not be a true story of newton and the apple that fell on his head when he figured out of meeting that's designed for an individual to have a moment of clarity. Is listen to very deeply. Their own clarity. Boy turned out. It's the same part of the brain as one researcher describes that interrupts metaphor and gets. Understand the language of the unconscious which what freud would call the primary process it's the language of poems of art of miss it's the logic of dreams where anything goes and the impossible is possible. One of these studies monitored brain activity while asking participants riddle they found that after a period of defining and considering the problem and brain activity. Apparently a light literally goes off when you figure out the riddle there's a great sense of satisfaction. Spikes was what is the thing that. Nail. What is the nail. Yes thank you. Text co your way in the back a river otter. Moment however really happened under instructions it can't be forced. The river didn't do it for you. Listening listening to ourselves from being open. Exploring the scientific and psychological processes of moments who are stuck and you figure a way out. Experience. First time i had ever seen redwoods. First time. To step back from the chaos of daily life. And it was a transcendent moment i was going to do with my life. Muir woods. Everything made sense. Professional development. Professional world together. I've also had that feeling in a speeder. Movie theater and. A performance theater. I've had that moment while brushing my teeth. And i've often had those moments at church. The reading at la sheriff testimony about greater understanding of inspiration. Reinforce each other. To embrace the religious experience without. As a minister. In every aspect of this community sometimes on sunday mornings. Many more times during the week outside of this room. Ministry sessions when listening to one person share their truth. Someone else reveal. A new way forward. Someone told me about her relationship with. Probably because of the information that was given. Because inside. That helps that person approached their relationship. One person at an adult religious education exploration session poetry. Told me that they had read this poem probably 100 times in their lives. Made. Home. That she had read so many times she knew. Can you imagine a common experience for the people in the room. For everyone. About not only their lives but the task of the committee and what was ahead and i was in another committee there was some very difficult and important. Fast-forward. Found a problem to there a solution to a problem at work when sitting in the memorial rose. I have seen you said visors insights about radical love and acceptance. From sitting. At a conference with cues. I seen religious exploration teachers and children discover new things together. By the way a four-year-old approaches a problem. These are surprises. Their ways that we grow their ways that we realize we're ready to embrace white connections to keep living. In that study aha moments they said that these spikes were more likely to occur if someone's first cuz able to define the problem a little clearly. If you immerse yourself in it. And the light bulb almost always goes off. During the let it go.. Not get so focused on the problem. That we forget to let it go. I think this church community offers. Opportunities. Immerse yourself in it and let it go. A little less. That we will be cared for. That week. Room is perfect. No one in this room has everything. Solemnity of meditation prayer or in the silence during the service. Maybe we can listen deeply inside ourselves. Inconsiderate. Play some society. Religious exploration weekend. As well as name the skills. Ourselves davis and other community service opportunities. Would you go to committee meetings and walk the grounds and work with children and youth space space. Trusting. Community here. But we seldom do so in the consciousness of our deepest urinates. When we engage with our supposed. We might have a moment of inspiration. Brings excitement. !. Eureka. Discoveries and insights help us live a little more. Beyond. Embrace life. Easy to get stuck in our ways. We don't come to church to be reinforced in what we know. There are in the world. There's much need to do. One of the other a-ha moments in my ministry. That i know best. I don't know what everybody needs. It might help everybody because we all have a variety and diversity of understanding the world. Understanding what it means to a unitarian universalist church. Different. They can't be scores. Each other. Mini pads. And sometimes we get to have moments of inspiration. You never know. What's waiting for you to discover. Time to find your feet solidly on the ground. Quiet breathing. Quiet of this room. And this community. Coming to this sacred space. We prayed together for ourselves and for others. Pray that we might listen. Deep within. Might need shifting. To open ourselves to new ways of being in the world. We hope that we. Can feel the connection. Do we turn our hearts and minds. Maybe some people who have lost connection. 4l. We offer our hope for continued strength. We join our prayers for those in our church community. Community is precious. Understanding. And around the world. As we learn the impact of living that together with differences. And still living in integrity. Today we celebrate. The challenges that bring us together. And we offer gratitude for lice. We enter into silence. That we might eat listen. Sros in the joyous on our hearts today. If we open our eyes to our companions.

uudavispodcast_org

2012-10-28-Worship-11_15-ED.mp3

Sunday sermons another recording from unitarian universalist church of davis california www.dav.org for further information. You may notice that there is an altar up here. And i don't want you to worry if you have something your longing to place on it there will be a time for that in our service. So never fear if you have your item with you. As unitarian universalist we drawn all our personal and cultural experiences as we make sense and meaning out of death. Going up. I always visited the cemetery on memorial day we load all the girls into the station wagon. Pick up my grandmother. Picnic items. And a big bunch of gladiolus and head to the cemetery and clean off the graves and arrange the flowers. Grandma would tell us all these wonderful stories about these relatives who had been long since dead before. I was born and it was a delightful wonderful time i always look forward to with my family. Later when i was in high school as an exchange student in japan. I remember my host parents preparing for the obon festival which some call the japanese did they los muertos. They cleaned and. Prepare the family altar for the ancestors to come. And visit a place food items on it. And i remember walking back home along the street the evening of the obon festival after the festival dancing had finished. And that was still a warm summer's evening the weather was starting to change. A little bit and. You could almost feel the ancestors walking with you. As they return to their homes that evening it was. Amazing. Now. My own life and my home i have a put a little create a little details more of those alter every year i've been doing it for the last 5 years. Started when i lost a beloved cat to cancer. But his little picture out with a can of tuna fish. Other. I'm beloved both of my grandmothers and one of them fairly recently. Affect. The grandmothers are now buried in that cemetery that i have such fond and happy memories from childhood visiting. I'm with him. And so. I ask you now to reflect about your own experiences. And that you bring here into this face as you make meeting and sense of death. In our shared sacred space. And next we going to be personalizing or alter and preparation for later in the surface when will have an opportunity. To commune with our departed loved ones. I invite you if you brought up a photo or a memento of your beloved. When the music plays to come forward and place that. On the altar. If you didn't bring a photo or memento in this time that you're listening to the music. And folks are coming forward and placing something on the altar here i asked you to call into your mind. And placing the altar of your heart. Someone you loved who has passed as well so that they can be. Here with us today. I reading this morning. Comes from a bilingual book about diego smartest the day of the dead. It's a book by mary j andrade. And the book features throughout its several poems by this poet. Julie sopetran. In both spanish and english. And that is how it will be read today. This is. Cancion para mama. 42 elisabeth run. A song for mother by julie sopetran. Tonto. Kanto pokemon yellow version. Your material maison de la cabeza. Coney's monotrack radiolab. Presto can't we can't we can't odonto. Tanto como una noche de quebranto. Get entry aromatherapy naturalista. La casa de la musica esperanza. Capital de and la palabra de mi canto. I sing i sing for kids to cry. And a y rings in my mind. With my hands i recreate beauty. And that is why i sing. And sing so much. So much like a sorrowful night. Nature's aroma the morning of music is purity that sprouts out of the words of my song. Miss teen usa. La sensacion tan bella. Play vivir la corte trajectory. Al grito de una estrella. Acme carta de amor secreto rhea. Just a kenny cancion llega a asia. Porque tengo mioma. And sunni maria. I am seduced by the sensations so beautiful. Abra living the brief journey that is a star's cry. It is my reminiscent love letter. I know that my song reaches her. Because i lay my soul in her harmony. It was december. In central illinois. Beer with cold. Not in a crisp exciting autumn way. Heal your bones kind of way. The sky with slate gray and the ground was hard. Trees relief list skeleton their bare dark arms flailing in the wind. I know this sounds crazy she said. But i just want to bring him a blanket. I keep thinking about that. He must be so cold. She knew her father could no longer feel cold. He was dead. I'm admin buried a few weeks. She didn't want people to think she was crazy. But she had this longing. This longing to do something to comfort him. Warm him up. It was cold out there. To think of him in that. Fox in the ground. With no blanket. But she put that aside. She had plenty of things to do. She took her elderly aunt to the doctor walk the dog. Bad christmas presents. She cooks dinner. Attended her daughter's 6th grade orchestra concert. Hunter son with his homework. She did not go and visit her father's grave and bring him a blanket. She didn't tell her friends how she see him. Whatever she went. How did catch a glimpse of him in the mail. Or. In the library or. There he was at the grocery store. She didn't want to. Seem crazy. It was understandable my mother's anxiety. The newest certain social script around death. The tears and the sadness. The catholic funeral for her mother steak. The sympathy cards. The casseroles and pies from her friends at the unitarian universalist church. Her husband's parents came up from florida. During christmas time. All of this within the script. Grief and support from friends and family. But continuing to interact with the dead. Seeing him. Morning to bring him a blanket. Well. That was not something she had expected. Indeed interacting with the dead does not act in fall within the realm of what the dominant culture in the united states considers normal. There is a children's movie that illustrates this point. The tagline of the animated film paranorman. Is. You don't become a hero by being normal. The movie opens with a scene. Mormon a young white american boy is sitting on the floor watching a movie. And his grandmother talking to him from the couch. And she asked him to go tell his father to turn up the heat because she is cold. So he goes up to tell his father and. His dad gets very upset. His parents remind him. His grandmother is dead. I need conversations with her that he brings up all in his head. This is a line they have rehearsed before you can tell. Norman odd-looking ashamed. Right. It's all in my head. Throughout the movie norman interacts with the dead. Much to the frustration and sometimes horror. Of his classmates. His teachers and his family in this small new england town in which the movie is set. But by the end of the movie norman has saved the town with his ability to talk to the deceased. And his family has become more comfortable with his abnormality. The movie closes with the whole family in the living room. Norman's father making space on the couch for the dead grandmother. A new family ritual has been born. One in which the grandmother participate in family life. By treating her. And if she is present. The father has made her presence a reality. This in the power. I'm ritual. And it is a magical power. Tom f driver believes in the power of ritual to change individuals and even society. He's a methodist minister. And was a professor at union theological seminary. Who retired from academia to pursue a life of activism. In his book the magic of ritual. Driver makes a case for believing in magic. And he explains the difference between non-magical techniques of transformation. A magical one. So applying heat to water to create steam. In the non-magical technique up transformation. And it is possible to do and many cultural settings because it does not depend on culture. So a person can feel confident boiling water here with a bunch of california unitarian universalist. And someone can boil water with minnesota muslims or new york jews or florida pentecostals. But. In order to do magic. There has to be a cultural. Set of understanding in place to allow it to happen. So here in our church. Lighting a flame inside of a chalice. Do something. It changes our time and our space into a sacred. Space. But if you did that same set of actions in another setting. It might not make any sense. And it might be meaningless. This is true of many types of ritual. For example in the jewish tradition part of the marriage ceremony involves stomping on a glass to break it. I'm just action accomplished something in the wedding. It is a part of a ceremony that changes a significant other. Into a spouse. This is a culturally dependent kind of magic. And it happens in many ceremonies. Moving the tassel from one side of the graduation cap to the other. Donning the ministerial stole. These are magical action. That we used to transform. A single person becomes a married person before your very eyes. A high school student becomes the graduate. A lay person becomes a minister. This kind of magic. Independence. I mean understanding of the culture in which it is enacted. I don't think that the spanish catholics who journeyed to central america in the 16th century. We're very well-versed in the cultures that they encountered there. And if you were peeing then countered and aztec empire controlling large territories. I mean encountered many other people as well does that protect people than mixtec people. And as we know. They had some non-magical techniques that they used. That europeans use that were very effective. Incoming to control the territory the germs. The weapon. The rape. These things they brought. Wrecking in any setting. The spanish asteroids fried from european magic. American denver to conquer this part of the world. They had royal and papal proclamation and fourth baptisms. But they were trying to use to change the people they encountered. Into european style christian. Heading to spanish property. And they believe in the power of their proclamations and their baptism. But they were a little bit confused about some of the rituals that they encountered among the native people. One dominican friar from the 17th century. Recorded the following conversation that was told to him by a spanish vicar. In what today is the state of oaxaca. And the vicar was responding to a practice he noticed. About leaving offerings out on grave sites for the dead. So he went to one of the indigenous leaders to ask him about it. And the vicar said. Well i saw the dead. The rotting bones in the grades. And the souls as incorruptible spirits don't eat or drink like the body does. Which needs to grow and increase. Envy indigenous man replied. I know father that the dead don't eat the meat nor do the bones. But when they come. They put themselves on the offering. I'm stuck the goodness out of it. And then what is left behind. No longer have sustenance. The niger. Bobby's offerings to the dead and he did not understand the magic that was happening because the dead do not eat meat. But for the indigenous person the magic was absolutely effective. It changed the very nature of the offerings. Leaving our offerings to the dead. When an important artifact bowtech culture. And was also a religious practice of the aztec people. Who had a special festival every year to do lady of the dead. Macatawa. And. Does the spaniards tried with their rituals of conversion. They didn't have the magical power to completely transform these people into their european-style christians. Instead. They started fitting together the cultural framework. It wouldn't be so inappropriate to honor the dead on november 1st. For november 2nd. All saints day and all souls day. So the layers of meaning. Were added to one another. A process winner today at syncretism. And the traditional celebration of dia de los muertos. Came from this combination. A celebration of dia de los muertos in central mexico. It might go something like this. During the last week of october the market is full of the food and decorations that people need. You can smell the bread baking. The savory meals cooking. And you can see the yellows and oranges dominating the color palette. As people pick the wildflowers that bloom during that time of the year. To decorate the altars. People create artwork with skeletons. Skeletons doing everyday activities. Used to mock death and life. The home altar would be set up. To be ready for the dead to arrive on november 1st. Fruit. Bread in the shape of bones. Skulls made out of sugar. The marigold flowers. Beer and liquor full meals. Put out for the dead to enjoy. Along with the colorful flowers and paper. And the personal belongings the pictures to welcome people. The souls of children los angeles those two little angels. Are expecting on november 2nd. And for them instead of alcohol they would put toys. And have many sweets for the children. After the dead have enjoyed the offering. The family might possess to the cemetery with the edibles to enjoy a picnic at the gravesite. The adults might reminisce the children play. You may see a teenager doing your homework. People hanging out interacting with their dead loved ones. The tone of the celebration is respectful. But not necessarily somber. There maybe sadness. Especially for recent or difficult.. And there's also joy. Joy at celebrating and communing with the dead. For those immersed in this culture these rituals work. The magic is real and the dead come. Morning the character in the movie. Might have had an easier time if you had been born in central mexico and not in new england. He might have had an easier time speaking with his dead grandmother. But just as norman's family learned a new way. To interact with the dead and a new ritual. We're together here from many different cultures. Can you perform a magical ritual together. Because. No matter what social and cultural script we may have learned about death. Sometimes. Weilong. To be with the dad. We miss them. We want them back just. For a little while. To offer them. Their favorite food. To bring them a blanket. When it gets cold. Ritual. Done right. Done with some cultural understanding. Is magical. And it's magic. Has the potential to transform. Our longings. I invite you to join hands. For a closing prayer. In the ham we sang today. We saying. 5 euros mismo en nuestro mismo caminar. Which translated means god's own self. Is in our own walking. The spirit and those spirits of all those. We have loved and who have affected us. Are here with us. In our own walking today. As we remember them. And as we think about how connected we all are. May you take the spread out with you mate. Fuel your day. And give you a new sense of appreciation for today. As you have left a beautiful get. For others at this altar. Amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-10-27_Worship_Sustainability-Sacrifice_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov or further information. Welcome to celebrate the beauty of the earth and to be in community this congregation comfort us when we know loss. And celebrates our best dreams. We bring our differences together. We create a fuller truth. Let's celebrate than anyone point of view. This is a place of challenge. And compassion. The holy is experienced here in many ways and is given many names. People of all sexual orientations and gender expressions are celebrated we will come over races and classes and physical abilities. We have much to learn from one another. This. Is a place of learning. And hope. Weather because of the touch of a friend the words and music. A moment of silence. May you feel. More. Alive. Good morning. Lighting our child's today is my mom autumn leather or no. Ariana spent most of the last 10 years working with religious exploration and she is also serving as worship associate this year. Our chalice lighting today was written by paul sprecher. We light this chalice for the web of life which sustains us. For the sacred circle of life in which we have our being. For the earth the sky above and below. And for our mother earth and for the mystery. The sharp profile of the snow-dusted mountains cuts a clean line against the bright midday sky. The afternoon sunlight kisses the face of the mountain as mother woodcrest the hair of her young child. My eyes travel further down the mountain and i see the model gray of enormous granite boulders. Immediately mirrored in the water at the surface. Trailing my fingertips across the cell surface of the water. It breaks for a quick breath of crisp sierra air. My fingers del deep and cup the cool water. Letting it spill down perspiring suntanned arms. My bare feet traverse the granite slabs that protects the lake's edge. Feeling the way toward the gnarled and knotted dakroub. Home from the tree sprung forth from between the rocks. Handshaking i grasped the rope and pull myself onto a high boulder. My toes find steady footing against the scratchy based of an old tree. My fingers clenched a thick not. And hold to it as tightly as they can. Pushing off ifly. For a moment. Suspended in the warm summer air. I am not only surrounded by the beauty of mother nature but a part of it all. The huge gray rocks. The brilliant sunshine. The trend for water and the face of the imperial mountains. The moment ends. And with the quick inhale. The cool water engulfs me. Reflecting on moments like these times where i had no need for clocks or calendars. I find a deep appreciation for the beauty mother earth has to offer. I find myself wanting to gather these sensations and pack them in a vial to keep for cold nights when it's dark outside. The splash of canoe oars cutting through water. The earthy scent of redwood trees or the sight of sparkling constellations mirrored in the lake. When asked about my connection to nature or our home planet is. My answer is that this is my happy place. Each time i experienced the wisdom and sheer beauty of our world. I am brought back to my center. And reminded of my roots that reach deep into the rich soil and connect me to this earth. We come to this service. With hearts and minds full from a week of blessings and challenges joyce and heartbreak. And all the moments big and small that make up a life. We give thanks. For these gorgeous fall days. For the falling leaves and ripening pumpkins that remind us of the changing of the seasons. Summer has gone and the glory of autumn is all around us. In the sense of baking and the growing chill in the morning air. The change in case of garden inwood and marsh. We live in a beautiful place. Here in yolo county. On the edge of the north american continent. On the western side. Of this. Planet earth. Each of us. Is a part of an intricate web of relationships when one of us celebrates a joy or grieves a loss. The web of life moves to a new shape. We are apart of the turn of the earth. The shift. Of the stars. The pole of the sea. And all life. And change. Something that we have started to do the congregation we've been doing it for years now is blessing those who are going away from us on a journey on a pilgrimage. And this sunday we will be doing that. Before i do the blessing i just wanted to give you some contacts not everyone has been the history. That brings us to this moment so just a moment. The travelers that we are blessing at the group of 16 people. And we had 10 of them although 16 from our congregation and they are traveling to to what is now called myanmar and was called burma and years gone by it's one of asia's obviously poorest. Poorest countries. Max harrington was a high school student in davis and he attended this congregation so this this effort really has a long history in this congregation. Among the people here. And his mother is susan steinbach who is here today and will be colliding this trip they have been involved in this program for so many years sponsoring. Children. And we have sponsor children from this congregation. And we have provided funds for them. But now they are traveling. With probably close to $16,000 or more. Some of that money has come from this congregation many people here have contributed something. Something to that whether it's a hair barrette. For the girls. A word of encouragement for them. Money. For them to build a. A dormitory with a set of school a girls school and in this way. Inviting them out of a life of poverty. So this is important work. That we do. Have you hear about this and thankful i wish i was a part of it i'm going to allow you to do that right now. Because we are going to send them off with your blessing. So i invited those who are traveling to come here in front because we need to see you and i want you to that to turn and look at each other. Is very hard to look out at a congregation is staring back at you it's just hard i'm just saying so please come forward because we're going to be coming around you to the best of our ability. Weather coming up i'll just say that they're bringing vitamins and medicine school books and baseball caps and hair barrettes and hair brushes and and money and they're going to visit for schools for different schools and each other. Maybe wish for them what they desire and war when traveling into the soul of an unfamiliar land. You. Few travelers you ask to be cracked open with joy but when the human heart is open. It's open to everything else too. Amazement. And hope. And awareness. And grief. Regret. And pain maybe even your own. When least expected so i wish for the whole realm of human emotion for that to be yours and that you return to this place safe may curiosity and openness and empathy be yours when you see beauty. And when you see things you do not understand and might normally dismiss or condemn. Bring back what you learn in your cracked open heart to heart that will close again but will never be the same because in caring for others our own heart is changed. Bring back memories and surprises that are mysteries now. Experiences that we can't know and i'll charge you you to bring good. To this world. And to you amen. And blessed day. And may it be so. It is not approaching. It has arrived. We are not circumventing it. It is happening. It is happening now. We are not preventing it. We are within it. The sound of a happening is splitting other ears. The site of it's happening is fearing other eyes. The grip of it's happening is strangling other throats. Without intermissions it spins without cessation we circle its edge elise or chrome circling a long time at the other rim. Before a centripetal force tugs it down. The body being savaged. Is alive. It is our own. Well the eagle vulture tears the earth's liver. Well the heartworm burrows into earth's heart. Extremities we rn unacknowledged extremist. We feel only a chill. What's the pulse of life receives. We don't beat off the devouring beat. The talents. We don't dig out what burrows into our core it is not our heart we think but do not say. It is the world's poor world. But i am mother. Spirit. Waken. Our understanding out of the stasis and which we perish. The sullen immobility and which the lead weight of our disbelief condemns us. Only your rushing wind can lift us. Our flesh and there's one with the flesh of fruit and tree. Our blood one with the blood of whale and sparrow. Our bones ash and cinder a starfire. Our being. Tender for primal light. List of spirit impel our rising into that knowledge. Meg truth's real to us. Flame on our lips. Left us to seize the present wrench it out of its down spin. These words by dave bonta from his blog via negativa we are blowing up mountains and burning their black hearts to keep cool mountaintop-removal is a form of extreme strip-mining that effectively obliterated entire mountain by taking off at stop and then using what they call the overburden to fill in the jason valleys and ravines the forest will likely take tens or hundreds of thousands of years to recover. If ever local boosters of the coal industry talked about how this will open up the view and allow for cattle grazing and big game hunting mountaintop-removal is tantamount to ecocide threatening one of the most biodiverse temperate ecosystems in the world. Many species of salamanders snails beetles wildflowers songbirds. Will become extinct 50 assault continues. It's an undeclared war against the people and communities of the region. It's not that the mining companies hate for people exactly did you fail to recognize them as fully human. Like any war it divides communities with many people clamoring for the few temporary jobs that this form of mining provides. Even as they know that laying waste to the land will render it largely uninhabitable for generations to come. Meanwhile in america. It is hot. And getting hotter. And we are blowing up mountains. And burning their black hearts. To keep cool. When i was 16 years old i spent half the summer sitting marine science at the dauphin island sea lab and mobile bay alabama. On the western edge of the island tucked-in next between a bridge and a saltmarsh. Was a crescent a perfect sandy beach too small to even have a name. I spent some of the best moments of my adolescence there. And even though a whiff of sulfur and the air brings me back to that enormous sky overlapping waves. The feel of sand under my feet hot humid are wet against my cheek marsh grass between my fingers. And the tang of salt upon my tongue. I loved that little beach. I never since that summer it has been the place i first bank of. When i need to remember somewhere quiet. And safe. And special. I bring this up because by the time my grandchildren are 16 years old that beach will no longer exist. In fact. The entire island will likely be underwater. One of the many places lost to rising sea levels as a climate change causes our polar ice caps caps melt. I don't know how many of my other favorite places my grandchildren will never have the chance to see. But my guess is. Slots. I imagine. That all of you have a favorite sacred special places. Also under thread in the natural world places maybe special by the company you kept with a sheer beauty of the place i imagine. It's some of those places will be disappearing. Maybe in the same way my tiny beachwood. Maybe in the way those mountaintops well. Pecan into memory all the same. I wonder. How you feel. About that. If you share my grief. And worried my heartache and anger. About all these losses. Amaya beach my beloved beach's home only to ghost crabs and periwinkle snails common turns and great blue heron. Many other places under threat from drought and flood our home to millions of people. 2. We are one of the many species under threat are habitats disappearing or transforming utterly. Right before our eyes. The wildfires and seasonal storms are getting worse each year the best schools of fish that might have fed us are giving way to jellyfish and plastic wreath excuse and nuclear contamination. The aquifers and rivers water crops and quenched our thirst are drying up. As a species it is possible we have sacrificed any hope of a comfortable future. The best that we can help before. The best we must hope for. Is to make things not quite as bad as they could be. The coming changes. Are often too big for me to grasp to terrifying and abstract and depressing. My heart clenches at the news that greenland asad last year for the first time. Sade completely. That we just don't know what will happen to the people of bangladesh in the next 50 years. The canada's boreal forest. Has been largely popped out and is being chopped down as we speak in the pursuit of tar sands. 50 oceans i studied as a youth are changing forever. Well-known yachtsman recently sailed across the pacific ocean. Atropine on joyful and full of wonders in years past. This time he found an expansive watery desert empty of fish and filled with trash. The water. It was something wrong with the water itself it changed the color of his boat. He and his crew were constantly dodging his huge pieces of refuse and on days when the water was clear they could solve they could see in the water below with trash swirling all the way down. Reading his story my heart aches. Eggs that have stocked and horrify description of the silent dangerous voyage at the words he spoke. At the end of the interview. The ocean is broken. He said. The ocean is broken we have broken the pacific ocean i can't get my head around that it isn't too immense to dismal tattoo apocalyptic. We as a species in a global society have blown up mountains decimated the oceans and chop down the forcefield in the wetlands have polluted the air and changed the climate of our planet. The earth of tomorrow will not be the earth of our yesterdays. We have lost more species of animals and we can count. The ice caps and glaciers are melting the ecosystems we have known and loved are shifting. An irreversible ways. They can't put it back. I am scared and sad and angry. Angry at the petrochemical companies who continue to dig wells and build pipelines and blow up mountains. Regardless of the consequences. I am angry at an agricultural industry that put small farmers out of work over taxes the soil and pumps pollutants into our air. I am so sad and so angry and so scared. About the future of our planet. Much has been sacrificed. In the name of progress and profit and it breaks my heart. And eyes i imagine many of you are heartbroken to my invite you. To join me. Now. Again in a moment of prayer. Ocean. Deep well of mystery and loom of life great ocean weed lament for the damage done to you. We sit at your shores and rage at the harm that has been done. Oair. Wrath of our world. Oh are we grieve for the pollutants we have pumped into you. The changes we have made your upper atmosphere. Twisted and you and breathed in our pain. Adora transformation. We breathe out sorrow. For those affected. By the change in you. Oak forest. He once a system of interconnection in shade and glory. We mourn for the trees we have lost and all the life that called those trees home. We sit under your remaining canopy and sigh. For what was. For the soil once held by arutz been awash is into and destroys our streams for the loss. Of your great green labyrinth. Grasslands marsh's tundra and all those who live in our myriad fragile ecosystems what do you fly or slither or walk on two feet. We said at the beginning of massive global climate change and morn wemo in the cool breezes and frigid freshwater of our disappearing glaciers. We lament the passing and change of so many. Other places and species we have known and loved. Here in this sacred place in this sacred hour i say i am unhappy. Can i invite all of you to be unhappy with me. Just for a moment don't let your brief slide into action or apathy but be present with it. And each other. I asked you tomorrow with me now. 1 moment of silence for all we have lost and we'll lose in the time to come. It has been. Sacrificed. We must mourn. And this time of change and we must ponder. When we will sacrifice how we will transform. Give me the challenge of these times. How will we change. what will you sacrifice. Will you give out of your isolation. Your despair. You're brooding sense of gloom the fear umassd with your busyness and hide from yourself with 1000s traction's. Will you give up. Do uncomfortable comforts the things you have and do that fill you with a sense of lost integrity. Instead of joy. Will you give up your sense of meaninglessness you're worried that there is nothing you can do and the apathy. That comes when we abandon our practice of home. Can you. Instead. Pick up the practice of wholehearted living. I cannot save a little beach in alabama. Or all of the people who are harmed in this coming time but i can practice the skills needed to be in community with the others i can practice communicating non-violently and being vulnerable and holding others accountable and speaking up for my values. I'm listening with real attention. True stories of others. And i can live with integrity. As much as possible as so many of you do when we strive to eat locally. Can we ride our bicycles. And we'd use reusable bags and all of those things. The help us to be in integrity with our sense of our connection to the earth. And i can support advocacy efforts. The same the last mountains. And wild places and to make our society more equitable. And care for the vulnerable among us those will be most affected by the changes to come. I can turn my sorrow into compassion. My grief into empathy my anger. Into courage. I can sacrifice my apathy and instead take up with the practice of hope. Mini marine biologist. Are as you can imagine right now. Pretty depressed. About the state of things that but that doesn't mean they've given up hoping. This week i watched a documentary. Call daughter 501. About the 500 first southern sea otter. We rescued and released. By the monterey bay aquarium. Southern sea otter. Was hunted almost to the point of extinction in the 19th century in fact we thought they were extinct and then we found 50 of them. Floating. Next to big sur. There are over 2,000 of those otters today. Thanks for the most part to this one small group of hopeful folk. It is no small feat what they do. Rescuing and rehabilitating otters. But each other they rescued makes an enormous difference to the kelp forest. Right outside their doors. And i for one and incredibly grateful. Incredibly grateful that in this time. Apocalyptic change. But there are still sea otters off of our coast. There is still hope and beauty and wonder and joy and our world. And there are people doing what they can to keep it alive to nourish. To create change and hope. And we can be a part of that. We can eradicate poverty or an equality but we can take all the love out into the world. Keep hoping. For you are needed your wisdom and your love your skill in the garden your sense of humor your creativity your musical gifts you're difficult questioning. Your understanding your steadfast patience. All of these are needed. Now. More than ever. In the words of frederick gillis. May the love which overcomes all differences. Which heals all wounds which puts the flight of fears which reconciles all who are separated. Pns. And among us. No and always. And as you go forward into the week take this truth with you. You are not alone. I'm in a shay and blessed be.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-04-09-The-Holy-Space-of-Belonging.mp3?_=3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california at www.dav.org for further information. Good morning i'm river morgan norris today's worship associate. We are a congregation with compassion. Action. You are welcome here and in all of your grace and your brokenness. If you are here seeking safety and protection or strength. Races. Theological beliefs we welcome all sexual orientations and gender identities. This is a church of inclusion. If this is your first time here we hope that you will stop by our welcome table so that we can tell you more about who we are and we can get to know you. This morning we're very pleased. Unitarian universalist economy. Which works to ensure that all our institutions and practices honor the humanities. Especially. Good morning. Fighting words today come from. On the one hand we are called to play the good samaritan on life's road time. One day we must come to see that must be transformed. As they make their journey on life's highway. Display sanctuary. Broken hearted. Who wrote today with the wind. Come in. Fearful. Actuary. Who's abundance overflows. This morning. You who have everything. Displace. Calling. The place where you were called by the world need. Cheer we offer. Received. Here we make a circle. I know i'm not alone. Nation. A social. 84. To provide housing for refugees. Who provide shelter employment for transportation. The story of. Will it rain water. I know there are others who supported this word. I also know that there are people in our church. But this morning. I want to tell you about the others. Changed. She told a story about meeting to central america airport. Remember. Armstrong. Wilson pool. But that was where our hearts were. What can we do. Detergent to send a message today. I wish i could be with you this morning preaching about this is so important for us. Civic organizations. Commitment. Meet again to plan next steps. Second everyone received an assessment guide to bring back to their congregations were asked to consider what are represented group. Past week the clergyman to continue our discussion about sanctuary again in may and continue the conversation with a wider circle of faith leaders. This week i also spoke with paul langston daily a staff person from the uu service committee. Considered very as miss and more. The new sanctuary movement. Religious-based. Chase on every front. Many opportunities to act from our values. I want to share with you my hopes for our congregation. We have a responsibility as unitarian universalist. Stranger services focus on. Documented. And who are already included in the. I asked that we stretch ourselves and asked to the limit of what is possible for us. This will take honest discussion to consider what we have to offer ability to sustain our efforts. It also means remembering that we are not alone in this effort that we will be sharing this work with many. But listening to those who are in need. We will be asking repeatedly is needed contribute to the new sanctuary movement for our area. Area includes many towns and several counties. Congregations motivation and creativity. Is that our religious ethical responsibility to create. For those who are undocumented. Communities. Because urn. Show me something for every person to do. To build a society that is safe for those who are undocumented will take us. If it has been part of your license past 6 months. Exploring this includes the ministers have recently formed to support the exploration of our potential. This congregation and provide open-minded and non outcome vested presents that supports this conversation. So far we have. Who's kathy robertson. And to share this worship with you. Ever since sue was an english language tutor in our library. Receive her regularly follow her two daughters activities and have shared her challenges and triumphs. Maria. Is an outsider. Not to us but in the dominant narrative repeated over and over today by those in power. Maria is not even her name. For her safety i can share that with you. It's time to talk about immigration today without talking about. What it means to be an outsider. To be someone who is not one of us. And i don't think we can understand what sanctuary means. What it means to be an outsider. Another place. Because they don't belong here. Their needs are not important. In fact the narrative tells us. Taking account of their needs of their humanity. It's a drag on our community. Think of the healthcare cost. Because they are perceived as aliens his easy to vilify immigrants in many other ways. Most obvious is criminalization. This didn't start with the trump campaign. Immigration and customs enforcement ice. Has been telling us they were focused on apprehending the quote worst of the worst. To encourage. I've criminality in the deportation campaign never targeted. They always turned into dragnet. He's grabbing any and all undocumented persons. Just like the current campaign. Because the immigrants are mostly people of color. Mister story borrow. Standing image. An image that we've seen bear its poisonous fruit in the deaths of so many black men at the hands of clothes lawful authority. Even justifiable. Example. Imprisonment. Rather than detention because i don't think. We should use the word euphemism. I think we should be clear about what's going on. And that's imprisonment. Conditions where emigrants are incarcerated. Including punitive disciplinary measures that meat delight legal definition of torture. Sexual abuse of food and water. An absence of any blankets to keep inmates warm in freezing conditions. Recently the department of homeland security proposed separating mothers from their children. As a quote. To immigration. But if you're fleeing for your life and the lives of your children is preferable. And again because they don't believe they have made the journey to come here. We just. So what is it mean. They don't belong here. It means they don't have any connection with this place and no relationship to us. No bonds have any significance with the play store the people in it. Even though their present among us. They're disconnected. Outside our community and without the human dignity. You probably knew all or most of that. To make sure we understand what the current cena phobia is. The suffering their enduring. It's being inspected in our name. And to make sure we understand what the current climate. What monstrous actions it is enabling in our name and too often with our silent compliance. And that brings us to the question that confronts us all today. Bedbathand and her reflection. What can we do. How do we respond to this regime of bigotry. Are certain groups are being stigmatized as interlopers. The only effective way to respond is to repudiate that claim as fully and concretely as possible. To make it clear that. Ar. To make it clear that they are part of our community. How to do that. If i say. Be patient with me and come with me one more time. To see if there's some elements that can light our way in this moment in our nation's history. And in the history of every faith community that cease to be faithful to its tradition. In responding to this new reality. Jesus. Religious man lying. Their callous failure to render nea makes clear that neither religious status no ritual practice is at the heart of fate. The point is emphatically underlined. Having a samaritan. Alien and a heretic. Be the one who does render aid. It's worth looking closely at how the samaritans interaction with the wounded man is described. The parable. The man lying bleeding beside the road was in the unexpected interruption of the samaritan's journey. Attorney would surely had a destination in mind so they're going over to the wounded man was a diversion. There's a lesson here. The past we expected for ourselves in our community. The question is will we divert our past covid it takes us nearer to those who are wounded. Or will we like the religious officials refused to interrupt our journey. To operate. Next. This to contrast with the reaction of the levite who also quote went and looked on the man and then passed by on the other side. The different reactions. What can we do to prepare our hearts. We're confronted with urgent. Spiritual practice can make us ready to show the kind of compassion that he did. Nurturing our compassion. Is breathing in the realities that we are one. That we are connected. That we are in communion with all especially those whose dignity is dishonored because their needs are unmatched those who today are being cast out because they're outsiders. The information that we belong to one another is the rich soil from which our compassion blooms. Unfortunately in the tradition of liberal religion. Best insurance has sometimes been lacking. The liberal icon ralph waldo emerson. It's a good man did today of my obligation to put all four men in good situations. Are they. I tell thee thou foolish philanthropist. The dime. Dutchman has do not belong to me. And to whom i do not belong. Samaritan the walk on by. Nothing in his culture told him they belong. But he's. He trim nearer and his compassion prompted him to act. To bind up the jews carried him on the samaritans own animal to an end and to arrange for continuing care for him there. Distance from every way comes nearer. And nearer. And more fully engaged in responding to the wounded man. This lesson is important. Most of us are far from the reality of what it means to be undocumented in this country today. We don't live with the trap. That we. My wife and i. But it is all too rare. My wife and i. It's all too rare because for most of us. Is a major challenge. We are separated geographically. Our social circles don't typically include undocumented immigrants. And hardly any of us have good friends to lack papers. At most we may have been personal contacts with immigrants. For as manual laborers. Our distance from meaningful relationship with those who are undocumented. They are outsiders. Encouraging us to see them. The distance immigrants aliens. Like the samaritan we must see. And hear them. They are here i'm on us we don't have to rely on chance to close.. Their organizations not far from here. And it sounds like in your process of determining the collection of the clergy. You're beginning to identify the organization's didn't do. When the arizona papers please law was passed the immigration task force in my church let a worship service. Entirely up. It changed the narrative at my church. When we hear the stories. We see more clearly those who share those stories. Create the space for them to share their stories with you. Then we must welcome all those. Unwelcome elsewhere. We belong we are universalist. Scarface calzone. There are no outsiders. We belong to one another because we are one with each other. You may be wondering at this point when i'm going to start talking about sanctuary. I already have. When we live the reality that we are one that we belong to each other. We have brought sanctuary to life among us. When we reject the outsider label and make it in phatic lee clear to the world. Did those hard with add label belong here that they are part of us members of our community. We have created sanctuary for them. Best face wear like the samaritan. We bring the outsider. Into our circle of care. Into the holy orbit of our love. Dead space may be created in a personal relationship or by a congregational commitment or a civic declaration. We create that space by declaring them our neighbors. Remember jesus in response to a lawyer's question. I used to be a lawyer that always gets my attention is my neighbor. The answer the samaritan gave was. Discman. This man my society calls my enemy. Man. Is my neighbor. Samaritan may have been a universalist. But he answered the question in a very concrete weigh. We have to live the answer to that question very concretely to. But there was another question the samaritan answer perhaps even more important. Is this man my neighbor. To this man. For him. By drawing nearer and becoming more and more engaged in caring for the wounded two. The samaritan declared. And his neighbor. And this historical moment we all confront the question. Who are we. Answering the question is how we bring our faith alive. And i'm happy to discuss. I'm grateful that you have entered into a process of discernment about who you will be. Thomas rhett. Personally. And as a faith community. Must decide if. And how. We will stand with them. Star voices with bears. And work with them for a world where we can all fries. Together. As one. In the name of the love that makes us one. So many ideas so many challenges thank you. Prayer and reflection. A time where you might. Or find a soft in front of you. Century. I noticed your breath. This is a time where we open our hearts and minds. The spirit of life that moves in and among us. Precious world community of which we are apart. Into this moment. Hearing the concerns of the world. Knowing our neighbors are in need. And our action. To change the world. Neighbors. For safe places to be. We know that this world is complicated. Turn our hearts today. The people in syria. Thompson civil war. In egypt this morning who were attacked because of their religious beliefs. We know there are so many communities. Near and afar. For simply being who they are. To change that. So many people in our lives. Ar. And so even in word. Members today. Who are who are dying. Each of us and of this community. That we ourselves are cared for. That in our. In our own time. Carehere. And when you reach out your hand here. Someone will take it. Journey with you. That is our lives. And places where we find love. Silent reflection now. Name. Neymar. To share our prayers. The precious community. Restless discomfort. Superficial relationships. So that you may speak truth in your heart. Exploitation of people. So that you may tirelessly work for justice. People. May you be blessed with the gift of tears to shed with a rejection starvation. So that you may reach out your hand to comfort them and transform their pain into joy. Make a difference in this world so that you are able to do what others be done. Let's people say.

uudavispodcast_org

2018-03-25-The-Balancing-Life.mp3?_=1

Welcome to sunday sermons from unitarian universalist church of davis california. org for further information. You met kevin. Unitarian universalist and dignity are welcome here no matter no matter how you identify or who you no matter no matter. And then one pillar candles that weigh heavy on our hearts and we like one pillar candle for the joys of the world for the moments of hope and celebration and at this very point i don't want to wait one more second. Never will. And for the strength that we need for our journey. Community right here is such a place. Maybe. Congregation. I learned early on how to fold babies correctly. Another consideration for the mountain and the spokane mountaineers. Information coming into our brain. Whenever we find a point. Play balance so many ideas in our lives. And. One candle knowing that the sorrows of our life with us always but we also take the joy. There are some height.

uudavispodcast_org

2018-03-11-Life-Lessons-from-Trees.mp3?_=3

Sunday sermons from unitarian universalist church of davis california. org for further information. I'm eleanora's today's worship associates as unitarian universalist. All people have inherent. No matter the color of your skin. Understanding. You are welcome in this community. Dennis community of learners and compassionate listeners. You are welcome here. I'm reverend morgan mclain the assistant minister for congregational life. And if this is your first time here we are especially glad to welcome you and encourage you to stop by our welcome table so that we can get to know you a little bit better. Knowledge all that is being held by the people in this room. We like one pillar candle for the sorrows of the world. For the moments that weigh heavily on our heart. And we like another candle. For the joy of this world. Begin our worship service we light our flaming chalice and. Before you say i'm going to invite you to stay right where you are and get comfortable for a moment. Going to have a bit of a guided meditation for just a moment so. With your eyes closed i would like you to picture your favorite tree. Or maybe a striking tree or something that really like to sit under. And when you're ready i invite you to imagine that you are becoming that. And so that means that your feet are firmly on the ground. And your feet are still. Because they are rooted. Has roots go into the ground and they might. Under the soil touch another route searching for nourishment but also extending for strength. And once you have. A rootedness to your tree. Your tree is ready to grow. To emerge. Imagine. Forming around you. Four main protection. Holding you in love and security. And now that you have that rootedness and you are secure you are ready to branch out. And so your arms become the branches. Maybe you didn't hear me. Your arms because they might. They might be parallel to the ground reaching out past other ones and they might hit. Branches might even arc down towards the ground. Depending on the kind of tree you are. Or the weight of what you are holding. And as you are branches. Feel the warmth of the sun we hear these words from paul tillich. We can speak without voice to the trees and the clouds and the waves of the sea. Without words they respond through the rustling of leaves and the moving of clouds. And the murmuring of the sea. For we know. That the trees are not silent. In fact. Wind moves through their leaves branches and and crack and sometimes even break. There is nothing quiet about this forest we are in. And so let me hear what it sounds like in our forest. We are fed by the wind and the rain. We are doing and are bending and are shifting. They're fed by the sun. And by the water deep in the ground. Bring your branches slowly in. Feel bad warm stoves. Together in the forest. Safety of your bark fudge headed here. And. Always remembering the firmness. Of the roots in the ground. Lewiston m here. As you sit back down and return. Our space. We are so beautiful together. I love hiking hiking up a forest trail with my backpack on my back. Whatever burden. I love all the smells and sounds and sight. I wonder why on earth i put so much into my backpack. I did a lot of that when i was younger. No i only go where i can get to easily. Like my car. But there's another way i go. In my imagination. Today i want to see if your imagination will let you come with me on one of these hikes. Who's playing magic we're standing in a forest in the southern sierra nevada. Warm sun on our backs. Search. Breeze on your face. Listen. Through the branches rustling in the breeze. Right there in front of us. A trail i know leads to an almost secret grove. Mammoth trees that live 410 into the air. Lace-up boots. Throw on your backpack full of lunch and water. Now wait a minute if we're traveling on the wings of imagination. Why is tyrann hot height. Then you'd miss the peace of walking in the quiet cathedral. Tucson and shade. Over dusty trail and moist stream bibs. Can you be there now. In your imagination. And we missed the reward and enjoy. Do we are we interest and of a dozen two dozen more giant sequoias blowing warm cinnamon red. 3rd grade arms extend out. Let's join hands to circle tree. Face against the warm soft bark. Smell it. Send a. And wildflowers. Maybe even your own sweat. Metallica bassist great treat and take it all in. The flicker of a bird in the foliage. Maybe a quiet cheap. Allowed. Sun warming your face. Warm your bottom. Take a bite of your lunch. Peanut butter and jelly. Cheese and crackers. And then there's the cruel water. Relish it all. You may wonder why is it today. Maybe sean yours words will help explain. Into the forest i go to lose my mind and find my soul. Going to the woods is going home. Weather in body or an imagination. Is a way i find peace. Inspect my life. It takes me home again. Quiet place within me. Maybe it can do the same for you. Mary oliver road. When i am among the trees and the honey locust equally. Around me the trees are in their leaves and call out. Ohio close from their branches. That's a good thing and i will offer a short story for you. One tree that was transplanted from a family home. Which was the most sacred location. Of their parents there are stories from children. In the late afternoon. And we have a permanent water feature. They are strange shapes that are hollowed out and empty. Carefully scrape the way the surface and discovered that. Trees that are isolated. Are much more vulnerable than those who live in forest. Because there is no other tree to rely upon or storm. In the community of an undisturbed forest. An ecosystem is created to ensure that. The system allows trees to grow to an old-age not all. The winds of storms are less likely to destroy them. Trees canopy keeps the heat of summer from drying the forest floor. Unless there is a massive drought like we experience. Here in california and probably will continue. 100 million trees have dropped. Even a forest. Can't protect trees. For many years. Don't fall. The summer temperatures soar. Is global warming. The trees accommodate for each other again this idea of this friendship. He writes about trees in forest park. Keystone. They behave like wild and unpredictable use. Not just you. Natural forest the branches grow until they encounter the branches of a neighbor he said about the same height. And then they don't compete for the same but shifts are growth away from the neighboring tree. Leave is two trees. System. If the other died as well. Because of proximity many trees will function in this same. Close friendship. Every tree is important. Every tree is sharing nutrients. Weather is the tree with a crown of branches to be higher than the others. For the masses of what he calls the royalty that are together. Or the young tree rising or the decaying stump that is. Providing nutrients simultaneously. There's something in the way the cycle works. We could consider as a sign of nature. End-of-life. And i'm really so i wonder if they're going to start to identify with. Don't do it. Although it is a part of life. I am sure that will functioning communities of trees and support each other. At the very least for survival. Caring communities than just that. We are likely to say that we make these choices of how we will be in commuting more consciously than a tree and yet. Some researchers. A sense of attraction for other trees. And that they have friends who are similar. And they actually love their companion. If you have a memory of a special tree heard about a hike this morning. Literature. Girls. My tree. Old gnarled apple tree on a neighborhood farm. It produced. Terrible apples. But had grown a nest of branches. It was comfortable. Just wright. For a young girl. And it took me up above the world to read. Everything that was going on at home. Cycles of the preseason. From the sweet smell of old apples decaying on the ground. Spring blossom. And that bitter smell of the bar. Messages. I know that laura would understand. With my own song. And hope that no one. Would hear. I had no idea that research would later show that trees their roots crackle. Drought. Their internal push of water flow is interrupted. Ultrasonic vibrations. The indicate thirst. And this is your second time to here. We can speak without the trees. And a cloud and the waves of the sea. Without words they respond. Hot summer afternoons in this area california the delta breeze. You know it. The cool air. Inland from the ocean. The first things i learned about davis and how the trees the leaves turn inside out and russell. Assign at the evening will be cool. And i am the one who responded words or just with my. I'm afraid i would never emulate. Slowly. They have a whole different sense of time. Peter wright as people we easily lose sight of that which is truly old for a tree. Because modern forestry targets the maximum age of 80 to 120 years for plantation trees. To be cards for cash. These are farms trees. Natural growth for trees of that age 8220 years. Might be the size of a pencil. The slow growing trees of dense tiny cells that have very little air in them. They're resistant to pests. Hilo over. Many injuries. Trees live with this inner balance that we're always looking for. The energy judiciously. For the time when insects or fungus would try to destroy it. We would know that living at the end of stress. Is courting disaster. We get 8 hours of sleep. We eat only nutritious food. Girl scout cookies. I couldn't eat. We'd be surrounded by a wide and diverse circle of supportive friends. We have three months the savings because. We be banking for those hard times. And if we live life trees. We share food with our neighbors all of our neighbors. We wouldn't either. It would be unmistakable everyone's contributions are important. We would all be that high crown tree. Or we all be stunts. Every contribution. Is valued. And after reading peter wohlleben book. That hidden lives of trees. If we accept untampered forest versus those that are grouped. I started to imagine the trees and bushes the art of barbarita as potentially wild youth. Read none of the etiquette untampered. Forest. I almost returned to my childhood fantasy where the trees had consciousness. Stories. Invoices to tell their stories. That you were invited to vocalize the sound. As trees this morning. It comes around. To the end of the sermon. Mary oliver. That they save me. And daily i'm so distant from the hope of myself. Goodness. And discernment. And never hurry through the world. But walk slowly. Around me the trees stir in their leaves and call out stay a while. From their branches. Have come into the world. To go easy. Thank you god for this most. Amazing day. Greenlees. of trees. For everything. Natural. Infinite. Which is yes. I lived again today. Grade. Happening. Seeing breathing any human being. Unimaginable. Now the ears. Of my fears awake and now the eyes of my eyes are opened. Recognizing the sorrows that exist in our lives and in this world. And we extinguish the joys hoping that we will carry those with us. And italics. Maybe take its message and discourage with us as well. Slight. Enter shine.

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2018-04-15-Spiritual-Spring-Cleaning.mp3?_=3

Welcome to sunday sermons from unitarian universalist church of davis california. org for further information. Welcome to the unitarian universalist church of davis. Imallexx and this morning by ari unitarian-universalist campus community. As i just said i'm alex. I'm ronnie. Enjoy. I'm megan. I'm roxanne i'm robin. I'm tracy. And i'm madison. As unitarian universalist we believe all people have inherent worth and dignity. You are welcome here. No matter how you identify or who you love. No matter the color of your skin or your political affiliation. You are welcome no matter your understanding of god. Or your answers to life's big questions. You are welcome into this community of curious learners. And compassionate leaders. Every week we lied to pooler candles. Once acknowledged that all is being held in this room. We light one of the world. Earnhardt. We later other pillar candle for the joys of the world. For the moments of hope in celebration. Open to unexpected answers by julian leff. We seek our place in the world and the answers for hearts deep questions. As we seek our hearts p open to unexpected answers. May the light of our palace. Remind us that this is a community of warm. Of wisdom. And well-being of multiple truths. I'd like to invite all the children come up here. You guys you guys can sit down for a minute if you want if you don't want to. Today we are focusing on spring cleaning okay so adults to just as well as you guys maybe you've done some spring cleaning and has anyone denommee spring-cleaning lately in their house and you cleaned your room. You clean the backyard. Oh my gosh that's. What you do. Backyard cleaning. Right yeah would you do. The living room nice i like it. Just like you can clean your house and physical objects living room. You can like things that you have. Maybe guys have like had a bad feeling lately so or maybe you seen someone. Baby name a bad feeling that they've had or seeing someone else has. You hate yourself yeah you can probably. Do you have. Frustration yeah you know if we fall down maybe frustrated had a bad day at school now these things happen as part of life. Yes. A-ok. Is bubbles okay. Now is a little activity too kind of represent spring cleaning for like your feelings. just like the backyard but maybe a way to work through about that. So as you may have noticed we have a mere earlier we have some. So what we're going to do if you. Wants to participate if we can form maybe like two lines. So we're going to form two lines and we're going to hand you a marker. So hand each of you guys a marker and give you like a couple seconds. Discriminate on the mirror doesn't have to be. So if you guys want to stand in like two lines. Alright you guys. See you guys on the mirror and if you look in the mirror your reflection will be kind of blurry because of all the sprinkles. And you can't see yourself fully. Just like when you have bad feeling sometimes. You don't fully feel like yourself and. Clear. Define some water in a drought. Sometimes hard and then you have to put some effort into clearing the mirror to make sure you get all the scribbles off and clear all of the marker off the mirror. Windermere. And fully feel like yourself again. Maybe next time you guys have a bad feeling. And the effort to work through. Now we are going to sing our children and youth to their classrooms. Hi. I want to tell you. About a pair of jeans i had. They're the most perfect jean they sit well. They were the best glue color they were stretchy i can go on and i have them since high school. But now i'm a first-year grad student. This year those jeans. Perhaps over the years. That's because i grew a little bit. Smaller. But i couldn't let go of them not at first but then there would be days where i would struggle my way into those two small jeans not realize the disappointment that. Nope. And if you don't know the feeling. a great way to start your day. After a few months in this i realize something. I could buy new jeans. So off the goodwill the smell jeans. And it's made me realize. There's so many things that we hold on to that no longer serve us. They may be familiar and beloved like that old pair of jeans. But letting can give us so much more room to grow. And this is how our group interpreted the team of emergence. And this is part of why i love see uc-davis uu community cuz i never would have come up with this idea on my own. But sometimes. But we need to let go up is something we can't just drop off at a goodwill donation center. In my life i felt like if i'm not good at something i just. And not only does this preclude me from activities that have no large learning curve. But it robs. And it leaves me weighted down with self-doubt. I question is my marathon time good enough. Rather than celebrating the fact that my body can even run a marathon. I wonder is my art good enough. Rather than focusing on the joy that watercolor painting brings me. And i say these words out loud. Even sound silly to me because after all we're humans. To make mistakes and to learn from them into grow. Of course it may be easy to just say what i want to let go i'm just as it's easy to take the jeans to goodwill. But after this first step is when the real hard work begins. Digging into the true cause of the problem. Couldn't really let go of this need to measure out to some impossible standard. I have to unlearn all my negative self-talk. And instead learn how to get myself grace and patience. I must replace aiming for perfection. Setting concrete achievable goals. And these changes aren't easy to make. Especially when you're partying with something. That has been with you for such a long time. I used to believe that i was only successful because i struggled so hard for perfection. I excelled in high school that i went on the vanderbilt and earned a double engineering degree. And now i just started a phd program at davis. When something like that is works for you for so long it can be hard to see how it's actually holding you back from happiness. And i don't think it ever occurred to me that i have to like do this before i can't really move forward until we had our discussion at our weekly thursday dinner so again i cannot say how much i love my community. And obviously what i've shared here is person with me. Balsam of you may identify with my example. It can be different for anyone it can be big or it can be small. Maybe what you want to let go of. Is what someone else is seeking to gain which is why we have thrift stores. So as we move into our next activity i'm hoping that you can reflect on what is holding you back. What you want to let go. And what you hope to gain. Good morning everyone. This morning i was reading an article about welcoming change entire lives. And it was talking about how every time we take a step. Two things happen. Something behind us and 2nd. We move into something new. I invite you to sing with me. And name some of the things we wish to steps to you this spring. So i have a few verses and then we can all sing together. Let it go let new life. And that we don't need in our lives any longer we can change the very. So this time we can sing. Life. Acceptance. Joy. Understanding. Open voice let's sing to that. I was coming to the mail when i came to an envelope addressed to my grandpa. We lost him 11 years ago to cancer. The meanest sickness i ever saw. I don't remember his last days. I was only 10 years old. It was more trouble than anything by my mother's silent grief. Buy my grandmother's antelope eyes and shaking hands. I didn't see him still and clouded. And peaceful. I saw a forest of adults who were in on a joke i wasn't. I saw a wreath of love around a man who. Would have taught me the fundamentals of physics if i had just been a little older and the sickness had just been a little more patient. I traced the sharp corner of the envelope right above his name. My grandfather never lives in this house. And that was two houses ago. Him and my grandma had just moved in with me and my sister and my mom. Cuz right after my dad left. They lived in the guest room in our bedroom chair to wall and i can still hear his christmas morning snoring. I stared at the envelope sent to a ghost. It wasn't anything significant. No letter from a dying hood child dying childhood friend. But a membership renewal form from the sierra club. There was a nickel. Stains from tarnish under thin plastic film. Marketing strategy. Only $0.05 a day to protect wildlife. I thought of how much things have changed in 11 years. Grandpa would have been thrilled with the concept of gps inside of your cell phone. When i was about eight and portable gps units that looks like giant walkie-talkie. He formulated a grand old scavenger hunt for my entire family. My aunts and cousins and uncles and parents and me ran through golden hour antelope valley brush. Following a blinking black dot on the sill yellow device. And that day grandpa's eyes were as bright as nichols. I decide to open the letter sent to no one. Inside as a gift for the members they were for postcards. Each picture drawings of different national parks. Yellowstone. Sequoia. Everglades and yosemite. Now that's only felt to me like a sign because of the decision i was facing. Going to community college for 3 years. I was working towards a degree in english. I wrote poems and red plas. And never considered any other path. The right in the midst of incoming acceptance letters to colleges with creative writing concentrations. I decide to finally acknowledge the sweet aching in my heart poking my insides with moments of childhood bliss by lassen's creek. Yellowstone's nest. Dirt under my fingernails in the busy squirrels i made sure to pay my respects to. I wanted to remount my whole future. I wanted to earn a degree in protecting the heaven i grew in. I wanted to study wildlife. Isleta self-doubt roldan like a giant tsunami of chan eyes and should eyes. And i knew there would be many mountains to hike. The calculus mountain. Biology chemistry pink. Physics summit. I was terrified and inquisitive. My grandpa never got to know who i would be. But the postcards that were meant for him. The person who loves to be by a river and lay under the trees catching beams of light through the canopy. Told me what he would have said. Don't be afraid. It was the final push i needed to solidify my choice. I put the postcards on my wall. And now when i look at them. I see my future. And my past. I see my grandfather. And the way he's changed my life without saying a word. I would like to invite. You all into a time of prayer. Disappear by. Noggin. Spirit. I would rather not learn this. I didn't think i needed to. I thought someone else could do it. I thought a leader was coming to do it. I thought the young people could do it. Or the elders could do it. For the professionals. Or i didn't want to learn it because it means letting go of something i hold dear. Letting go of being someone who knows the answers. Letting go of being someone who doesn't know. Letting go of the way i see the world. Letting go of how i might have to change. Letting go of certainty. Illogic effects of control. You can live on this earth and not harm. Weather miss that i can't learn anything new. Help me to learn it please. And then help me to live what i have learned. And do right by the gift of being taught. Let us now reflect over these words. Announce weather service is coming to an end. It's time. Refers extinguished pillar candle jars. Suicide showers. But not the ones of love. But not the light of truth. Minotti energy service. Extinguished. Amazon minds and hearts. Carry that flame with you. Playing with you as you leave this place. Inspirit. Share with those who you know. And most importantly. You are not invited to hold hands father. Begin to peak for the fairgrounds. I said little speck. Grows into a healthy step. Crochet hairstyle informed. Yellow. Let us be like a person. Renewed by the warmth of the sun's rays. I-ready elegy. Ready to save the day. And may the congregation today. Hello early. Amandari goes on till 12:30 have a cup of coffee and have a great day.

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2015-02-01_Prayer-and-Resistance.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons. Community. Davis. Please visit our website at. Davis.. Or further in. Welcome prayer. When we come here on. As we kick off this month theme of prayer these words from you religious educator sophia lion from many of the past generation and many of today have found three abiding values in prayer the quiet meditation on life the reaching out toward the universal and the infinite and the courageous facing of one's profoundest wishes let parents of everyday things. I invite all the other younger children to come sit down and listen to the story give me grace by cynthia rylant monday monday make me kind and good to all the creatures that i find help me help me love god whole creation make my life a celebration tuesday tuesday teach me face and caring teach me wisdom teach me sharing raise me up and make me strong be with me the whole day long wednesday wednesday thursday thursday open up my eyes to all your angels in the skies let me know always friday friday keeps i love comfort them from above with their hearts and hold them dear help them know that you are here saturday saturday and the early morn makes me think.. Prayer and appreciation in daily practice. Today's reading is about and from rabbi abraham joshua heschel the united synagogue of conservative judaism writes that rabbi heschel was a decisive figure in twentieth-century conservative and american judaism. We are part of the trinity arts the shift of the stars the pull of the sea and i'll change. May we find the strength and wisdom we need as we recollect passionately.

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2016-04-03_Listening-as-Spiritual-Practice_09_30.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california by www.dav.org for further information. We celebrate the beauty of the earth look behind us at how gorgeous it is a civilian community this congregation comforts us when we know loss and celebrates our very best dreams we bring our differences and together we offer a fuller truth than anyone point of view this is a place of challenge and it's a place of compassion and physical abilities we have much to learn from one another. In a moment dawn student will come forward to later chalice she works with 27 multilingual children in her classroom so i asked her how is it beyond words that you're able to listen to them how do you get messages from them beyond the words that they say that she may or may not understand she checks in with him every morning by name one-on-one asking them how they're doing and they can respond with eye contact or with words but it's the facial expressions in the body language they give don her information the word courage comes from the latin core which means heart according to the original to live from the centre courage to encourage means to hearten to impart strength and confidence to impart strength and confidence communicating listening to the world around us listening as well to that which scares us internally to give one another and all that we will be and beyond our walls and my opening words come from jessica purple ridella listen listen to the silence listen to the wind listen to the stars here trees dance dance to the beat of your neighbor's heart dance to the rhythm of your childhood dreams sing sing and hum of your rushing blood and pray pray with a fever that makes you sweat. So many words get lost they leave the mouse and lose their courage so many words get lost they leave the mouth and lose their courage wandering aimlessly until they are swept into the gutter like dead leaves on rainy days you can hear their chorus rushing past i was a beautiful girls don't go i believe my body is made of glass people who left for america silence says it can be hard to know them and they will never fully know us it is the way of things most is there something about me. I invited to take hands and to link together with others even the trees speak and shout they are the earth.

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2013-06-30_Worship_Seven-Hundred-Thirty-Sermons_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website www.org for further information. So this morning i want to say that you are welcome just as you are and your noah's coming because at the same time may you come here seeking change. I perhaps the change is. To know the feeling of belonging. You know this part of the service changes. I'm every week. I could give up a fear. Or to stop grieving an old loss. Happen in our beautiful and are hurting world. May this be a place of comfort and challenge and the people around you known as your companions on that journey. People with a diversity of beliefs. And god are whatever it is and which you placed your ultimate trust is different for each person here. I know this dirty are people of different sexual orientations and gender identities. And they have had a great week this week. And i could really say we have all had a great week this week. Are those a different class and race and physical abilities. We all have so much to learn from each other. The come let us search together to become our best selves again. Every week we are given one more opportunity indeed everyday we are given that opportunity to remember what is possible. We're dedicating our new chalice today in memory of nancy schaefer. Fancy a poet a member of our church graduate of starr king school for the ministry. A former minister in several capacities for many congregations. Around the country to come recently two brain cancer. Minions church help to care for nancy in her last days in davis. Mordecai roth retired from dentistry in 1986. Intricate sculpture class and got interested in bronze sculpture. Congregants at his church the unitarian universalist church of surprise arizona. Ask him to make a chalice in bronze for the church in memory of her daughter. After several attempts he created the design you see before you. First chalice was so life by his minister reverend nathaniel laureate that nathaniel brought it to ga to show it off. And the orders started flying in according to mordecai creating these chalices using the lost bronze process quote lost wax process quote. It's not all that different to process from making a dental crown. Honey eye of the beholder i guess mordecai passed away. May 11th 2013 having made. 132 of these chalices this chalice is a gift from nancy shaffer's father. Lee brooks in remembrance of nancy i will like the chalice today for my remembrance of nancy. And for all of our memories of nancy. Wisdom is our church wide theme for this month. And they were looking at wisdom in a couple different ways. Let's see if we have enough wisdom to answer a fairly simple question. Why am i here. Answer actually is simple. Tell part of the answer is simple because i walked the eight steps. From that chair to this pulpit. You are here where you are at least partly. Because i walked the eight steps from that chair to this puppet. You maybe might be sitting in the same chair. But you wouldn't be in the same place except for the fact that i walked the eight steps from that chair. To this pulpit. Because this is one thing that connects us. Why am i here in the pulpit has a bit more of an explanation than the eight steps. I'm here partly because the very first time i spoke in this sanctuary on a sunday. Many years ago before in fact beth joined us. Nancy schaefer was sitting there. Listening. I didn't know her. But you seem to be liking what i was saying a lot. After when she came up to me and told me how much she liked it. And one of the reasons was my liberal usage of taboo words. Words that should not have been used in a pop at yes i'm talking about the seven horrible words jesus in salvation grace god the father and of course heaven. Especially being poet which i didn't know at the time. Was clear she didn't like restrictions this almost self-censorship of words. I kind of think like to think anyway that being a poet. She also like the poetry in my presentation. Been discussed that exactly but i'm going to go with anyway. Nancy. That connection with nancy. Had enough of a connection years later when she came back to give a service at our church in 2008 i really wanted to do the service record. And was fortunate enough to have done that service with her. So you see you are also connected to nancy. By my connections. By our congregations connections. Our new chalice that is because of our relationship with nancy. Connections or extensive. And actually we are all connected. In many different ways to everything. Everything you currently see. Know about. Don't know about. Everything is never been or happened and everything that ever will be. This in a nutshell is process theology. It is this process of connection of the relationships we have with everything always. That creates the theology of the sacred. From this infinitely interconnected web of existence. Galen gingrich in his new book god revised says. We have a word for the totality of the physical world. The word of universe. We also need a word for the unification of all the experiences in the universe. That word is god. Nancy here i am using scary words still. Stories stories in july 2008 will use the poem. What's nancy's pawn pit that service well. It actually might get this service little bit better. The tree of the desert in the coyotes. There is a tree that is a very old tree that lives all alone in the desert. And some coyotes come in the night next to the very old tree and how old how old how. And when they are done. The curl up and go to sleep. And the moon is rising more. Inside the reading. On sabbatical. In east africa i heard a story of a people. To believe that we are each created with our own song. Their tradition as a community is to honor that song. In singing it as a welcome when the child is born. As a comfort when the child is ill. Is celebration when the child mary's and an affirmation and love. When death comes. Most of us were not welcomed into the world in that way. Few of us seem to know our. Song. It takes a while for many of us to figure out which is our song and which is the song that others would like us. Just saying. Some of us are slow learners he rides. I heard my song not necessarily from doing extra ordinary things in exotic places. But also from doing some. Pretty ordinary things and some very routine places. For every phrase i heard climbing kilimanjaro. I heard another in a chair in a therapist office. For every measure i heard in the silence of a retreat. I heard another laughing with my girls. For every note i heard in the wind on a beach alamo. I gleaned from. Spending time with a dying friend as her children sang her song back to her. What came to astound me was. Not that the song appeared but said it was always there. I figured that the only way i could have known it for my own was if i had heard it before before memory went to work making sense and order of our being. Our songs he writes. Sing back to us something of our essence something of our truth something of our uniqueness. But our songs are sung back to us it's not about approval. But about recognizing our being and our belonging in the human family. It's good to know our songs by heart. For those lonely times when the world is not always singing them back to us. That's usually a good time to start humming to yourself that song that. Is most. Your own. They can be heard as songs of love or longing. Songs of encouragement or comfort songs of struggle or a security but most of all they are the songs of life. Giving testimony to what has been giving praise to all we've been given. Giving hope. For what we strive for. Getting voice to that great mystery that carries each of us in and out. At the world that carries us. In. And out of the world. The dent the reading. I want to be sure to. To thank lee again lyrics. The palace is so beautiful. And it will grace i sanctuary here in. Fancy's memory. And i want to thank to demores too because judy spent. Well. Hours. We're doing this and she realize that the artist was near death. And that if we were going to order this beautiful chalice we needed to move very quickly and so. It's because of judy's effort that this. Chalice is here and it says on it in memory of the rev. Dancy shaffer. So. 730 sermons is the title of this sermon. It's cool inside. It's hot outside. We could be here for all afternoon and it would be good together. But we didn't plan for lunch and so i had to. Make some decisions about what to share with you. When do ministers finish their training. And successfully complete that all-encompassing interview with the ministerial fellowship committee which is like an oral exam that you have never even imagined because they can ask you about anything in your personal and professional life. These new ministers are honored at the service of the living tradition at general assembly and. Annie just did that. Yay annie so this is a time when everyone knows. They're ready to launch their ministries. And after 25 and 50 years in the ministry. Clergy are honored in a more private. Service. With only their colleagues. Present. There are hundreds of them present but. But lay people are not there the message is really for other clergy about what it's like. To be in the ministry for 25 or 50 years. Most bob sang house. Quizzes congregations first minister and i were among the ministers recognize this year. When the minister is ordained in 1963 with bob there are only 10 ministers who are still active. Bob's steakhouse was their chosen speaker and he was marvelous. I'd only two of those ordained in 1963 were present for the ceremony. In 1988 the year of my ordination and the year that i received preliminary fellowship on that. Stage the stage was filled with row after row of newly-minted ministers ready to answer our call. Only 22 of those names appeared in the program this 25th year. I'd only seven of us were present for the ceremony. And when i was asked by a colleague. What is the most amazing thing about reaching 25 years. I wanted to say something grand. But what came out was the truth. That i am here. Did i am. Standings. And that i still love this work. Maybe that's more romantic than i realized i felt like i wanted to say something you know about tide change the world or something. They're reading the describe the call to ministry and powerful turns and that is how that call begin and 1988 all of those black road ministers felt. The car. And in some ways i suppose it's like walking into a sealed with a tiger. Maybe you'll be eaten. And maybe you'll touch something magnificent. And if you are lucky. You'll know that you are a part of a mystery much larger than yourself and maybe those things are one and the same. My own call happened when i was in spokane washington working with adults political refugees from the vietnam conflict. People from many nationalities economic classes and religions all studying together. What was most important to me was helping them keep their culture. In the united states keeping pride in their culture. While they were here. In the united states intensified when i taught english in a small college in south korea. I learned the language and on my own time. Studied the role of religion in society. This wild tanks rumble through the streets at night preparing for the invasion from north korea that never came i ask why are the lights out. Why are we all so quiet. But i didn't have the language yet and someone had to explain to me. Do those sounds are the tanks. Going through the streets don't worry go to sleep. They will be fine. That never happened for me in the united states. I applied to starr king school for the ministry while i was in south korea and i was eager. To study culture. And religion. Everyone has some kind of call. But the initial drive to become a minister isn't what kept. Just those 22 people on the list. From 1988 in the ministry for 25 years. What is sustaining. Just as an any loving relationship is this song that we here as we do the everyday work. Sometimes we recognize that song looking back at the end of the day. And sometimes after a whole decade has passed. My ministry is truly a mix of our historical unitarian and universalist. Face. My parents met in a universalist unitarian young adult group and i intentionally say that because it really was a universalist unitarian. Church. My mother's family were members of the church when. My mom was a kid. Is the face that literally saved my grandparents from poverty. As i grew up our family attended unitarian churches. That were the center of town and every way. But we were also on the edge and other ways. My liberal religious youth group. Planned a major trip to boston. We were all going to see jimi hendrix. As an official activity of our church youth group and we did i was really confused by it i was trained to play classical music and here was jimi hendrix. Smashing his guitar against his amplifier and all i could think of was. His instrument. All that money you know so. I found jimi hendrix very confusing but just imagine our youth group going to see the equivalent of jimi hendrix as their official activity for the year. I helped lead mournful mournful. Youth group services during the vietnam war. My life led me to physicians working at historic unitarian universalist churches. As a youth advisor. As a director of religious education. And my mentors have been mostly. Universalist ministers. They were all men. That's the way it was in 1988. And that universalist heritage balances. My own unitarian upbringing. In times of personal celebration and trial this is the one sense of identity that is truly mine this is my song. To the deepest core of my being. I believe in who we are as a religious denomination and what we can do for each other. And the world. Remember this is the church that saved my family. It's saved my family. For being separated. Sent into orphanages. And from poverty. Why would i not. Think this. Is the church. My song. And the song that i heard. A universalist message first. I hear the song of a benevolent force in the universe that draws us into harmony. It sounded that long arc of history and the arc of a life a single life. Because over time the truth of a person's life is known it becomes obvious. And i can't help but to think about herbert fowler and his service yesterday. Add within our human relationships that 4th of good is called love. Not the romantic. Kind of love. But the recognition of a spark of goodness in others even when we disagree with another. Have been hurt by them can we see that love. Sometimes divisions are necessary but if they become a way of life our world becomes smaller and smaller and more and more unstable and thinking about. Well you said dances in that liberal religious youth group. And in those dances we would dance with a partner and put down a sheet of newspaper. And when the music stops you have to fold a newspaper in half and both stand on the newspaper and not fall over. And then the music would stop and youthful the newspaper again and you'd have to hold onto each other and you can see where this is going teenagers holding onto each other on a very small piece of newspaper but in the end. It's very unstable. It's very unstable if your world is getting. Smaller and smaller. Should we live in a box that we create by our own self restrictions. It is right and it's natural for us to support each other. Bringing our real differences not our similarities are real differences together and i'm asking you do we live with this kind of love. In rochester new york the office manager was a member of the church. He was truly dedicated people but he had a small issue with control which i will share with you. This is called the minister story. During the six months before an interim minister arrived at the church he moved into the role of minister he did the pastoral calls he use the minister's designated parking space i had to say that an urban congregation that is really precious. You would know about that here we have acres of parking. Any really carried the church on his shoulders. It was a difficult year when the interim minister really did arrive. The office manager manager with a frugal man and he had the office supplies from her would not give her paper clips she never knew where they were kept in the office and he never really gave up that parking space. When i arrived. He gave me a desk full of office supplies which i took as a very good sign. But he's still unplugged the photocopier over the weekend so the congregation wouldn't run up the bill. Are they always thought that the photocopier was broken. Until i started crawling under the tables in my robe and stole on sunday morning to plug in the copier for them. He started visiting those who were alien. Neglecting to tell me that they were ill and so he started collecting his own congregation who wondered why the minister never visited him. And a list of problems grew longer. And finally he was asked to leave the position. It was. I tremendously difficult time for all of us. His pain was so great. But he couldn't acknowledge that i was in the room with him even when i was standing immediately beside him. I discontinued. For a year. I think it might have been too. I would always greet him as if i expected a response but not too enthusiastic that might not be good but open just in case. And the first time he responded. I couldn't believe it. It had been years. And it was about our interfaith work at a local food cupboard so we didn't talk about what was going on there just about the food covered but that was okay. And he started volunteering with others collecting and organizing groceries and i'm certain that there were others behind-the-scene who encouraged him to move into that different way of being the miracle didn't come out of thin air. And then came his diagnosis. Adult form of leukemia. And he called me. And i was a companion for him and his wife in the initial struggle and the gift of time remaining to him. We had worked together. And you are syrian conflict. Come to a tender resolution. And now this. Standing around the bed at a hospital taking hands and giving thanks for his life. Including and naming. The stubbornness. The kept him alive. True that illness with stubbornness the cut two ways. And then doing his memorial service. I recently his wife shared with me that she used that same ritual of taking hands around a hospital bed to bring people together in gratefulness. We are saved. By this kind of love. It is our universalist. Heritage. And are universalists song. The song of that beloved love. Have come to me in times like this. Watching as a couple look into each other's eyes on the sofa with my office. Are they are telling each other. Looking in each other's eyes why they have chosen to marry. There's sometimes a man and a woman found at the woman and a woman and sometimes a man and a man. That's i hear that song. Listening to the struggles of winter internet another and another wonder if they have said the right thing. The right. Singing songs to someone. Ready. Change their earthly clothing for a garment of celestial stars. And as with any relationship where we live with vulnerability i hear the song of ministry and all the times when forgiveness goes both ways for mistakes. Missteps. Inward. Or indeed. What are the songs in ministry that have sustained me. There's a song of that unitarian message. That we are saved by deeds. And not creed's. Each time i have journeyed with others in the name of our faith i hear that melody and it happens all the time. Traveling twice with puentes de amistad to a small village in mexico to help build a medical clinic one of those strips at 20 members from this congregation and mixing concrete with shovels. Never again. Sweat pouring off of us in the hot sun children from the village helping. The women in the village turn. Serving tortillas. And beans. And rice. I do not trip we celebrated easter with the catholic singing their liturgy and we were invited to add our songs to theirs. Happy easter feast was an opportunity for all of us. To explain unitarian-universalism and we heard how the coming-of-age use did this. So very well. Adapter the feast. We talked about feeling spiritually whole. Italian experienced it. The song is heard through a ministry of action. In these ways to. When escorting women into planned parenthood and treating the pro-life protesters. With comment difference. On the outside. Of my day. All the while praying for them to find peace and to convert to my way of thinking. I'm being honest here. In september 11th when we open this church to the community and their candles of light. For a way of hope. Learning to use a crowbar to pry rotting boards off water so tom's in biloxi with kate raymond. Cade raymond you don't see her often in this room but she is a guide for us. And we work together with the unitarian universalist service committee. And marching in phoenix. In may of 2010 to protest the laws. The targeted hispanic people in arizona. Searching for undocumented workers at sea of people walking and chanting. Standing on the courthouse steps on wednesday with a banner standing on the side of love. With so many unitarian universalist ministers and other liberal clergy. And congregants. A general assembly. Speaker lily and daniel reminded us it isn't the job of the church to make us feel comfortable. It is the church's job to give us the opportunity for a meaning filled life. Is a place of challenge. And i want you to know that i also hear it is a place of healing. I hear the song that sustains my ministry when i sit. In silence. And in prayer some of those words that john might have said that nancy schaefer would have liked. I started my ministry as a strict humanist. I wanted to be those hands and those feet the mind that brought heaven to earth through how i live and i wanted results and i wanted them now. Prayer became a part of my life in stages. First i fell in love with a people in the congregations where i serve. Add overtime there those who invite me into their hearts. And their hearts are broken. They invite me into times of confession and we do have confession in this church. Invite me into their lives when they have been betrayed. And when they betray others. Causes that i believe in so strongly never seem to be done. Play travels with puentes de amistad i realize the enormity of the immigration problem the beds that we were asked to sleep on we're really the beds for people waiting to go over the border. And walking. And to planned parenthood clinics pass protesters is a job that never ends people seem to still need to filibuster. Now don't they. Around the same issue and racism continues. Humanity is faced with a monumental task of saving the earth. Thank you to our president. Kuno sad truth. But with all of that. I need time to touch into some source of strength beyond myself and even you my human companions. Soi take time to be filled by a presence that words cannot describe when i am in the quiet of my own heart. I simply call this presents god. And i don't worry about translating it. For others. I put out the welcome mat and i say come mystery. Compass. Feel me. And make me strong. Finally my ministry is sustained everyday by a theology of gratitude. Theology that praises the beauty of the earth the splendor of the skies the love witch from our birth universalism. Over and around us lies. We do not have one creative thought but what is sparked by something or someone around us. It is with me when i wake in the morning consciously. And i close my eyes at night. Remembering. It is the spiritual practice that has changed my relationship with all of life. I don't think i would have come to understand its importance if i had chosen another life. Outside of ministry. The song goes on. And. And is not done. And has many more years to be soon. I thank you for being with me. These 13 years. And you have brought me into unitarian-universalism. Weaving the web of both together. Amen. And blessed be. And i'd buy two into a time of prayer. Musical reflection. Want you to think about those who love. And imagine their names. Let's celebrate love. For the love of all people is recognized as legal. 8:30 is catching up to the ideals of unitarian universalism. Nationwide. The way has been made so that the time will come when we will all wonder. Child is right with ever tonight. To any sexual orientation. The work is not done. But the change is coming with our continued effort. I invite you. To think about those you love. You love as friends. As lovers as partners. Those present and past. And to call their names out into the space into this community which is made holy by our intentional purpose. Fitspace is for you. My prayers. Maybe all know love and be loved. Each one of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships. When one of us celebrate the joy or grieve zalost the web of life moves to a new shape. We are apart of a turn of the earth the shift of the stars. The pull of the sea. An oil change. And i do invite you to take cans around the room and a special thanks to karina and marjorie and virginia and simon for your music today. In the beautiful book feds. Annie put together in honor of my ministry. This last month. She is gordon mckeeman squares and he was the president of starr king and a universalist leader. Whenever there is a meeting at summons us to our better selves. Wherever our lost nessa's found our fragments are united are we speaking healing our spine stiffen and arm muscles grow strong for the task. There is ministry. Let this gathering say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-05-14-Our-Foremothers.mp3?_=3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california website at www.sec.gov org for further information. Mornings and welcome to this congregation glad you are with us this morning and hope so that we can connect with you again. You are all welcome here in the fullness of who you are. And you are becoming. In this place you will find love and acceptance. You'll be called to action. Challenge. He will be comforted. This is a community built on a respectful sharing and caring. To show you our care invite you now to stand or twist and greet your neighbors. Unitarian universalist. Its base is one of generosity. Is a symbol of courage and truth. To celebrate. And the compassion and growing minds and hearts. We like this palace to celebrate and hold dear miss flame of love. Is the day of gratitude. A press. Every individual in bodies and mix. The primary. Can evolve through time could be a friend or a relative or teacher. Is unconditional love. Define adventure once again. Create communities. Mother's make sure we are. And is. Impatient. My family was my mom that would make us she keep the house clean insist on making family time. Planning family vacations giving us all the opportunity for bonding. Women. You could be a partner that makes a chicken noodle soup and chairs for us when we're sick. The co-worker that gets us lunch when we forgot one. It could be the friend that hosts regular get-togethers. Please take a moment to be. Our mothers our fathers are friends and teachers. The people for whom we care for. Boy and lice. A proclamation by julia ward howell. Women. Arrived at park. Team with carnage. Caresses and applause. Been able to keep them. Impatience. The women of one country will be another country bears. From the bosom of a devastated a voice goes out with around it says disarm disarm. The sword of murder is not the balance. Artisana. Nor does violence indicate possession. As man have. Women at home. Ernest council. As women. Giveaway land commemorate the dead. Let them song council with each other. As to the means whereby the grayson family in peace. Faring after his own time the sacred empress not a caesar but of god. In the name of womanhood and humanity i honestly ad. That a general congress of women without limit of nationality may be appointed and he'll at someplace demos convenience and at the earliest. consistent with his objects. The alliance of the different nationalities. The amicable settlement of international questions. The great and general interest of peace. Mother's day. Was born out. United states. Universalist for mothers have been leaders in those movements from the beginning. As well as has been pointed out. Necessarily the biological females. Mother's day was declared by president woodrow wilson. In may of 1914. It was over 60 years in the making starting with mothers infant mortality rates. By bringing awareness to more sanitary conditions that grew. To care for wounded soldiers during the civil war against conditions. Long before mother's day flowers and chocolates and. It was born out of the desperation of women. Husband. Friends and nephews. In the american civil war. The desperation that we heard in julie awards. Women who have shaped history. It is their stories who are least known. Unitarian and universalist women of each other in the latter part of the nineteenth century. 1869 universalist olympia brown ask the ministerial union a group of unitarians. Has any place in the church. If so how is that place to be determined should be her position in relation to the cause of truth. And religion. That was precisely the question on the minds of those denominational leaders who were gathered there and the clergy and the parishioners. Right there in the mid-nineteenth century. Generation of women who would become pioneers in their face and social action including the women. Mary livermore and olympia brown. 19th century unitarian universalist would see an influx of women leaders who contributed to. The 1860s at least one woman would be ordained. Many remarkable women. Allies in publishing and ministry and in contemporary movements including the transcendentalist. After the civil war american professional positions. Universalist women who pursued ordination and the many more of the 19th century women who focus their energies on social reform movements. It's clear that our foremothers had far-reaching influence on shaping. Civil war america. The context of their stories has changed significantly of the groundbreaking work that these women were doing is a powerful reminder of how far our face has come. What work still needs to be done. How is now most famous for writing the battle hymn of the republic. Time she was a well-known poet. Lecturer and social activist. She was an abolitionist and a suffragist and a dedicated peace activist. She grew up in new york city born in 1819. Her mother died when she was young and her father provided an outstanding education to juliet and her five siblings. After the death of her father and other family members upbringing. Salvation for all. Instead her upbringing told her that's their destination was predetermined. So she turned unitarianism. Ultimate theme. She married her former samuel how in 1843 and she eventually had six children and it's the youngest of whom died as an infant. During the 1850s and unitarian. Movement / william lloyd garrison who led an anti-slavery group. Civil war broke out they both worked with the sanitary commission. Doing better conditions to treat wounded soldiers of war firsthand. She wrote the battle hymn of the republic. Published in 1862 in the atlantic. And other poems and essays published and became involved in the radical club. A group which was organised to discuss religion and science and culture. Julia her grounding in a face based on the leadership of jesus. Which as she said makes each man the brother of all. Beneficent father of each and all. The religion of humanity. Grounding. The religion of humanity was essential for her work injustice. Julia was aware that women had been living in a man's world. And was happy to redefine it. She writes of my life i look to the masculine idea of character as the only true one. I saw this inspiration and referred my merits and demerits to its judicial verdict. The new john maine now made clear to me that of true womanhood. Ancillary relation to her opposite man. Direct relation to the divine plan and purpose as a free agent. Human right and every human responsibility. Discovery was like the addition of a new continent to the map of the world. Or a new testament or the old ordinances. She saw a changing world she was inspired and she would be part of it. She was working for justice and encouraging women to their place place in the world. Her mother's day proclamation call women to embrace their unique experience and power. Women had felt the relational consequences of the american civil war and emotionally wounded many suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. As more spread in the country on the frontier and internationally with the franco-prussian war. The mother's day proclamation was international womanhood to unite for peace. Her proclamation in the idea of a mother's peace was spread widely and for many years during her lifetime. This day was observed in boston and in other places. Champion by other women to eventually lead to what we celebrate on the second sunday of may as mother's day. As juliet ward howe age to continue to be involved in women's clubs. Women's rights on peace and of course on religion. On her 91st birthday a reporter asked her for a motto for the women of america. She recommended. She died. October 17th 1910. A friend. And co activists. Julia ward howe was mary livermore. She was a universalist. In her 1897 autobiography which she called the story of my life mary livermore lists her occupations as teacher. Mother. Army nurse. She was ahead of her time as a woman but as an engaged and dedicated social activist. Herself personally and courageously community. Her story is one of open questioning dedication. And social change. Education and family and religion from an early age. She was also born into a calvinist family in 1820 female seminary. As a young adult she had a crisis of face when the death of her younger sister challenged her beliefs about salvation. She explained happiness and i had parted company forever unless in some sort and assured manner i could be convinced that my sister rachel was not among the lost. She was unwilling to accept the calvinist idea that her sister's fate was predetermined and certainly. Like to think. So she learned greek for herself and she began her journey of discovery. 39 she was 19 on their plantation. She was horrified to witness slavery. She could not accept the institution of slavery and its implications for society. She was struck not only at the degradation of the slaves but also that of the slave owners. The institution of slavery demean the slave and the slave owner as participants in an unjust society. She returned just a few years later to new england inspired by what she saw to fight against slavery. She found her voice and began to tell her story her experiences and her objections to the institution of slavery. It was married discovered universalism and met her husband daniel livermore a universalist minister. Mary found a church doctrine that married her own beliefs became involved in the work of the church while becoming a wife and a mother of three. She wrote. Public stand on the issues that she felt passionately about. The temperance debate was especially meaningful to her. Time that the abuse of alcohol. Lead to the disintegration of the family and that austin it was women who fell victim to abusive husbands. Implications for the good of society stand against alcohol. Instead a stand against. What had been created in society because of it. The victims and the perpetrators. As all victims in the system. Challenge that system to be more loving. Chicago mary with a writer and editor for the universe with paper the new covenant. She was the only woman reporter at the republican nomination convention where abraham lincoln was nominated. She was not shy to be there nor to admit her skepticism of the country lawyer for president. And as a civil war broke out she grew too deeply respect lincoln. Handwritten copy of the emancipation proclamation for us raising auction. A member of the us sanitary commission she nurse she wrote letters for them organized release supplies. Oh well going back and forth to washington dc for fundraising. She emerged from these experiences as a national newspaper women's voting rights and also african american voting rights. For 25 years of being a public lecturer religion and women's potential influence on society. It was against society who was at stake. Until her death in 1905. At the time of her death julia ward howe wrote that mary livermore was a prophetess of a new and better society. Righteousness. Mary livermore angelia board house. Universalist ministers at the time were rare. One of those rare ministers was olympia brown admiring she was the first woman ordained with nomination will sortie in 1863. Churches in her career including a struggling universalist church in racine wisconsin later i would grow up. Olympia brown was born the eldest of four children in 1835 into a universalist family. She was committed to the face. Sunburst. She heard a woman give a sermon for the first time and understood and that moment. She said she felt as though the kingdom of heaven word and. Free and liberal religion would allow for other freedoms like the end of slavery. And voting rights. This would come naturally. She was rejected by several theological schools programs. Finally she got a somewhat discouraging acceptance note from the divinity school at st lawrence university in which the president of the school hadn't actually expected her to show up. She wrote that his discouragement was my encouragement. And she didn't show up determined to finish school and pursue ordained ministry. At the time the universal is conferred ordination by regional bodies not just by single congregations and so in 1863. She was recognized as an ordained minister. 64 with women's rights leaders. Susan b anthony and lucy stone promoting the women's suffrage amendment. At the time only one-third of all the voters voters voters supported the amendment. But she was not discouraged. 73 she was married. Henry willis. During her first maternity leave. A group in her church in bridgeport connecticut began to organize against her ministry. She was not discouraged from ministry. Instead she left that church to join the church in racine wisconsin with hopes of revitalizing the congregation. At the time her husband close his business. Children from connecticut to wisconsin to support his wife's ministry. Speakers including julia and susan b anthony. Revitalize that community. She became a leader in local and national suffrage organizations time women's rights activist. Dedicate the next 30 years to this work using her preschool skills and connections with churches and national influence to affect change in our country. As an old woman burn president woodrow wilson's speeches and protest. Because he was seen to be paying only lip service to the cause of women's suffrage. She was not discouraged at age 85 olympia brown one was one of the few original suffragists to vote in the 1920 presidential election. Taken from a sermon on a return trip many years after leaving her ministry. Standby this face. She charged the congregation. Workforit and sacrifice for it there is nothing in all the world so important to you as to be loyal to this face. Ideal. Which has comforted you and sorrow. The world beautiful. It was olympia's dedication to her face as a minister and as an activist. Read that convictions from early on that liberal religion. Could carry the torch of justice and equality and she was right. Livermore. Their stories show us that one person truly can create change. Unitarian universalism these women sound of face switch. And calls for a more just world. These women live in. Upholding the worth of individuals in necessary relationship. To the social structures we all share. They follow their passions and dedicated themselves to show. Nurturing personal lives as wives and mothers. Affected change not only as individuals but in the institutions that. Victims of everyone involved. An in-depth systems. Now. 100 + years later they are outstanding role model. For us. And for the next generation. I believe that is all we can ever hope for. Mother in each of us even if we are not women or mothers ourselves we have the opportunity to take up the call of these for mothers. Equality grounded in our face tradition. Our unitarian universalist face prediction. We are all parents of the next-generation leading by example calling out and just systems. Supporting education and free sinking. Strong voices. Voices aren't heard. This is the promise i see in mother's day. The promise that we can all care for the next generation. We can all. Care for this world that we lead together. Spirit prayer and meditation. With me. The pressures that present themselves to us during our week with a political news. On a rollercoaster ride every week but every day. Let us give ourselves the gift. For reflection to create a circle of caring. Time of silence consider morgan has said this morning and how it applies to your life. That time of silence together. Here are some milestones for us to consider. This sunday one chalice is lit. For our unitarian universalist parish minister. Our neighboring congregation. Reverend bonnie the lot. Pet emergency liver transplant yesterday. Her surgery went well and ministers. Carrying universal throughout our district in our nation are holding her in prayer. And almost immediately her new liver. Adult who had. Donated her body to science. Began to function. Susan. To receive the citizen. Commendation award. From the sacramento police department because last year. Disarm a suicidal sweat entered her classroom with a handgun. And susan was not able to share this openly with our congregation.. But chan now. She talked to the student to convince this student was valuable his allies had worth and dignity. She convinced him to give the gun. Told him that he would get help. And he did. Because of susan in that moment. There was a peaceful resolution. Today there are many chalices redtube mother's day. We celebrate new mothers babies in the nurse under. For the mother's children grow as if by magic into adults. Adult. The encouragement. Create a family and bring that child into their lives forever. Who gave their child to be adopted for whatever reason. Who are foster parents for children to give that child. Please celebrate the love of mothers and nurturing parents. Proportion. Miscarriage. To the waste of war. The disease of mind and body and spirit. Memories died in greece. We offer support mother's child with special needs of mind and body. Swedish birthday. A powerful. We honor mother's children's care. Remind us again and again of the stories of our childhood honor mothers who have died. On in our memories. We celebrate mother's. Relationships. We are apart of a turn of the earth. It's just of the stars the pull of the sea and all changed. Simplicity.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-08-06-Pearls-of-Wisdom.mp3?_=4

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Ashton. Sears today. I share these words from. American poet. The hands of those that go before us. Arms. And a larger circle. In the larger circle of all creatures in and out of life who also in a dance. Music. Except. Fragments. Wisdom. And islam tell stories of those who live in paradise. This.. Christianity was heavenly heavily influenced by. When she was forced to leave paradise. Makes me very sad and black pearl. In christian scripture there is the pearl of great price. The choice of giving up worldly possessions. Cheers. Sacrifice. Immediately. The same lustrous substances covers inside. Everything. In the end. Is an iridescent. The shape of. Great price. I can't see it. Play with lights. And what we see. Instead of broken. Is glorious. Sometimes. The ways we protect ourselves. Is also the. Our wisdom. What is epicenter. Sure have if you're over 90 years old. October in 1929. The days of the band foreclosed. Church. Ever have the biggest face regard. My father was. Another song. After three years people. They would gather in our front yard at night to 1st western. I don't think so. It was grasshoppers. I heard them say something about colorado. And we could go. And he said rude. In colorado with my brother. If we will. Better education. We've decided not to go. We survived the.. What's the temperature. Father's day. We don't know why. Will do better. The county agent came from. And we need to make dabs. Do the farmers. We need to do. Powerball. It's our job to take care of it. And to enjoy the beauty. I found the pearl. The american humanist association. With a short motto. Cah. Starting in supernatural. How did. Morality. The first. Salon west. Jefferson. Using. Text chris. If you really want everyone. Doing the greatest. What about the motivation to do. By reaching out to help others. We can learn ways to reach out. Like dorothy. Handwriting. Reference. She was determined to help. Defining social work. Vision. Activision. Fashion ethics. Including my word. Ar glacier circle. Community. Especially in the community. Special beautiful africa. Because you are. You are. Because i am. So i say again. Listen to your elders. Because as a grandparent ever. Listen. Listen. But also remember. To those who voted for trump. As you settle into your seat signed by you into a time of reflection and prayer. You might close your eyes. Find yours. Create together. Gather here surrounded by the spirit of life and love. For a moment of silence in sacred space. For this community. We hope for wisdom. Wisdom to find peace within ourselves. Wisdom to speak comfort. Healing places in our lives. And we know that in this community. When we reach out a hand. For support. Another hand. People who need our love today. Let us send them hope for strength. Elaine. To be held. We send our prayers today especially church community who are struggling a little extra love. Many more people hear one near to their heart may you time and opportunity to share your precious memories here and to know that is stronger than that we always. Even to strangers around the world as together we create a great network and. We can do great things together your divine my divine let us listen now inside our selves for the joys that we prayed for the sorrows we hold and this time of meditation with music. For all that is. For this time to be together. Are imperfect. Protective. A bit more insight into this. Fabulous world. Can we find more good. As well as to be good. As one. Can we dream tomorrow. Let this congregation say. Amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2015-06-07-To-Hold-Sabbath-Sacred-10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons another recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov or further information. We come to the sanctuary for many reasons to celebrate to be challenged awakened accepted to be in community. This congregation comforts us when we know loss and celebrates our best dreams it's here for us when we succeed and when we fall short. We bring our differences for together we offer a fuller truth and anyone point-of-view and this is a place of compassion the holy is experienced here in many ways and given many names and all are welcome. We have much to learn from one another from our diversity of beliefs. This is a place of learning and hope weather because of the touch of a friend the words music or silence. May you feel more alive and connected this morning. We have a special ceremony later in the service and many of us cherish the bridging ceremony. Why were part of why we're here it's a celebration of our religious exploration program our teachers and especially the thrill of honoring our teens as they transition into young adults i'm always inspired by the service and i'm reassured that we have exceptional use in our midst to strive to make the world better and they do. Those who pick up the batons when we sometimes tire of carrying them. Our youth are powerful. And bright and inventive an awesome. They affect us. And we have much to learn from one another. This is also the beginning of our monthly theme which is sabbath. It will merely start the journey today cuz we kind of busy but then will continue through the month so keep coming and we welcome back our senior minister beth banks who could stand so those of you who couldn't find her a music and geography and so much more will hear about in the coming months and then we'll soon be saying fond farewells to cody and kate and laney and their roles in the church as they embark on new chapters of their own. Church service covers many purposes today and both of bridging in the sabbath in the hellos and goodbyes are important we'll just kind of meander through them laura has chosen some beautiful lawrence cole songs for us and music to keep us grounded and celebration and contemplation and she invites since they're really fairly much less complicated and lyrics than the last song you sang so if you can do that you're welcome to join in with a spark squier on the other. Beginning transitions growth we celebrate much of that today something that helps me when it's my turn is blessed solitude i find my sacred time my sabbath most easily when i'm alone especially in nature my soul speaks to me i listen and sometimes i embrace change this community helps ensure challenges me the services and connections feed and inspire me and you comfort and encourage nourish me. My reading this morning comes from john o'donohue for a new beginning and this will pertain to many of us in our periods of life and we'll know who we are in out-of-the-way places of the heart where your thoughts never think to wander this beginning has been quietly forming. Waiting. Until you were ready to emerge for a long time it has watched your desire feeling the emptiness growing inside you. Noticing how you willed yourself on still unable to leave what you had outgrown. Get watch to play with the seduction of safety and the gray promises that sameness whispered heard the waves of turmoil rise. And relent. Wondered would you always live like this then the delight when your courage kindled and out you stepped onto new ground your eyes young again with energy and dream of path of plenitude opening before you. Do your destination is not yet clear you can promise. You can trust the promise of this opening unfurl yourself into the grace of beginning. The grace of beginning that is at 1 with your life's desire awaken your spirit to adventure hold nothing back. Learn to find he's in risk. Soon you will be home to a new rhythm for your soul senses the world that awaits you. On a sunday morning this past february. Singers gathered here before church. They left their sunday papers behind and came here from woodland from davis from sacramento. The drummer came from winters a pianist from dixon they came to support this high school youth group. Who were putting on a service of their own creation a challenging service about gender identity. That would stretch the congregation stinking exploring how we see ourselves and how we speak about each other's genders. The singers who gathered here had already been stretching for several weeks learning a song in a pop rap style that was. Unfamiliar to most of them in the course of the song same love. Many different voices stepped up to the mic from many places along spectrums old to young male to female gay-to-straight they spoke the powerful words of macklemore's gay rights anthem featured in their service the year before youth group member noah joined us the choir singing and rapping alongside amanda last week and asked them in their lives the conversation flowed easily this church is wherever parker comes to be surprised inspired and moved and singing with the choir is what her sabbath is made of karen russell says her sunday mornings feel will fuller and richer when she's singing with the choir on that particular sunday in february alex lee jobe remembers feeling the thrill of pulling off a challenging performance has moved to see our youth expressing themselves in a safe supported space while she was aware that many questioning you feel that kind of safety in their communities patmore pickett reflects the complex content about gender identity formation ideas she did not confront in her life until she attended medical school by the youth to participate in this service using their imaginations their voices creating live music to support the service is one way the sparks choir collaborated with youth group that sunday on a more personal level we also had noah singing with us at thursday night rehearsals and on sunday morning for steve burns this kind of collaboration across the generations is a concrete way to feel a sense of connection to the youth of our church that, audrey of working together is something jim coulter experience in the sound booth sing in the choir give a homily leader youth group or play the ukulele amanda observes that we make lots of opportunities for people to be themselves she is consistently inspired by how this church supports its youth in leadership and self-discovery and how to use step into confident and capable action as a parent of a three-year-old amanda is excited to see her son grow through every stage in this church for my part i remember feeling exceptionally proud of the singers that day of how willingly they had followed me into unfamiliar music and or in this congregation and it tugs on many hearts and many threads traveling to similar conclusions place to be yourself as you are now a place to stretch toward who you want to become the challenge of listening to each others experiences the exhilarate ocean of trying on new voices a time and a place to share yourself in community weather in worship in rehearsal in youth group or out in the social hall these things are the spirit of our sabbath. And now join me in the spirit of prayer oh mama what a pretty day you have made indeed we are here to sing grateful praise we awaken to the mystery of being here and enter the quiet immensity of our own presents we practice gratitude with each inhalation with each side with each recognition of sabbath may we have joy and peace and the temple of our senses and receive encouragement when new frontiers back in may each of us infant to bridger to elder respond to the calling of our individual gifts and may we have the courage to follow our path through it sometimes mighty twists turns in the secret cemetery of our souls and experience each day as a sacred gift woven around the heart of wonder each of us is part of an intricate web of relationships when one of us grieve the loss or celebrates a joy or milestone the web of life moves to a new shape we are part of the turn of the earth the shift of the stars the pull of the sea and all change we take a moment to appreciate this pretty day offered to us in generosity and wonder. The cans and remember the meeting a path of plenitude opening before us. We can trust the promise of this opening. Unfurl ourselves into the grace of beginning reawaken our spirits. To adventure. Holding nothing back. Holding nothing back. Into this we say amen.

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2015-07-19-Whos-Fooling-Who_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons another recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. 11 time i was in the pulpit i was also wearing a tie instead of my usual string tie the eldredge came up and said what that funny-looking thing around your neck i make my own decisions my wife selected my clothes and i chose to wear them. When we come here on sunday mornings we bring the gifts and imperfections of who we are this is a community where we challenge each other encouraged each other support each other our work is to keep our site on the best we can be in this place we are surrounded by a diversity of religious beliefs god or whatever it is which we each call sacred is different for each of us and is based on our life experience we celebrate those of all sexual orientations and gender identities we welcome people of all races classes political parties and we will continue to work to build the world we dream about and to cherish the earth is our sacred home. We gather this hour it's people of faith with joys and sorrows get its and leaves we light this beacon of hope sign of her quest fruit fruits and meaning in celebration of the life we shared together being a parent is hard work one of my off repeated stories is from my first pregnancy i was stocking shelves of the neighborhood cooperative grocery store when an elderly woman came and obviously referring to my pregnancy said shaking her head children are a lot of work all the time sometimes i don't want to apologize i don't want to admit that i made a mistake or that i heard someone sometimes it's easier to blame the other than to admit that i did something wrong. Sa-2 the first two paragraphs from self-reliance by ralph waldo emerson 1841 so just to let you know to me although emerson refers to men and uses the masculine pronoun our intent is this is for all people i read the other day some verses written by an eminent painter which were original and not conventional the soul always hears an admonition in such lines let the subject be what it may still is more of more value than any thought they may contain to believe your own file to believe that what is true for you in your private heart is true for all people that is genius speak your latent conviction and becomes the outermost and our first thought is rendered back to to us by the trumpets of the last judgement. We can find the strength as we in our lives advance on chaos in the dark rising up using our talents daring to do our duty as we understand it to that have the congregation say amen.

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2016-03-20-Blessed-are-the-Humble_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california website at w.w. org for further information. And this morning you'll be seeing me use a handheld mic. Because. Are podium mike decided not to work. I'm so we have a second to plan but before you do your introductions i wanted to introduce our guest speakers so that you could greet him appropriately his name is lost glassell maor and sometimes he's known as lacey he's the 21st bolish scholar at the starsky starting school for the ministry as the program started at the seminary for cultural exchange and poor unitarians both run this country and from transylvania which covers portions of today would be romania and hungary so you're thinking about geographically in eastern europe. He his congregation is about 350 members who ever so slightly larger than we are but in a village that is totally trans is totally unitarian of 500 500 people so i want you to imagine davis being totally unitarian and what that might be like to be working within a whole area. And that reflects one religious tradition what is gained by that and perhaps what is lost as well last night here in the social hall this room was very different it was a very large circle and we received communion here members of the sacramento church as well as with davis church i am lucy bunch joined us and he's going to show you this is the communion cup from 1859 from the san francisco church and we said it was from the ladies of pilgrim. I can't circle i can never remember that it was in so this is a historic chalice and you're invited to come down and take a look at it at the end of the service today but i want to also thank the members of the committee that support bringing the ballers scholar here support the whole weekend of activities with him from the dough and serpent committee and that's walled and pegs twain julie sailor here today robin battle was here at the earlier service sharon hale and karen and ramon urbano so they have been so busy with the family because he's here with his wife or c or c is here yesterday she is or and their four-year-old daughter bori is over in the church school today and they will be having lunch with us afterwards that you can mix and mingle with them but now is the time for you to to mix and mingle but also to speak with our guests so please. Greet and meet. Hey so it's the spring equinox yay and what a gorgeous day for that so you are welcome here if you are filled with joy or lost in the depths of your being. And you're welcome here if you have a message to share as lazy does or if you need to be quiet and listen. You're welcome at all if your phone is your race and culture sexual orientation gender identity religious views. Political party. Come to connect with community and come to honor this earth and this beautiful amazing spring day to claim your spirituality and to know more about our history. To reach back and to learn more. Come to build the world that we dream is possible and to transform your life. Buffalo. Lightart alice this morning. These words from marjorie montgomery. Life is a gift for which we are grateful. We gather in community to celebrate the glories and the mysteries of this great gift. Unless i choose these words. To begin our service. It's a composite of the beatitudes coming from both matthew and luke. Blessed are you poor. The realm of god is yours. Blessed are you who hunger today. You shall be satisfied. Blessed are you who weep today. You shall laugh. Blessed are the humble. They will inherit. The world. Blessed are the merciful they will find mercy. Blessed are the peacemakers they will be ranked as children of god. You are the salt of the earth and if salt become tasteless. How is it saltiness to be restored. It is good for nothing. You are the light of the world when a lamp is lit it is not put under a bushel but on the lamp stand where it gives light to everyone in the house. Matthew and luke the beatitudes. 566 + 10. Goddess one. In this world there have always been many opinions about faith and salvation. They must be knowledge in faith also. Religious reform can never be all at once but gradually step-by-step. The most important spiritual function is conscience the source of all spiritual joy and happiness. We must accept god's truth. In this lifetime. Salvation must be accomplished here on earth. Igihe easton. Welcome dear friends. It is such a joy and honor being here and thank you so much for this. I am very grateful that i can be the 21st $2 scholar. Visiting from transylvania. I have been the parish minister of my congregation of 350 members. For four years now. So as you know we unitarian ministers in transylvania. Who use the bible. Every sunday. And. As you know. We don't worship jesus. But we try to follow. Jesus's teachings. Jesus's life. And i would share my. Ceremony in death in this spirit. Panda. Right at the beginning of my sermon. I have a question for you. Other question is coming from the old testament from the book of micah. And the question is. With what shall i come before the lord. And the bayou myself before guy. God on high. He has shown you what is good. Bus to act justly. To love mercy. And to walk humbly. With your god. Difference. Those who have heard or read. W.t. toots the teachings of jesus. Probably recognize. The one about humidity. Blessed are the meek. For humble. For the shall inherit the earth. Healthy sauce difficult to understand. To comprehend as the others. If we think about it in our own human logic. We immediately start to argue. How could the poor in spirit be blessed. How could those who mourn be blessed. Your house with those who hunger and thirst for righteousness. Leave a blessed life. This is just not what we witness day by day. Maybe you just look at me with the misbeliever fluke when i say. Blessed are the humble. For they shall inherit the earth. And you probably think. No this is not so. And maybe it is a normal reaction on your behalf. Because your everyday life experience. Tells you differently. How could the humble-bee blast. How could they inherit the earth. When the whole human history. Is a testimony of violence. Violence of man wanting to possess. The ward. Is it breast persistent. Never ceasing desire. 2 hours every page in history. This has all these dwarfs. This has separated mislead nations. And turn it down against each other. As gandhi once said. An eye for an eye. Will only make. The whole world blind. History's great conquerors and oppressor. Core able to rule parts of the word for certain periods of time. Because they use violence without remorse or shame. But unfortunately not only the millions of victims and tragedies. Colerain direct contradiction with the teachings of jesus. It is our own personal experience. In human relationships. That proves as well that only those who are sufficiently aggressive violent violent go-getter. Succeed. And conquer. A life. This is why we not understand. The words of jesus. Blessed are the humble. Put on field arise from the level of our judgmental totes. We stand in front of jesus's teachings asking. What is going on. What is this all about. Let me tell you a story there france. That takes place in a jewish synagogue. And walking into the empty sanctuary of a synagogue. The rabbi was suddenly possessed by wave of mystical rapture. And threw himself onto the ground before the ark. Proclaiming. Lorde. I am nothing. Seeing the rabbi in such a state. The cancer the song leader. Fast profoundly moved by similar emotions. Ketu threw himself down in front of the ark proclaiming. Lord i am nothing. Then way in the back of the synagogue. The janitor threw himself to the ground and he to shouted. Lord i am nothing. 10 / 32 decanter and whispered. Look who thinks he's nothing. The rabbi spread that the janitor wasn't nearly as nothing as he and the cantor was. So their friends. Who can be nothing. As what does it mean. To be nothing. Learning from the story. We need to clarify the true meaning of the word humble. And it. This is the only way. We can start our journey. And to climb on the mountain of the blessed life. Because we all picture it in a different way. Something. That the humble person is someone. Who has water running in it weighs. Instead of blood. It is a person incapable of feeling anger. Cannot be infuriated. If blood cannot boil. It is a person who avoids conflict. Because it is not. Heinous nature to argue he or she. Rather. Is a coward. A rabbit hearted pigeon-livered human being. Corridor runs from the battlefield than stand up for his. Or her rights. It is someone who can easily be humiliated. That suffers in the justice without saying even the word against it. But we humble does not mean that once.. Does not mean that one's always willing to compromise. That is all in a difference to him or to her. The humble person that jesus describes. Shows a totally different face. And the best way to understand this is to talk about the history, jesus himself. For he has said the example. What a truly humble person should be like. Even he was capable of heroes act. But he faced in the justice. When he sold a high pieocracy of the fairies. When he trashed. Rust the merchants out of the temple. His whole life is an example of objection. Protest against the south content boneless attitude of man. Define lioness is not about giving up on his principles. But to stand up. For his beliefs. The difference between a humble person. And the obstructive behavior. The humble never resumes. Two acts of violence. Jesus throughout his entire life. Never wants to give up on his convenience. Yet everything he does is in the name of humility. And this is what he wants. His followers to do to. He never once in fruits. His beliefs. His teachings on anyone. Different recalls the people to follow him. But let them. Decide freely to do so. No matter how high principal ideology maybe. It becomes useless the moment it wants to force itself upon the people. The use of violence the price. The ideology office credibility. Only the humbleness born out of love. Gala conquer the hearts of people. This is a power. That unfortunately man that could not use throughout our history. Although humbleness his. It's has its own unique magic. Not once we see. That you can accomplish more with humble words. That's with any other tools. Halloween. To the beethoven museum in bourne. A young student became fascinated by the piano. On which beethoven. Had composed some of his greatest works. She asked if there was a guard. 2. Clouds. Play on it. And she accompanied the request with the lavish tab. Eligard. Agreed. The garland to the piano and. Tinkler the opening song. Of the moonlight sonata. That she was leaving she said to the guard. I suppose all the grades pianist who came here. Want to play on that piano. The god shook his head. Paderewski. The famed polish pianist. Was here a few years ago. And he said. He wasn't warty. Hitachi. Or take einstein for example. But he was asked. How does it feel to be the smartest man alive. Replied. I don't know. You have to ask nikola tesla. We rarely use the father of the human quality. Auntie fee. Do not wish to became nuclear ashes. We have to realize that we need to change our attitude towards each other. Towards the word. This is how jesus is teaching. Lights the way. You shall inherit. The earth. You could say all this sounds so beautiful. But how does it concern me. How does it affect my life. You need to be humble in your homes. At your workplace. In your community. So many relationships are broken because of the lack of humble love. I know many of you may think. Of course jesus had to be. Or a minister should animals be humble. But for others there is just nothing to gain from it. That isn't a different ethics for ministers and church members. For women and man for black people and white people you know. Was george washington was right was riding near washington city. With a group of friends. And they came to a place where they had to leap over the wall. In the process one-horse off a number of the stones from the wall. Washington sad. We better replace them. Different stores. Who led the farmers do it. Washington didn't feel right about that. When the rodney party was over here and back. The way they came. I found the wall and dismounted. That he carefully replaced. Each of the stones. Kids riding companion so what you did and said. You are too big to do that. His only response was. On the contrary. I am. The right size. Your friends. I think. We are all the right size. At the right place. We all could inherit the earth. You can be humble. By turning the water off. When brushing your teeth. Because you know that. That is not enough water. On the planet for everyone. You could be humble when you unplug all your electric devices when you leave for the weekend of a holidays. Because you know we consume too much each day. You could be humble and plant a garden for yourself. Because you know that is better for you as for your environment. You could be humble. And pick up the garbage on the street in front of you. And throw it away because someone else could step on it as well. You could be humble and accept the person sitting next to you. Without judgement. Without fixing. You're good deal on the call up a friend you haven't talked to in awhile. And ask him how he is. It is this simple. You could practice having a humble heart each day. It is obvious that to do so you need more effort from your spirit than acting violently. It is hard to defeat ourselves. Deform ourself a humble heart. To walk humbly. On our journey on the earth. To stand for our beliefs. Truth and faith. It's harder but even if it's harder. It offers the real blessed flatbed. For leaving a truly meaning for life. Humidity matters. It is at the core of our experience of life. So central in this quality of being. That it may be sad. Does humidity is or should be. For you use. For your intelligence. What enlightenment is for a buddhist. Realization is for a hindu. Sincerity. Is for the confusion. Righteousness is for a jew. Surrender is for a muslim. And anna halation. It's for a sufi. Humidity is what others see of our. Purity of heart. Blessed are the humble. For they shall. Inherit the earth. Maybe so. I mean. And now dear friends. I invite you to. Close your eyes. And pray with me. Spirit of life. Guide us. On our journeys. Lead us on our way. Sometimes we feel so lost. And so alone. It is enough to look at the world. And see that we are not on the right path. We have lost our way. Our sense of direction. Wish we could open our eyes and find a better word. Bored without words. Without greed. A word. Of love and peace. Wish we could care more about our environment. Our planet. The future of our children. And the grandchildren. But we know we try. We try to leave. A better life. Everyday. We tried to see the goodness. In one another. We tried to help one another. Try to be there. For one another. Try to count. Our blessings. We know we must have globally warm our hearts. And to change the climate of our souls. I'd realized that. We are not apart. From nature. We are up fart of nature. Maybe i'll find out a wholeness. Our own way in this life. Maybe i'll be guided. Bi-lo. Hope and faith. We are grateful for our families. Our homes. Our health. We are grateful for the food on our tables. For the clearwater in our glasses. For the safety of our loved ones. May all our prayers be answered. Our prayers for the sick. Our prayers for those who grieve. For those who walk miles in the uncertainty of their future to find a home. For those who wait days for a bite to eat. Our prayers go out. Do each of us in need. We asked for a beautiful day. We asked. Put a beautiful. Peaceful. And hopeful tomorrow. I mean. And now for our closing. May you have the faith. The power. Undercarriage. To act justly. To love mercy. And walk humbly. With your god. Heyman. Amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2015-02-08_Standing-in-Need-of-Prayer.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons another recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov or further information. Unitarian universalist church of davis where the whole month we're looking at prayer little bit about what prayer is to universalist unitarians to unitarian universalist to each of us individually and today are welcome guest preacher is rev shawna lynn good i was a little not sure if i heard bright how to pronounce. Can we come here on sunday mornings we bring the gifts and imperfections of who we are is the community where we challenge each other encouraged each other support each other our work is to keep our site on the best we can be in this place we are surrounded by a diversity of religious beliefs god or whatever it is and each of us and comes from our life experience classes and political parties will continue to work to build the world we dream about cherish the living earth is our sacred home. Underground railroad songs were all about going from a place of horror to a very very dangerous trip to try and get to a better place which is the same symbolism that are chalice has which is developed during world war ii jews and others out of nazi germany during that time we light our chalice for many reasons one is to recognize it as the beacon help us all get into a better place ourselves and help others better place today i would like to call upon maharishi mahesh yogi us. Little judaism nothing whatsoever. Of the indian traditions of which maharishi mahesh yogi and transcendental meditation were an offshoot to really naive kid from the midwest playing weird yet for some reason i did it which was weird i was let into receiving my mantra. This is the sound you repeat in your head in order to create this meditative state and then twice a day as i was supposed to. It was making me sick really violently sick to my stomach and i have been warned i've been coached that this is probably what was going to happen cuz one of things that we talked about a nervous stomach issues. Tell me if it does. If you can get to know just just stopped you can continue meditating meditating if you have. don't worry about it just stop. Come back and do it some other time i even continued through this i'm still not sure why i continue to it after doing this for a couple weeks i noticed that my health was starting to get a little bit better. Right after the meditation i'd feel a little bit better. And then after few more weeks that feeling would last for a little bit longer and little bit longer little bit longer. There was a practice it was becoming easier for me to get into the state. I also noticed it did not work with rocks coffee forget it even a couple sodas forget it cold medicines completely forget it. That's all i'm going to lift this was the 70s mix. Thought it wasn't dumbest thing that ever seen and so they hook me up jeans. Diprove. But nothing was going on and what's the dumbest thing they'd ever seem all the machines were broken because they were getting really strange results and they went and they recalibrated all the machines and i came back and we did it again then i came back we did it again and experiment getting more and more detailed as they weren't liking the fact but they were finding out that something different was happening. This was exactly analogous at the exact same time to what dr. herbert benson from harvard had been doing the transcendental meditation he first started studying it to prove it was nothing and then spent a lifetime proving how valuable it is even personally being involved in prison meditation program to mean it just went on forever. I was doing this medication for decades. And i was really kind of thought i was just doing it in the doctor benson mode just physical thing that's all it isn't just physical now you fast-forward to a couple of years ago decades later. And a friend. You would not get an a in your past repair 101 class for the way that you did this. I was mentioning this is physical not spiritual and i know what i'm doing. And she basically said not quite this harsh but you said. Who are you to tell me what i'm feeling. And who are you to be right. Turns out to be so spiritual for me. You may as well call it praying. I know i do. John told me that he enjoys that him but i think a few others of you soon. Well this morning i actually have two readings for you but i promise they're not particularly long there to readings that both reflect on prayer and its value and its meaning from very different angles the first is from a woman named lauren winner a book that she wrote entitled girl meets god and this section that i'm going to share with you where she talks a little bit not only about individual prayer how individual prayer has power and impact but also about the power and the role of liturgy which sort of communal prayer means that literally means the work of the people. 5 slightly adapted her words to make god both female and male but otherwise these are lauren winters words. From girl meets god. God i have decided. Is not on call. She is all-powerful so i suppose she could be on call if she wanted to be. And maybe on rare occasions. She is. But in general. God doesn't just turn off when you page him. He is right here. Where he always is. And regular prayer gives us. Is some more hint. Of just where that is. And how to get there. And one of the things liturgy gives us is a way to get there when all our other ways have given out. She goes on to say habit and obligation have both become bad words. That prayer becomes a habit must mean that it is impersonal unfeeling. Something of a ruse. If you do something because you are obligated to. It doesn't count. At least not as much as if you done it of your own free will. Like the child who says thank you because his or her parents tell them to. It doesn't count. Sometimes. Often. Prayer feels that way to me. Impersonal and unfeeling. And not something i have chosen to do. I wish it felt inspired and on fire and like a real love conversation all the time. Or even just. More of the time. But. What i am learning. The more i sit with liturgy. And prayer. Is that what i feel happening. Bears little relation. To what is actually happening. It is a great gift when god gives me a stirring. A feeling. A something at all. In prayer. But. Whether i feel it or not. Sediment. Is being laid. Words of praise to god are becoming the most basic words in my head. They are becoming fall backwards. Drowning out advertising jingles and professors lectures. And sometimes. Even. My own. Interior. Monologue. The second reflection comes from annie lamotte someone right here in your local area. Her most recent book is a lovely small little book entitled help. Thanks. Wow the three essential prayers. And here's what she has to say once i get my pages in order here. You may in fact be wondering what i even mean when i use the word prayer. It's certainly not what tv christians mean. It's not for display purposes like plastic sushi or neon. Prayer is private. Even when we pray with others. It is communication from the heart. To that which surpasses understanding. Let's say it is communication from one's heart to god. Or if that is too triggering or ludacris a concept for you. To the good. The force that is beyond our comprehension. But that in our pain or supplication or relief we don't need to define or have proof of or any established contact with. Let's say it is what the greeks called. The really real. What lies within us beyond the scrim of our values positions convictions and wounds. Or let's say it is a cry from deep within. To life. Orlov. With capital elves. Nothing could matter less than what we call this force. I know some ironic believers who call god howard. As in our father who art in heaven howard be thy name i called god phil for a long time after a mexican bracelet maker promise to write phil 447 on my bracelet. Philippians chapter 4 verses 4 through 7 being my favorite passage of scripture but only got as far as phil before having to dismantle his booth. Phil. Is a great name for god my friend robin calls god. The grandmothers. The deteriorating a parody of the desiderata council's us therefore make peace with your god. Whatever you conceive him to be. Harry sunderer or cosmic muffin. Let's not get bogged down. On whom. Or what. We pray to. Let's just say a prayer is communication from our hearts. To the great mystery. Or goodness. Or howard. To the animating energy of love we are sometimes bold enough to believe in. 2 something. Unimaginably big. And not us. We could call this force. Not me. And not preachers on stage with a choir of 800. Or. For convenience. We could just say. God. As i begin the sermon the message with you this morning i want to first say thank you for having me and thank you to best banks in absentia colleague who i enjoy seeing it whenever we have collegial gatherings from all across north america and thanks especially to katie tenerelli without whom i would certainly not be here this morning and without whom i would not be married to my spouse owe thanks to her for lots of reasons she's a powerful force the grandmothers. I grew up in a unitarian universalist congregation in suburban philadelphia. And as a very young person i had little need or use for the notion of god. I didn't see the point quite frankly and thought that prayer. And meditation. Really anything that demanded my stillness. Didn't make much sense. As i grew into a preteen and confronted again the questions about ultimate things. Why am i here. What happens after we die. What does it mean to live a good life. I became what i would term a soft agnostic. I was unwilling to rule out any possibility of god but neither was i at a point where that i was willing or ready to wholeheartedly invest myself. In the possible existence of god either. I figured at that time and remember having conversations with myself as a preteen. But if there was a god. Any potential god would care only about my behavior. If i was good i thought and tried hard. Did all that i possibly could do. To be a good person. But that would be all that would make a difference in god's eyes. If there was a god. So i would just do my best. Then. I became a teenager. And as with many teenagers. That meant for me that life got harder. And more complicated. Things that had seemed simple answers that had come easily before. Drift away. And my soft agnosticism. Softened even further. The more i felt a need for help. The more i felt the need for company. My openness and even wish. For the presence of something larger. Something holy. Something beyond the simple human connections of my life. Gru. And then i went off to college. And had my first brush with mortality and tragedy. How the full story is an entire sermon onto itself. But let me suffice it to say that i was very involved in unitarian universalist youth community when i was growing up. Really involved at star island which is a beautiful camp & conference center off the coast of portsmouth new hampshire. And was part of a youth planning team four star island conference for yru you that year. And one of my friends that i have gotten to know over the years of that conference one of my colleagues on this planning team. Was killed by a college classmate on his campus shot and killed with an assault rifle. And within weeks of my friend galen's death. My agnosticism. Soft or otherwise. Was gone. I had spent weeks and months even after his death. Trying to reason my way through grief. My unitarian universalist community after all had taught me well how to think my way through life. I knew all the footnotes i knew where to look for the best books on grief. And yet it wasn't enough. I knew everything i needed to know about what had happened. But it wasn't sufficient. And it wasn't going to bring kaylin back and it wasn't going to explain his loss away. There was suddenly a hole in me. That needed something larger. To fill it. So i tried to think my way through grief. No-go. I tried activism became a real big activists around gun control issues and if i still lived in the states for you betcha i'd be on that boat. And that help. But it wasn't enough. And so in my despair and my sense of grief about those big questions. I found myself. That wants atheist soft agnostic becoming of a theist who now stands before you today. Now i tell you this piece of my life story and some of its details. Not because i expect my story to change yours or to change how you feel. About. But i tell you this story because. Everyone of you. Every one of you here this morning has your own story. Of how you came to believe how you came to hold dear what you hold dear. And i've been around unitarian-universalism enough to know that too often we argue. With one another's beliefs. I know right. Instead of saying. Wow. You believe in god tell me about this god you believe in and how you came to believe in that how does that belief get you through a hard day. We say. You believe in god. That's magical thinking. Or we say i'm a humanist and here's here's why i'm right. But friends when it comes to matters of belief it's not like that child that i was struggling to figure something out of not something that you can talk your way through. It's not something that has to do with knowledge and footnotes and how many books you've read. It has to do with something a little more to do with feeling. And heart and how you come to experience the world. So i hope that here in this community you'll have lots of conversations about the paths that each of you have walked to your current. Beliefs and convictions. I hope that you'll find ways to talk with one another about your experiences of prayer. About what has worked and what hasn't. And what role if any it plays in your life now. But what i'd also like to do with you this morning is unpack what i think or marvelous readings that i shared with you this morning each in their own way i find them delightful and helpful when trying to think about what is this thing called prayer and what value might it have. Prayer it seems to me that both of these readings tell us have power and they also have moments where we find hang-ups in prayer. So let's start with your clearly your favorite you laugh the most at the auntie lamott quote. In her trademark humorous way she urges us. To let go of our misgivings that are rooted in what we call. The holy. And i love that reading because so many of us you know the joke don't you about unitarian universalist and what they what they start every prayer with. Caillou probably could say it with me right to whom it may concern that's the wrap we have out in the world so. So what i love about the annie lamanna quote is she says it doesn't really matter. What name you give whatever it is that you are speaking to. You don't have to have an image of some anthropomorphic being. He certainly don't need to have it be a white guy on a cloud up. Above you somewhere with a beard. She said in that reading and the rains are coming through this as when she says in that reading nothing could matter less. Then what you call that fourth. And i read that sentence and i thought. Because it's. Doesn't matter what you call it. Just that you call collect or whether you use your iphone as a matter just makes a call. Because any name we choose she tells us. Is just shorthand. It's just a divine nickname. Any name you use can't possibly hold or contain. Can't possibly label. That force which is too great and too large. To be summed up in a word. Which is why i love the fact that at the end of that reading she says or just for convenience. You could call you could say god. That's why you've got it's pretty convenience just three letters it's easy to say. So don't let the word. Or lack of a fully adequate one. Get in the way of the practice. Of the feeling behind the desire to invoke and connect with the holy. Which brings me to the lauren winter quotation. Maybe it doesn't evoke chuckles but for me it evokes something really deep but deep and profound understanding of why prayer matters. You see i think too often. only do we unitarian universalist get accused of preying to-whom-it-may-concern. But we also have pushed aside prayer because we think it's too results-based. And we haven't gotten the results we wanted in prayer. Write those of us who tried he said oh i had this relative who is really struggling and i prayed and they didn't get any better so i stopped. Or perhaps some of you said you know i hear all those people who talk about prayer and they talk about praying for their favorite football team and it just sounds so cheap. And i don't want any part of that. Cuz really with what's going on in the world with isis and shisui sharlee like we're worried about which team is going to win a game that's what god has done that many more important things to do than that. So many of you perhaps stopped praying because the results weren't there. Or others sort of cheap into the notion of prayer for you. But my friends we shouldn't be results-focused. Prayer is not a means to a certain end. Not an outcome driven practice. And why i love that lauren winter quotation so much is because she's so eloquently talks about the transformation that takes place within us. When we take the time to pray. In other words prayers less about me trying to send good juju as my friend erica would say out into the world to make other things change and other things happen, we figured out by now that that rarely works you try to control other people you try to make something happen it doesn't work. But if you try to do something that might change you. You might have a little success there. Did you hear that lime in her reading she said settlement is being laid. Like a like a geological formation your your kind of building layers of meaning into your life when you pray. The foundation upon which we are settling our lives is no longer shaky. She says it seems to me. We let go of those ill constructed consumer-driven fixes that never really work. We let go of the temporary patch of us. Vacation or. The shiny new object and we start to have the sediment of having those words of praise she says be the first ones into her head. I love that image because i picture lauren winner do i have the good pleasure of meeting once trying to set aside her driven phd focused kind of neurotic self. And having these words come into her mind because she kept praying like grace. And mercy and redemption and praise and gratitude and those words started to come first. Instead of olive. Riff raff e things that just get in the way of what. Really matters. What's really meaningful. And what really. Lift us up in our lives. When prayerful words begin to be the first ones to our consciousness. We find that gratitude. And appreciation. And the occasional impassioned plea. For assistance. Rise to the four. I'm at all those other things. Which take up so much space. In our heads and in our lives but are not so important. Start to drift. A little bit further. The distance. The spiritual you notice our services morning is full of african american spiritual music and and my title this morning standing in need of prayer is another spiritual. And a friend of mine introduced me to that's this particular spiritual and i i fell in love with it right away. Because. If you know those are you know that the spiritual you know that it that the person singing the song a sort of thing and i it's not all these other people in my life who are in need of prayer. The person singing the spiritual says it's it's not the preacher not the deacon but it's it's me oh lord. Standing in need of prayer. Yeah, brother, sister but it's me oh lord. Standing in need of prayer comes around the refrain and the person cuz it's me it's me it's me oh lord. Standing in the need of prayer. Almost picture somebody who was like oh you know i did all this praying for all those other people this poor people my mexican stuff other people and they needed they need a little something so i'm just for them and then finally the person wait a minute. Honesty. I got it i got nothing left. What about me who's praying for me. Until i pictured this person almost like getting down on their knees if they start singing this it's me. Almost picture them in the last verse to be like wailing that it's me i'm as pictured is literally like a supplication if i wasn't wearing a robot do it all the way down it's me. Standing in the it's me it's me it's me. It becomes more and more plaintiff. More and more like i need it. Because i will be changed. Because i will be a different person. If i acknowledge that i need help. I will be a different person. If i say thank you more often come on it's true i will be a different person maybe a bit. Maybe i'll even like me better. If i say wow more often. So i love that. Wavemusic sometimes at least from me. I would say kind of goes in the side door you know. When i'm tender tending to overthink it. I just need to get back to it's me it's me i tried don't overthink it you need it. Standing in need of prayer. Not because of what it will do to someone else. Or how it will change someone else. But because i will be different and if so many people that think about the ripple effects. If each and everyone of us. Within this grounded. Pound it thankful hopeful place. What would the world be a different place wouldn't. It helps. To think of people. Out in the world wishing us well. Have you ever gone through a hard time in your life and had someone say to you. I've been thinking about you. Or i've been praying for you. And you notice in your own being that it feels. Kind of good to know that somebody out there has been thinking about you. Holding you. It might not it instantly changed your situation but it. Can make a difference. One of my colleagues sent me this poem. Which i share with you as we move toward conclusion here which is a poem entitled prayer chain. By tim nolan and i think it expresses the sense that. The prayer can make a difference. Prayer chain. My mother called to tell me about an old classmate of mine. Who was dying. On the parish prayer chain. Or was very sick. Or destitute. Or it had not worked out. The marriage. Or the kids were all on drugs and all the old mothers were praying intensely for all the pain of their children. And for life. They were praying. Life. In there quiet rooms. Sipping decaf coffee. I bet they've been praying for me at times. So i'll find my way. So i. Won't rob a bank. And i'll take them. The mystical prayers of old mothers. It matters. All this patient. And purposeful love. If you ask me friends we could all use. Patience. And purposeful love as we can get. As individuals and as a human community and as a planet. So maybe if none of the other definitions or supposition that i have offered you this morning about the meaning and usefulness of prayer work for you. If still at the end of my. Impassioned plea you still aren't buying it and i know some of you aren't perhaps you can dig this. Can you set aside time. Each day. Or week. Or month. To offer patient and purposeful love. Can you offer attention and intention to those in your life. In your community. In our world. Who are in need of some of that love. And. If it doesn't work out. Whatever it is. Will you feel that you have been changed. For offering some of your love. Will you find that your heart. Has expanded. Maybe like the grinch is like two sizes or something. Will the pathways in the synapses in your brain that are where compassion and care gets parked. Be stimulated more often. And more holy. Seems to me. That offering more love more of the time. Is a pretty good discipline. So why not give it a try. Give it a try and share with one another what you find. As you explore what prayer means for you. This is my prayer. For you. This day. And everyday. Invite you now. To join me in prayer. To the place of reverence. Place of honesty. Place of openness with ourselves. And with that something larger. Holy one whose name we do not fully see or understand we know that patient and purposeful love have made a difference in our lives so as we sit here this morning we give thanks for we know great spirit that we are sometimes stingy that we withhold our love that we put conditions on it that we make demands for it help us to be more open with life we lift our hearts to you. Invites you to take the hands of your brothers and your sisters who are going to help you go on i love that him isn't it beautiful because they'll troubles wait at every turn don't they just waited every turn i know. That when i pause and i look at my life and i say thank you. Thank you gets a little easier. And i know that when i offer purposeful and towerful loved it gets a little easier to be more loving. And we got that other song that says there is more love somewhere. That more love my friends my brothers my sisters is right here. Right now. May you find that resource that you need. In whatever way you find it. Whatever you call it. Whatever name you give that prayer that meditation and whoever it is you reach out to. Just make sure you reach out. And make sure you love. For that love that you will walk in and that piece. That it will give you. We say. Ahmed and blessed be.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-08-24-Bring-Many-Names_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. And so welcome we come to the sanctuary to celebrate the beauty of this earth and to be here in community this congregation comforts us when we celebrate. The holy is experienced here and many diverse ways. And is given many names. People of all sexual orientations and gender identities are celebrated. We welcome all races and classes. And physical abilities. We have much to learn from each other. This is the place of learning and hope and whether because of the touch of a friend the words or the music or a moment of silence. We hope that you feel more alive when you're here and when you leave this place. The names going to appear in the order service fits simon murphy doing art alice lighting and donna sacs are opening words. If you haven't met our child slater elizabeth banks. Welcome to our church smiling and energetic reverend of our church thank you beth for everything you do for a congregation in our lives for the past 14 years and thank you for letting our chalice today. Flame of fire. Spark of the universe that warmed our ancestral hearth agent of life and death symbol of death truth and freedom. We strive to understand ourselves and our earthly home. Our church has a long tradition of shared ministry. And one of the ways that shared ministry happens here is the worship associate program so here this morning you have seven of us who is your new team for the year and reverend beth has put us through a very intense weekend of training so we have heard a lot of ideas about worship. At another point we had to list all the names for god we could think of or qualities so we had big pieces of paper up on an easel covered with so many words varying all the way from spirit of life to fantasy. The most compelling part of the weekend. When we started to tell our stories to each other that's when it really started to cook and that's the part we're going to share with you here so in a few minutes you'll be able to hear stories from the group of us. My invites you into a time of prayer and meditation sleeping behind whatever it is that you have carried with you this week. Set it aside. For the beauty of this planet. The power. Of the oceans. And the shifting of the earth that buckles under pressure. Let us reach out to those who live in the bay area. As they recover from the earthquake early this morning. With over 60 in. For the yearning of our heart. Our hearts that are often tested. The children in our towns all the towns that we come from who are bullied because they don't fit in. In one way or another. And we can speak out. When we are a witness. For the fear not just in the town of ferguson but all across our country because whether the national news catches the violence against being young and black injustice happens in the north and south and the east and the west and we can reach out for forgiveness when we have without realizing spoken and acted in ways that excluded others we can become an ally and learn healing spirit of life and we are always in need of healing to the families of chip northup and claudia melton and daniel marsh again may healing come to these families and for all of us and we can send love. For all the ways that you may need healing and love. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships when one of us celebrate to join or grieve the loss the web of life moves to a new shape we are apart of the turn of the earth and the shift of the stars and the pull of the sea and all change. I experience god as a comforting presence. I have a son who some of you know his name is william. He's 23 now. Any lives in santa cruz. He's basically homeless he couch surfs. And he smokes pot. Sometimes i get extremely worried about him. Has he got enough to eat cuz he got a place to sleep tonight. What is he doing today. And those times when i get so worried. And so stressed and so anxious. I envision wrapping him up. In a soft golden blanket. And giving him up. To his higher power. And by doing that. I don't have to carry the burden. Of. His. Bad choices. Because i give him to his higher power. This brings me serenity. This lets me sleep at night. This less lets me live my day normally without constantly worrying about him. And it brings me comfort. And i use this method. Not only dealing with close members of my family. But anytime i have a difficult relationship. I envisioned that person wrapped in a warm golden blanket. And i gave them up. To their higher power. And that's the way. I envision god. When i when i look at the images just outside the sanctuary in the vestiville heading between here and the. And the social hall outside i look at these images and realized i'm dealing with a power that's much greater than i or any of the rest of us on one side you have a real color image of the earth and the moon. From a distance of 22000 mi and we know that the earth's surface changes slowly and its change drastically over the it's four and a half billion years of history we witnessed a small manifestation of this changed this earlier this morning about 3 a.m. the moon on the other hand the surface on the moon we believe has remained essentially unchanged for 4 billion years on the other side you have a picture taken from the cassini space probe orbiting saturn last july 2013. It was a photograph and it was taken of the earth and you can see the earth as a dock on the photo in the upper right hand corner near an arrow and it is again and it manifestations of pale blue.by concept of the earth in space next to that is an image of the andromeda galaxy which is our nearest neighbor our nearest galactic neighbor nearest to the milky way it's about a 2 million light-years away that's what distance a light-year is 6 trillion miles if you were to count seconds. And had a long life but got s 123 it would take you a hundred and ninety thousand years together to citizens trillion so it would andromeda galaxy is our nearest neighbor it has about one really understood. Stars the milky way has a fewer. But it has the milky way has an estimated 25 billion earth-like planets where life could feasibly exist. And they are just part of the over a trillion galaxies that have been documented in the visible universe when you think about that you have i have personally have to realize i'm dealing are thinking about on a much greater power than than i am and if you want to call that i got that's fine and i am floating in the middle i would love to tell you i was at one with nature then but i was really wrapped in my own anxieties making my to do list not present when a dragonfly landed on me lifespan and this one chose to stay with me for a good good 10-15 minutes and i thought into the lake be reminded of how you are a part of all of this this is my definition of god my mother-in-law who is a devout atheist in practice and jewish in culture is a supporter of the arts. Recently she gave me a book the hare with amber eyes it's about a story of a ceramicist who inherited a collection of natsuki which are a small japanese carvings that you can hold in your hands and the story is about his journey tracing the history of the netsuke through the generations of his family. They were jewish and also great patrons of the arts music opera paintings his great-great-great uncle was a friend of in the supporter of the now-famous some of the famous impressionist. Woven through the story is the realities of anti-semitism and sometimes it was subtle but it was always pervasive and surrounded the family no matter where they lived and through all generations. They survived through many different political upheavals and world war but with the rise of hitler and national socialism that is when they were torn from their homes and from each other although they like my mother-in-law we're secular jewish and also great contributors to the culture of their society they were repeatedly persecuted because of the way their people believed in god as someone who be what i needed in that moment and what i needed. When i was younger and actually to this day i i question everything and there's a lot of answers out there answers for almost everything there's debates about much of it and you need to come up with your own answers and do you find sources in history and philosophy in science and religion. Back to the big bang there was always a question behind it that i would ask of well what was before that. What's. What's the weather. And i came up with you answers that i honestly still to this day cannot logically argue between. Which is one. Well it's always been. And there is no reason to end it just is. And that would be chaos. And there's a liberating freedom in that for me. I can be who i want. And. Doesn't matter a whole lot on the other side. Is. There was a start there's a reason there's an order. And the connection is between eldridge his entire universe of trillions and trillions of stars over. Who knows how many. Billions of years. And. As i grew older and i found the chaos a little bit frightening i think i simply decided to find faith. In that reason. Before the bang. My story is also about connections and i find god living in connections human relationships and i happen to come from a family that regards itself is very ordinary but to me they're amazing i'm from a family where a few of them. Came to this country most of the families stayed in the netherlands and during wwii in a little village. In the netherlands all of the families had a jewish family in their attics. And. I first heard about the stories maybe 1950. And i was amazed and still am and they did this for 2 years. And just think about what it took to do that to stay connected that way. And it's a long time ago but it's also present all these families still know each other some of them are still alive cousins visit here to see me and then they also go to visit families at the shelter.. And it's all still alive for them and it's all part of our connectedness. I thought you've heard the stories of 7 people today of how they understand what is sacred to them that they may or may not call god each one of you has a story to and in the safety of his plays i hope you will tell each other your stories and hear them and hear them well for all the ways we know the sacred for a golden blanket that family engagement.

uudavispodcast_org

2012-11-04-Worship-11-15-ED.mp3

Look up the sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california www.dav.org for further information. So. You might have noticed we have a table here. And it's a table we're going to use for a ritual of communion. And unitarian universalist. We have different kinds of communion during the year. We have the flower communion in the late spring and we have the water communion at the end of the summer when we come together. And sometimes we have a bread communion. Well people have been celebrating communion for a very long time. And it was about two thousand years ago. Winston people who were following a man named jesus used to gather together in the middle east. And all different kinds of people would gather together to sing and pray until stories and eat together. And that was significant. To eat together with all different kinds of people. Because there would be really important people there. Maybe a wealthy elite person. From the community and there would be poor people and even slaves. In this gathering and there would be people. From different religions like jewish people and pagan people. And there would be people. Front men and women and children. So if you can imagine maybe somebody kind of famous. Like maybe the picture from the giants. Hanging out and i'm gathering to eat with. Some people who committed don't get noticed very much like maybe the person who cleans your school. Or the person who washes the dishes at the restaurant you like to go to. And if you can imagine people from all different religious backgrounds and all different. Colors in all different types of people gathering together. That might be kind of like what was going on back then. And they gathered together. To support each other. And because they had a promise they had a covenant. That they would follow the teachings of jesus. Which said that there was a god who is more powerful than the roman emperor. To control the live their lives. To love everybody all these different kinds of people. And who wanted people to love each other. And treat each other nicely. And fairly. So these people are our religion ancestors because. Their communities turned into all different kinds of christianity. Including unitarian christianity. And universalist christianity. And that's where our unitarian-universalism comes from. So we want to honor that tradition today and we also want to honor. Some of the wisdom that comes from the people who lived on this continent. Before the european people came. So pumpkins. We're an important source of food for the native people on this continent especially as it got colder. And they would use these pumpkins in so many ways they would eat. Boil pumpkin baked pumpkin roasted pumpkin. They would use the seeds for medicine and food. And the shells maybe of the slightly bigger varieties. Would be used to hold things as containers for greens and beans. So they really used. The earth's resources carefully and very thoroughly they use them. So we're having. Pumpkin cookies a pumpkin cookie communion. We're honoring the earth. Seasonal resources. And we're also honoring that we have a covenant and we have a promise. That we make in our community. And it doesn't necessarily revolve around god like our religious ancestors but it is about loving each other and treating each other well. And coming together across diversity. With all different kinds of people so that is the kind of covenant we're going to celebrate today. Spirit of love. Spirit of life. We come to this place. And whole and unique people. But all of our good times and our challenges. Are we practice being the very best that we can be. Maybe all of this church is a place of comfort and fun and learning and. Challenging. Comfort. It's important that we're seeing and cherished and so we asked. Let me look into the eyes. Of the person who. Received your gift. Please now it may be the only time this week that person is seen in this particular way. It's important that we are seen and known. Spirit of life and love be with us and move among us in this sweetness. How i make sure that i. It made a spirit of love move among you. Stephanie. Hello everybody well for those of you who were here last month when i spoke about our new spirit of worship charity free the children. Which jamie lynn schubert had already sort of planted the seed and started working with before we had our votes so we're very excited about that. So i told you a little bit about the founder craig kielburger who started this charity at age 12. After reading an article in the paper about a boy i believe it it was in india who had been chained to a weaving loom since the age of four and then forced to work. And so craig traveled to south asia where he saw firsthand working conditions of these children he was there for seven weeks. Play journey through the slums meeting kids talking to them. And. When he came back he and his friends the reminder he's still 12 at this point he and his friends. Decided that they wanted to set up a home for children who had been freed from this labor to go in and rehabilitate. When they started to do that they realized that they needed to shift their focus because that wasn't good enough to stop this problem so they said won't we need to build schools so as time goes on they began building schools because that they thought education was the best way to. To stop this problem. But the neighbor and that in many countries children don't have time to go to school. They have many responsibilities such as fetching water especially girls and it's can take many many hours a day. So they began building water well near the schools so that it would get the kids to come there they could get their water they could go to school at the same time. And then is that one on they realize that wasn't good enough because children were so malnourished and so ill but oftentimes they couldn't pay attention they couldn't function they couldn't come to school because they couldn't learn anything they were 26. So that's when they introduced to healthcare programs in addition to all these other features. And then finally they realize that even with all these improvements children still we're not getting educated because of financial reasons the families were not able to support themselves without children bringing in money. So that's when they started their alternative income and livelihood programs for the families. And since then this organization is now million-strong and they are in several countries. And i just bought as i was sitting here today i thought of the the the wonderful coincidence that it happens to be national adoption month november is national adoption month. And you may not know this but for the year that we're raising money for free the children we have actually adopted a village. So congratulations god in india which is the village that jamie lynn hubert initially had her first event and raised a few hundred dollars for so we're going to continue with this village in india and they utilize this network this sub this this process that i've outlined of all the different colors that are necessary for children to be free of child labour you can't just have schools you can't just have healthcare you can't just have clean water you have to have everything it's like its structure. So you'll be running a lot about feeding children especially in january we're going to have a representative, give a presentation and genuine hubert will also be speaking at service that month so please give generously to your newly adopted village of forgotten india and we'll be telling you more about that soon. And so we begin this year of giving to free the children. Every first sunday. This is what our children and youth has selected and let's see what we can do together. Osborn elementary unitarian family and spent the first 12 years of my life and dedham massachusetts assembly was boston that was founded more than 300 years ago. Watch deadpool on the day before thanksgiving i am one of my school classmates from a chosen to read the proclamation from governor john winthrop was the first governor of our ancestors in the original massachusetts bay colony. We must consider that we shall be as a city upon a hill richmond show the same concern for others. Is that which makes him careful of his own good. Concluded. Now it's the lord's are pleased to hear us. Ben hansen gratify this covenant. Where did i know at the time that this proclamation the echoed in the original covenant to english settlers in my own town of dedham. And 1637. Eventually an evolution of unitarian. Universalism in america to two centuries later. A recent meeting of my man's retirement group i asked the eight members present what they thought was a covenant of the union church in davis. He's wise elders some of them and bring our founders agreed. Set the bedrock covenants. Was concern for the common good both within and beyond our church. Right now we covenant to accept diversity and to promote equality and social justice. Covenant to trustcare for. And forgive each other. We do not have to agree but we do covenant to accept the right of each person to his or her opinions. Are covenant a good conscience does not depend on enforcement of rules for living together. Enterprise loving understanding of often unspoken principles of how we should be in relationship. Uh other. Oru history has many examples of unitarians or universalists. Carry their congregation covenants well beyond the doors are there churches. Benjamin rush and theodore parker revocable and very influential abolitionists. And susan b anthony was a leading proponent of women rights women's rights and suffrage in the 19th century. Military minister james reeb. Was martyred in the cause of civil rights. In alabama in 1965. Former internet current union ray president peter morales was unjustly jails in phoenix. Along with many others who bore witness to the injustice of immigration policy in arizona. American british jack kornfield has written. Serving one another is an expression of sacred connection connection. I think this is the fundamental covenant of this church. And the church of my childhood. The seven continents where research well before i realize that there will be a connection. With chuck. After this research that we just discovered isn't part of the process. Unitarian universalist historian alice blair leslie. Presents three questions that are. The foundation of the world at covenant can play in our lives. And i'm talking about a personal life. On this week of the election when we do vote for a standing on the side of love as we understand it. These questions seem especially appropriate. They are our companions when we cast our vote as you will hear. They are the questions that haunt us. When we become sometimes emotionally loft. They take us to the streets. When we demonstrate to. Do witness to give witness for i desire for fairness. Christian similar to these help to form the political organization of our country. Are there are foundational for the early free churches. Abar new country in the 1600s. These are the question. I do hear them again later in the service so hear them now. What. I do who do i want to be faithful. Imagine that for yourself. The 2nd. Is who can help me stay faithful to what matters most. Tumi. And a sitter.. If everyone in society was faithful to be seemed ideal what are community needs there. And would it be peaceful. Is cutting-edge research from the pew research center released in october actually just last week. The pew research center is a well-respected non-partisan agency that takes poles and analyzes issues in our society and sometimes offer conclusions. And in this case it is far too complicated they said they cannot. Come to conclusions yet. One of the areas that they study. In our american life is. Religion and. I listen to what they have to say religiously you could say. The result of this survey. Could make us feel really alone. It might make us wonder about the future of our existence is a denomination. Religious leaders of all faiths have been watching the pew data. I could present you with percentages in graphs and charts i read them all. But here's the bottom line. The number of people in america affiliated with a religious institution or who identify with us in anyway. All religion. Is dropping dramatically. The changes most extreme within the last 10 years. For decades american to say i'm presbyterian but i don't attend church and put whatever religion you want to in that. Placer presbyterian. But now 1/5 of americans no longer identify with amy. Name brand of religion. Pheromone what is called the nun. And that spell nones. Not. The catholic nun. That's a very different. Identity. The change is most obvious. Under 30. With one-third choosing no religious identity at all. We are. Somewhat unusual. In that. And i can tell you in 2000 when i came to this congregation and i'm not going to take credit for the change of this it's just the way it is. Lenny pickett is sitting here with the only young adults who filled out. The form in what they were looking for in a new minister. We had one young adult who is able to fill out that form as many young adults involve now you don't always see them in sunday morning worship. So we are lucky. Patterns of attending church of change to. Fewer people come every sunday and i'm not going to ask for a raise of hands like who comes four times who comes three times etcetera. People are likely to come once a month twice a month. And i had someone a few weeks ago say to me yes i come to church and i thought oh i don't recognize his face. Who is she. And she said i come every year on christmas eve. And that's when i forget but what is interesting by that isn't she she in his case closely identified with our church and felt that she belonged but she came once a year. So just shows you what does that belonging mean but what i start to wonder. And i wonder about this with all my heart. Because. I poured my life into this place willingly and joyfully but it is my life. Are we relevant. To what is happening in this world today. So it's very personal question for me i'm actually asking is my life. Relevant does it have meaning. So you can imagine i think about this a lot. Revision and our gatherings and synagogues and churches and storefronts and love. A unique purpose. In our society. The purpose begins with those questions that i shared with you at the opening of the sermon and i'm going to share them with you again i'm going to ask you to respond. You can pass but i hope some people respond. We can start by answering them alone. Just alone. But they are truly effective only when we bring them to a group. What is trust among us. And that is one of the reasons why i think churches will continue to exist. What. For who. Is an ultimate important to you. My wife my husband my friend. Family and children. My church. People of color. The bell choir ultimate importance to. Working for a better world. Nature. Friends and honesty. Who can help you stay the course. My husband. Myself. My church book. My brother my friend. Do use the tell you the truth don't they. Winter baseball better than baseball i think i'm not sure if. If everyone agreed. With what i cherish. Would there be widespread fairness and peace. If you answered one person you may need to think what does that represent and expand on it so is older 333 very very important question. I really have answers to these questions. Life storms will not destroy us. The anxiety that is all around us and it is all around us. Will not shake our core. And we will have our own heartfelt conclusion. Assessed by a group. Attracted lovers of truth. With them we lose what we've agreed upon this is the power of the church for me the power of covenants. Society has forgotten the importance of a thoughtfully. Created covenant. Make a covenant with rigid dog mother not the same. Throwing chalk was telling me about these covenants that the men's group had created. It may be a thing they created among themselves that covenants mean there's give-and-take. There's conversation. An agreement. Covenant are part of our history. As a country and as a church. I'm going to take you back to the 1600s. Religion and society we're going through. Cataclysmic change. We say we're doing that now but it's happened before. There were several reasons why 20,000 people. Misterwives. And sailed across the atlantic in both not much larger than this sanctuary if it was flipped the other way. If you haven't been to see the mayflower it's really not that much. Bigger. And that's what they were sailing in. In 16-30 was one of the great migrations to this continent. They left behind family and friends successful businesses and invested everything. In a wild land where there were no promises of success. But they were really no promises of survival either. With an economic choice and a choice for religious freedom. In england. Attendance at church was mandatory none of this coming once a month or once a season or christmas eve no sir. The services were achingly boring. And i hope that does not represent anything you experience here. With no attempt by the church to address the issues of their time. And thanks to the printing press. The bible was now available to everyone. And you ideas started flowing into the seminary and the instructors interpreted the bible in so many different ways. Maybe poverty wasn't predetermined and evidence of an evil evil for maybe that was not true. Jesus was more human-like a carpenter or the farmer. I thought ministers were bringing these new interpretations to the pulpit. Alex clare when we referred two people gabbing about. The countryside. The people went from one congregation to another listening to different interpretations it was a progressive dinner with preaching as the main course and the people's discussions being the spice and it was really spicy. As people became excited the bishops and the king became alarmed. The fear of authority would soon be challenged in so they ruled that the people should stay home. None of this gadding about. But the people were very ingenious as people are. And lectures were offered midweek. On market days when people would gather in town so the people stayed home on sundays but when gadding about between sundays. And these lectures eventually were also shutdown. The popular ministers were removed from their pulpits. And the professor's lives made impossible. If a lecture to crowds in the market. The seeds of covenants were planted during these years sometime during the reign of king charles the first a small group of renegades and we come from those renegades surprise surprise. Lawyers and wealthy land business owners created a plan. Face tablets and new business organization called the massachusetts bay company. Anyway granted a charter from the king to start a new business venture they had to write the right to run it as long as they didn't do anything illegal. It was a business deal that's how we started. But the energy behind the move with for religious. An intellectual freedom. What company was established across the atlantic ocean far from the king's reach. The people knew that they wanted the freedom to gadabout and learn from each other. They were late afternoon lectures and they talked long long into the night. And governor winthrop decided that studying was taking away from too much time at work. This is the puritan work ethic at its worst. Are the best. He tried to stop these midweek sessions but the people were very very clear this was one of the reasons that they had left england and they wouldn't allow it to be taken from them and they spoke quickly and strongly. A compromise was struck. Lectures could happen mostly on thursday afternoon and would end in time for people to go home before dark. And then we were able to get up nice and early. For work in the morning. Many of the 20,000 travel with others from their village and they knew each other they'd already been getting about together. But. Dedham. The place that chuck mentioned was different. Golden was settled by 30 people who came in different ships. And they arrived with permission to start a township. They designed a government allocated land for homes farms craft. They were mostly farmers what businessman. Not lawyers. In 1637 they set up weekly meetings and this is their language for loving discourse to consult together and to discover our spiritual tempers and gifts of one another. The meetings rotated among home and anyone was welcome. They met for a full year this way. It would ground rules for the conversations because it seemed that some people were almost always silent and and others tended to dominate the conversation i. I've never seen anything like it myself. Degree together. I need something to help each other. To decide before leaving each week what their question would be next week. They wanted to consider their thoughts carefully. And for those two might be hesitant to speak. Cold introvert. To be able to think it through. Each week the holes for begin answering and everyone would speak interns if you're part of it together in exploration or tie group recovery group this is what this is about. Everyone would speak interns not wandering too far from the chosen subject. Mary. Amazing. David state objections or concerns about. What other said humbly with a teachable heart it said not covering or contradicting. They were to be sweet to each other. He could speak of their understanding or their doubt again this is like i statements. New arguing it said. But peaceful loving tender with what edification in other words no put-downs. The first conversations were not about religion but about justice and peace and reasonable laws and creating an environment of trust. Here's the route of how my past is still with us today. There are two main reason for the church. It would serve as a balance to what was unreasoned and unloving in society and people would work together to bring what they love into existence. Deception was. That the free church. Would be the strongest. Not the only. But the most authentic voice in the whole of society so imagine this is the charger that is given to us here on this election time. We are to be the authentic. The strong voice. And second. The church was also a place of mutual support and caring and empty circles there was no conversation recorded about miracles you think they talked about miracles not a word. Only how strongly and wonderfully. Love work. Multifandom commitment. Religious relationship. Or they could stay at the table. And commune together. Turn off the changes of their lives sounds like a marriage about to me. The most frequently used words on record were affection. Affection affectionately. Embrace. Love. Loving. And lovingly. Free church. Woodwork if. The members lived with loyalty in their hearts and made it visible with the work of their hands. The group made a commitment to help each other as chief this for their own fixed and for the sakes of the world around them no organization was or is like it. Today. When's the dead in church was founded. The initial numbers. Which joined by servants and the richest. People in town together think of what annie was talking about with the early communion. But young apprentices and skilled tradesman. But people every age and both women and men very unusual for that time each was called to give according to their ability. Support the gathering as fully as possible no matter what status. Adult members had a voice in the discussion at each member was given one vote the same as our members today. The covenant. Isn't about believing in the same religious answers. The ground us as individuals and as a community is sharing a common understanding of what it is. That we love. If i welcome you here every sunday morning. I hope he will cute something different in these words when you hear them in the future. I say welcome. And i say the holy is experienced hearing many ways. My reminders that we bring her differences and people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are celebrated here they would not use that language in the 1600s right but. It's what we would say now. Because of what we know. We welcome all races and classes and physical abilities together i say we offer a fuller truth and anyone point-of-view. There's much to learn. From each other. This is right out of the 1600s. And our covenant. To live with love. They offer the wish. Edwards or silence. Are the touch of a friend. Meet make you feel more alive. This is the language of our earliest. I only scattering. The foundation of our covenant. And so i say to you. Welcome. Welcome. And to that i say amen. I invite you into a time of prayer. And meditation. The poet real cairo.. You are not surprised by the force of the storm. You have seen it growing. The trees for me. Air flight. That's the boulevard streaming real quiroz. This weekend in the weeks ahead we hold in our hearts and search for ways to help those who were in the path of hurricane sandy. Remind that i stopped. If they grieve for what was lost and discover what was most precious sometimes gone. For those who remain without heat and electricity. For the haunting realities of subways. Filled with water. Strength. Turn two rivers. Kayaks. Instead of cars. Uno. It doesn't love a safe. For those who needed saving for those who were in harm's way and could not be saved. For politics feticide for a short while. And leaders of two parties standing together because that's what adults do. We are in touch with our yearning. Reminds and hearts of leaders to work together for the good of all. They are country have a leader in the years to come. Who accepts the power of nature and our role in the dance of life and death. Amen. Recipe. And next week we will take a collection to those in need. Toucans if you would and this is an affirmation of faith uses a covenant in many many of our congregations across this continent. Love is the doctrine of this church. The quest for truth is it sacrament and service is it's prayer. To dwell together in peace. To seek knowledge in freedom. To serve human need to the end it all souls shall grow into harmony with the divine that's do we covenant with each other. And they also say. With god. But the gathering say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-01-01-Letting-Go-and-Stepping-In.mp3?_=5

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Good morning i'm elizabeth ascend to your internet. And challenge as unitarian universalist we are encouraged to search answers to the most important questions. The issues that surround us are sometimes overwhelming but in this space. We sent her ourselves come to know again. Arnot. Might have been. Becomes light. And i'm so delighted that david has agreed. We are called as unitarian universalist to build community. Twisters. From the power of memory and history. With high hopes for the days that we gather to craft the destiny we share with one another. Democracy. In every voice. These dreams. Enter this work with love and old year has died. Today we will. Must we let new stories create. For the new year. Is it familiar experience. The beliefs with the world will gets better and better in the. Material possessions. One of my friends who i freely acknowledge your house. I just have everything on display. My treasures in the world. Tears of set a set of beliefs about myself i'm beginning to suspect i need to let go of. Eeyore 50 or 60. Or at least to be in tomorrow. Believe that i have as much energy as needed. Suddenly realized. Another example email from a friend decrying the current political situation and calling those who voted differently. Stupid. To disagree with me sometimes the others. It's not good for my psyche what is behind that reaction is the firm conviction. Azizi. Difficult. 2015 for me i graduated and started my internship here in davis. I shook off 2015 and stepped into 2016 with the excitement and energy and enthusiasm bread from good fortune warm memories. Anticipation. Facing 2017. 2016 has been a tough one. It's been a year full of ups and downs of life. I generally love gypsum climbs of a rollercoaster speaker at amusement parks. But the stop-and-go 2016 has been jolting even for me. I completed my cpe residency i was present for the weddings of two sets of your seminary friends. I think i'm this internship and gotten to know. Seeing what inspires this community welcoming the ways you challenge and teach me. Especially. It's been filled with challenges. Diagnosis of illness for friends. The deaths of two family friends in vermont. The destruction caused by hate. I'm sealing that creep into our home. A student seek support from one another. Against racism and islamophobic. Makes looking ahead with hopes for the new year. Conscious. The weight of a difficult year. Next to my inherent optimism. Step into this new year with a witness. Challenge myself to find the ways i am called to build a year i want to experience this idea isn't new. Unitarian universalism finds this personal and communal challenge experience. Rev dr. rebecca parker road about it as a concept of salvation for you used in the world. A collection of essays. She asks where return for safety. Idolization in a world they consistently offers us challenge. Return to ourselves. Into each other. We look inward and ask ourselves where are we ready to grow. What do we challenge ourselves to do in the coming weeks. Here's what can we step into for this new year. How do we intend to live into an hour. Possible. Might look like commitment learning about anti-depression to reading books or taking classes from an antidepressant lens. Maybe you will bring your knowledge to others within this church community and beyond. Perhaps commitment will take you to the streets to the upcoming 5k with the uc davis muslim students association. For the women's march in sacramento. Maybe you'll be stepping into an embodiment of our new love your neighbor signs. Figure stepping into something i haven't even thought of. This morning. Turn off significant to because. All of these variations of stepping in. All of these small. Blaze that will carry us. An isolation our commitments are small. They're the tiny sparks and while they have potential. Reality is. I can't really burn without the fuel is community. Can save the world. That's another possibility waiting. We'll take our time. Twilight these tiny little flames. Community. Next. We've looked this morning at letting go with ellie story of downsizing. Stepping into the coming year. Ourselves. Individually and as a community. Insides of the same idea in order the step into the new there are things we must let go of. Possibility. Fire is like that. It consumes completely. Leaving nothing behind. Put some dachshunds ground and ashes. Are little bits of wax. Fun things to symbol of energizing. The sparks of the divine that dwell within each of us. When ignited. Become the ways we've lived our face in the world. We sing about the fire of commitment that proposes to community. Justice. Into our dreams. From 2016 to 2017. Perhaps you need to leave something behind. And let it be consumed completely. You need to set the work of your heart ablaze. Whichever it is. Whether you're holding. Now is the time to ignite that spark. You to take a few moments. Think about what you're putting into your paper. Tiny little paper. What does it mean for you. Wherever you are in the room. Set it ablaze. We'll set them ablaze over the bowl of salt for a little added safety. Leave it behind or step into something new. Join in the refrain. Drop it. It will like quickly. Take that time to think about what it is. Can you put into that fire. Percent paper into the flame. Others were hesitant. Cautious. Sunburned papers. Perhaps you were burning for other people who aren't able to be present. Perhaps what you needed several papers yourself. Community comes together. Individual places. Operation. Intentionality. Prepare. Within the love of community. Is a part of relationships. When one of us celebrate. Grieves a loss. Shape. We are part of the earth. The shift of the stars. Having let go. Named our curiosity. Given ourselves over survive balance.

uudavispodcast_org

2018-04-01-Easter_Arise-Shine.mp3?_=5

Unitarian universalist church of davis california www.org for further information. And dignity you are welcome here no matter how you identify who you love no matter or your political affiliation you are welcome. Every week we like to pillar candle to acknowledge all that is being held by the people in this room with sorrows for the world that which weighs heavy on their hearts and we light one pillar candle for the joys of the world for the moments of hope and the moments is celebration and will recognize the prayers for the people for those who have asked that we hold them under our thoughts and our prayers. Unitarian universalist. Today is a day of hopeful renewal the new beginnings of spring haven't celebrated sensation times equinox the first day of spring for the years. Stewart and winston were my neighbors they were my brothers by a solemn ceremony that we had performed in the backyard they weren't the same religion that i was they were baptists their grandma eula mae walker was my grandma now my babushka had died two summers before sometimes i go to church with them and hear miss yula sing with a voice like slow thunder sweet rain. So why we drank. We extinguish our first pillar candle honoring the sorrows that are held by this community and our second pillar candle honoring the joys that are shared in this community and. Emergency morrisons riding is a most glorious light.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-04-21_Worship_The-Response-of-Love_ED_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website at w.w. org for further information. This morning you are accepted just as you are. But not i hope that you come here seeking change. And this next section is going to change over time because people are telling me how they want to be changed and that's what you're going to start to hear. Maybe that change is to live with more trust. Or to forgive others. To feel the presence of how unique each moment is in the moment. Or to be able to sit with pain. And not run from it. When it's not avoidable. When you want to have change happen and make it had change happen. That's yours to do. To dress a beautiful world. It is also in a lot of pain as we know. May this be a place of comfort and challenge and the people around you known as your companions on a journey. And on that journey are people with a diversity of beliefs god or whatever it is in which you place your ultimate trust is different for each one of us. And on this journey and this is your reminder to hear about that. Are people of different sexual orientations and gender identities those are different class and raised and physical ability. So i invite you. Come and let us search together. To become our best selves once again. Every week. One more opportunity. Remember what is possible for us. I have noticed something about this community this week. And it is something i already knew from having been here for the several months that i've been here. But i really noticed it again. And that is how you all show up. And i have seen you over the past week showing up to meetings. Bringing grief and confusion. And such a willingness to do what needs to be done. And i've seen you showing up on wednesday. When we hosted many people from our community. And when we held that space. For grieving. You were out there setting up the chairs. And bringing the water. I'm bringing boxes of tissues and doing what needed to be done. And so this morning i'm asking karen now labeouf to light our chalice. Because she is one of the many of you. Who embody that care and thoughtfulness. As you do what needs to be done in our community and care for one another. There's a lot of diversity among unitarian universalist and we talked about that a fair amount. Different groups and different churches will have different theologies. Different ways of running worship services. And one thing that we often have in common with. You use from all over the country. Is that we light a flame and a chalice. And whether it's. Eight students at uc davis gathered together lighting at alice. Or whether there are thousands of us in an auditorium at a summer general assembly. Lighting the big chalice up in front. What are we doing work at a board meeting. Or celebrating on our commitment sunday. Or whether we are mourning together. As we did on wednesday. We light a flame in a chalice. And it is our way of saying. Stop. This time. Is sacred. Let's be here together in meaningful. And loving ways. And there were unitarian universalist and others. Who were together in meaningful ways. On tuesday of this week in boston. At the arlington street church a well-known unitarian church in boston. And i saw a blog post in the new yorker magazine online. An in this blog post a reporter described. A very moving scene. Are marathon runners wearing their medals. And there were calls for compassion. For all those who were affected and even for the perpetrators of violence. And there were songs they saying they sing amazing grace. Anything imagine by john lennon. And that reporter also quoted a reading that was done and it's a reading from our hymnal. It's called we need one another. By georgie o'dell. And it so happens that i also shared. An adapted version of that reading on wednesday evening. When we in this community. Look at the violence in our own community. And we also mourn. And felt compassion. So this morning i invite you to read responsively with me that reading and it's number 468 and your dark gray hymnals. And i will read the regular typeface and you are invited to respond with the words that are in italics. We need one another. We need one another when we mourn and would be comforted. We need one another. When we are in despair. In temptation. I need to be recalled to our best. Selves. Again. We need one another. Any hour of success. When we look for someone to share our triumph. We need one another. When we come to die. And would have gentle hands. Prepare us. For the journey. Tell me some ways you will hear a little bit of what you heard on wednesday night. The reading that actually came to us from berkeley. Just really have a day of that service on wednesday and i had something else planned and i thought know this. Is perfect. Even the title of the poem for my friends who are wounded. By barbara road. From the meditation manual in the simple morning light. If i could. I would go to them. And say it was only a dream. I would sit beside them and hold them in their dark. And let their tears fall on the soft. Sleeves of my gown. I would kiss. Their hair. I would talk softly to them. We tell them the secrets of fireflies. And stars. And the frost lace on the windows and the harvesting of corn. I would sing the grandfather's songs i would bring small gifts. In my hand. White spiral shells and crimson leaves. Smooth stones a hyacinth. A peach. And then we would stand by the window our arms around each other's waists. We would breathe. In the cold night air. We would make promises. And wait. Silently. Still. Listening for the bright brave. Astonishing. Astonishing. Light. Ascends the reading. So before we begin. There's so many people who have said how are you to me. And i'm grateful for that but i want you to know that. I'm well. All manner of things. With me are well. And in part that is because our denomination has. A trauma support ministry. And they were very busy. This week in boston. And when they heard about. Our lives in davis. They were with me too. And i have so many colleagues some of you know i have a very tight-knit group of support. And they were on the phone to me texting me several times a day. Has some of them of also known as tragedy in their congregations and they were ready. With advice and support and care. And is annie mentioned you were here you were right there whenever we needed anything you were there we just had to say the word and people were carrying chairs and directing traffic and doing whatever we needed so. All manner of things are well. With me. And in part that is because i am with you. And you are with each other and you are with me. All manner of things are well with me. And i'm very tired. That does not mean that things. Are anything other than well. For me. This week has been one of. Tremendous trauma. The boston marathon bombing those joy-filled runners who had the finish line in sight. And all those who were gathered there were targets and the two terrorists and. And we don't know. What was happening for those two men. And i'll tell you i also fear. For the fact that they were muslim and i wonder about our brothers and sisters in our communities. Kume feel the wrath of others. And we wonder if you know what sense can we make of this. What sentence can we make of this. And later in the week the fertilizer plant in the town of west in texas not only burns but blows up with a force of a small earthquake. And buildings are ripped apart windows are smashed apartment buildings are shirred open and a community is devastated and we wonder what sentence can we make of that and what is safe. I know the people in that town thought they were safe so what is safe we wonder. And there are the normal losses of those we love sometimes coming one on the heels of another. Beverly payne a quiet. Private women who had deep convictions and a rich and questioning spiritual life she died last sunday. And terry turner and activists in the civil rights movement marching anselmo addressing racism throughout his whole life he also died this week in davis. Had a lawsuit has shaken us shaking our community on monday. On monday we heard the news about claudia moped and. Chip northup both members of this congregation and first there was shocked and now we are filled with sorrow and fear. And we wonder who did this and why. How do we live with this loss. This week the media came to the church. They called. And if they couldn't reach me on the phone they showed up. At the door. With pens and paper and. Tv cameras sometimes i was just ready to take a bite of lunch. Fork poised almost in you know i was really hungry almost in and here they are and. They were not going to leave. Bible say that most of them were very respectful. Most of them were very respectful. And one interviewer early on as something to the effect of. Can you make any sense of this. And the camera was rolling. And i wanted to have a really eloquent answer for him. You know i thought i should be able to do that. And all i could say was. No. There is no sense to this. And when i went back in the staff applauded. Well i mean but you don't it felt really unsatisfactory. To say that because it lacks any message of hope. So before i answered you. i was standing there in front of the camera. There was a small essay that flashed through my mind. Before i spoke. Kind of imagined yourself in like woody allen kind of movie with this is whole conversation happening before someone speaks and that's what it felt like to me. That's why i didn't give them my essay but i'm going to give it to you. And that's why i ministers love having a pulpit. I also want to say that he was asking me is a person who doesn't know anything about unitarian universalism and he saw me as a minister. And that usually means. That what i think is a clergy is misunderstood. Just just say it. If it's miss misunderstood it's simplified and it's imagining of what a minister might be like and what their lives might be like god forbid and. It doesn't represent the reality so i'm always misunderstood. So this is what the essay would have said to him i don't have a sense that there is a god who would inflict pain. On the earth and on humanity. And i don't think we are given pain because of an all-knowing god who knows we can handle it. I've no patience for that. I don't have a sense that things happen for a reason meaning that some awful experience has been given to us as a teaching tool. How many universalist i'm a unitarian universalist and love is a very ground of our being. There's a force that draws us toward harmony. Is larger than anything we can see. Am i understanding of life. There is an embrace that we yearn to feel and it is present. Found in the arms of a many who love us and who are around us. Is found in the experience when our sense of self falls away and we know we are part of a web of existence. When you feel at peace. In fleeting moments and that peace can be called love. Written so large. They can't be taken in except for in small moments. We fear we would self-destruct if we just lived. In that love. And it isn't always a sweet love but i love that sometimes says what is difficult does what is uncomfortable but a love so great. But keeps us at the table. The table with our companions. When times are good and when times are bad. And i thought about. The times when evil comes through the forces of life. Being lived through a person or a moment in our society. That is also real. But love. Is the norm. Love is a norman this is what the families. Claudia's family chips family this is what they have said to me we don't understand what happened. But we do know. Is that it's amazing the love and caring. That has come to us from everyone. This we know. All this flash through my mind and what. Seemed like. Hours really. But it was only seconds. And he didn't look disturbed that i hadn't said anything yet. In answer to his question i said but. I can tell you what happens after senseless violence and heart-wrenching loss. Happens. People become more of who they are. And they become more transparent. Our strength and our vulnerabilities are writ large for a while. Our job is to love each other especially in this time. Often we forgive hurts that have happened. And come together in shared grief. We reach out beyond our own circle of known friends and bring others. Into our lives. We're kinder. It's as if we take a piece of that benevolent god love stuff. Into ourselves. A community is changed. And in the face of senseless violence. There is senseless kindness. The unusual violence exists in stark contrast. Tua bounty of goodness that surfaces everyday in every person. So much of the media and i will say not all that so much of the media bounces back and forth between sowing fear and showing hope. And our hearts do too. We can choose to be aware and thoughtful and that is really important. We can choose that instead of being fearful. We can choose to respond to each other's open-heart in his brief window of time on the center of our self-understanding is cracked open. Brene brown thoughts will be shared by others in the weeks ahead. But she wrote this. The most beautiful things i look back on. In my life. When i found the ability to come out from underneath things i didn't know. I could get out from underneath. Those are the moments that made me. Moments of struggle. She asks. Who do we wish to become. This is the time when we see it because so much is stripped away. So i asked you what do we see in ourselves those of us who are here in this room. What do we see in ourselves that we would like to carry away. From this time. I heard the story of joshua prager on a ted talk inspirational stories if you don't know about ted talks just google them. Joshua prager recently wrote a book called half a life. In his 20-minute speech in front of a spellbound crowd. Joshua sheriff much more of his life story in his philosophy of living that i encourage you to go and listen to it. Joshua is 19 years old in the story he tells. When he's on a trip to israel. He plays a late night basketball game with his friends and he jumps for a shot and touches the basketball rim feeling invincible. Strong and proud. Of what his body can do. The next day he's on a minibus on his way to claim a pizza the prize for winning the game the night before. A truck carrying four tons of roof tiles slams into the back of the minibus. He describes the picture he saw years later himself being carried from the minibus. He doesn't see the broken body that is immobile. He sees the amazingly strong young arm. The faces the camera. So strong and muscled. After therapy slowly regained partial use of his body. It is a hemiplegic. If he describes it his body is divided in half. He learns to walk again but now walks with a cane. His arms and legs are not working in concert with each other. He finishes college becomes a journalist and a writer typing with one finger and explains that the. Chips in his teeth. Grenade from only having one hand. And needing sometimes too. Have a second way to open a bottle. And he dies. His t's. His friends point out to him in some ways his journalism tells his own story repeatedly there is an event in someone's life and everything changes. And inheritance. Arrest. The swing of a bat. A moment of indiscretion. An accident. A bomb. Someone who acts with senseless violence. These are the things that he chooses to write about. Joshua feels the need to speak with others. The driver of the truck. With four tons of roof tiles. The driver with 26 driving violations before the accident which made it 27. He tries twice. One sector college joshua returns to jerusalem and find david phone number. When you called and i bet answers. I bet response is nonchalant as if he has been waiting to hear from joshua. 4 years. And joshua said. Maybe he was. How did start the conversation telling about his injuries suffered from the crash joshua has read the report and knows that abed suffered almost no injuries. But he says only. Can we meet. No this is not a good time could joshua call in a few weeks. When joshua calls again the number has been disconnected. And then over a decade later josh was close to completing the book about his accident and his life at follows from that morning crash. He returns to jerusalem again to do a little more research looking at the police reports. The newspaper photos. They realize that he still needs to speak to a bed. He wants to hear two words. I'm sorry. He's searching for peace. So you rent the car and. Gets to the village. And just by mentioning abed's name in the town joshua is driven to other door is like that in a small town you can just say the first name and everyone knows where a bed. Let's. Joshua imagines the greeting maybe they hug maybe i bet it's that him. And none of this happens. I bet, invites him into his home. To sit beside him on the couch. And i bet is not remarkable in any way. White. Socks over knit sweatpants that are all pilled from going through the wash is wearing slippers a striped cap pulled down over his head. I was hurt in the crash she said once i was handsome i lost my teeth in the crash do you want me to feed him. I'll take them out. Joshua has brought turkish delight pistachios gluten rosewater and it. Seems like a good gift. I need thanks i'll exchange the sweet gift. Or two words. I'm sorry. Those words never come. I did ted talk continues to be about how he deals with and interprets this disappointment is. Rich interpretation. But i hear another question that he asked himself but isn't really articulated strongly but runs throughout. And the question is who am i. In the face of all that has happened to him in his life who am i. He decides that he is all that has happened to him. All the beauty of incredible tragedy. He believes that he has a choice. What to do with that beauty and brokenness in his life he doesn't romanticize that i want to be clear about that he said i could have been a doctor. I could be married i could have children. All these things he wants. I will not have. He still has choices for how he will use what he does have. He has been described as happy and strong. And vulnerable. And gifted. His body is an example of a truth i have found. Sometimes when we are broken it is so broken. That we will never go back to the way we were before that tragedy. Before it came into our lives. The boston marathon the families whose loved ones. Those who were injured. They will not go back in time. West texas. The live there are all changed. And our lives here are changed to. When we are broken. We don't just repair. To become exactly the same again. But healing does happen and we are still whole. Even if we re shaped to a new form. We are home. Even if we are escaped to a new form. Embody. And blood and mind and spirit. In this time of grief. Wandering and turbulence. You should be asking who am i. In this moment when i am cracked open what do i see in myself that i want to live more fully. And take that. And don't let it go. Pecan. Pecan. In the beauty of this moment taycan. Many thanks to the vocal art ensemble for coming for their whole morning. Anna sparks choir for the same. In the midst of fear we choose love. Instead of despair for ourselves or our world we choose to come together and find hard one hope. Each other's faces and in our lives. Make healing happen for others this week this is ours to do. Every morning. We make the choice to heal. What does catherine say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-07-27-Finding-Hope-in-Grief_10_00.mp3?_=1

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome we come to the sanctuary to celebrate the beauty of the earth and to be in community this congregation comforts us when we know loss and celebrates our best dreams we bring our differences and together we offer a fuller truth than anyone point of view this is the place of challenge and compassion the holy is experienced here in many ways and is given many names people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are celebrated and we welcome all races and classes and physical abilities we have much to learn from each other this is a place of learning and hope weather because of the touch of a friend the words and music or a moment of silence may you feel more alive. Good morning i just finished a two-year internship at the santa rosa uu congregation and i thought it might be good and just give you a quick update as to where i am in my progress toward becoming a minister i'm most of the way through i hope to be ordained next summer i will see the committee in sometime this fall either in september or december that give me a 45-minute oral exam and it decides whether i'm ready or not and i've got one more year and i will be doing some more chaplin work this year also. So that that is where we are i'm in my fourth year starting my fourth year and just vodka. Every day brings joy and struggle. Every day brings the opportunity to ease the struggle of another. To be the joy in another's life. Macy's flame remind us to carry our light to each other and to the world. May the fire of this chalice burn in each of us as we come together on this glorious day. Elisabeth kubler-ross a swiss-american psychiatrist who was a pioneer in near-death studies and the author of the groundbreaking book on death and dying where she first discussed her theory of the five stages of grief. Once said about the death of a loved one that the reality is that you will grieve forever. You will not get over the loss of a loved one. You will learn to live with it. You will heal and you will rebuild yourself around the loss you have suffered you will be whole again. But you will never be the same nor should you be the same. Nor would you want to. When my sister died of aids-related pneumonia at the age of 30 it was a loss unlike any i had ever know. In 1989 when she died not very much was known about aids in fact 19a went into san francisco general hospital the doctors had just recently stopped wearing full body protection and masks when entering the room of an aids patient. The only drug with azt. And it was ineffective in 9s case because it was too late. She had been sick for a long time but did not know what it was but she had she went into the hospital three days before she died and i didn't even know she was sick. I wasn't ready. I wasn't even able to say goodbye. Because the idea of losing my sister my only sister and my best friend was too much. I was at her bedside the last night she was able to talk to any of us and she spent the whole night telling me her hopes and dreams for me and for my children. She wanted me to start acting again i had stopped because my sons were only two and five she wanted me to live a good and happy life. When nina died i have to tell you i was gutted. I could not sink in the beginning about my hopes or dreams but as time passed i began thinking about what she wanted and i eventually realized that my best gift to her was to live a full and happy life. Because her life was cut so short. So i went to counseling and i reached out to friends. But it was my best friend larry torres who really helped me through my sister's death. He would come over everyday i make sure i ate that i showered and got dressed and he loved and took care of me and my kids he made me laugh and he was there for me and for my children. Sadly about six months after 9 is idly ritu started getting sick. He had extremely high blood pressure and he was hospitalized numerous times over the next five years. Larry had a stroke at the age of 28 and after brain surgery died on the same date as my sister. 5 years later. I was devastated. But when larry was in the hospital for the last time his surgeon came to me to tell me that larry was not going to make it. The team knew it would not be a successful surgery. He told me that you chose to tell me because he could tell i could handle it. He gave me a gift. She could see that i would survive this too. What i have learned about grief it said if you have even one person who loves you and sees you through it you will be okay. That there is wisdom to be gained on the other side of grief. That's a whole life and love that had sustained me through the five years since dinah was gone. Which sustained me through this. And through the rest of my life. And it has sustained me that hope. Their love. I am changed. I am not the same person. But i am whole. A hard death. Find a certain. God's grace freely given we do not deserve. So we can choose at least to see its ghost. On every face. Whole weekend wish to serve each other gently as we live so lost. We cannot save. Be saved. The we can stand before each presents with gentle heart and hand. Here in this place. And this time without belief. Keep the channels open to each other's grief. Never accept a death or life is strange. Two assassins. But each second be aware how god is moving through each flower. From birth to death. In a multiple gesture of abnegation. And when the petals fall. Say it is beautiful and good. Say it is well. Let us be gentle to each other in their brief time for we shall die in exile far from home. Where even the flowers. I no longer save. Only the living can be healed by love. My wife died of cancer. She was 49. Display my grief. Despite my life. And the lives of my children being turned upside down. I always knew. I knew with deep certainty. That i would be okay. There would be light again. There would be fun again. There would be love again. I knew this. And i wonder how i knew it. Where did that help come from. Dealing with grief. Versity is something we all encounter. Mine is not a unique story. Leanne grieve the loss of her sister and then her friend. Some of us here today have lost. Houses partners some point recently parents die. Sometimes we lose a child. Getting all of this we find ways to find hope. To keep going. Which may be the same thing. What kept me putting one foot in front of the other. Close friend said shortly after becky died. The good news is that you have children. The bad news is that you have children i had to keep going because they needed me to do that. I did it out of love for them and for becky. Day-to-day i felt horrible. Full of tears exhausted a cherished. Night evenings when the kids were in bed and i could just be by myself. To remember. Where to read. I remember reading about string theory during that time somehow quantum physics was comforting yet underlying all of this with the certainty that i would be okay. I've wondered about that since that hope. Where did it come from. This church you. Cared for me and my family in a big way. 4 months we were provided meals for nights a week. Prepared food is such an amazing gift of love. Each meal with tell me something about the person the family that if repaired it. Even if we would eat. I was aware of their loving presence in the room. Those who have given their time and money and skill. Paradis meal for us i gave thanks. My men's group. Some represented here today also church members were a source of compassion and strength. What day did which was so powerful was simply listen. That is how we've supported each other for years i listening. Sometimes they would ask questions out of their compassion. It is not easy for most of us to accompany someone in their grief. We are inclined to want to fix it. Perhaps we offer helpful advice. Craft we check out because it's just too painful to walk with somebody on that path. My group didn't do this. Big companies me my pain. Not shying away from what i was going through sitting with me as i cried. They were generous with hogs. They're listening was powerful and healing for me. I felt their love. For about 4 years i had a live-in nanny jody. She's been a colleague of becky and was between jobs and offered to help. She had known my daughter since they were little. Super some months she work for only room-and-board later i was able to pay her. Jody had an amazing ability to see what needed doing and get it done. My children and i went away one weekend he came back to find that she'd arranged for the teachers at my girls school to do some much-needed house organizing and yard work while we are gone. I was moved to tears when i came home and found out what jody and his friends have done for us. Yolo county hospice offers grief support groups. I joined one of these groups. Aside from the fact that i was the only guy in the room what does that tell you about the weight guys deal with emotion and grief. Aside from the fact that i was the only guy in the room this group with another place where i could shed tears. Without making people uncomfortable. There was also a place where i could be an active listener myself. Where i could accompany other persons in their grief. A place where i could return compassion and love in equal measure to what i was receiving. This was important. Human beings are wired to help. Helping i was healing myself. All of this carrying all of this love contributed to my sense that i was going to be okay. One might be tempted to end the story here. I am tempted. So whatever you counted so far doesn't account for the certainty that i felt. My home was a gift. I believe it was a gift from god. Vanessa father-figure god i grew up with the angry old man white man with a beard. I believe about god what makes the most sense to me comes from process theology. Remember this congregation john younger men who. We recently lost. Wrote a book on process theology. I describe myself as penstan enthusiast. Not pantheist but an enthusiast shuttle. But the theological difference is substantial. Pantheist believes that god the divine mystery is present in everything. I believe this but in addition. I believe that the creator exists outside the known universe pants and anthias. Show me the creator before the beginning of space-time at the event of modern astronomers call the big bang. Just so i don't leave anybody here. The big bang is the most accepted theory about the origin of the universe about 14 billion years ago. At the big bang all the energy of the universe was together in one incredibly hot. Dense mass. Space and time did not exist. And then this mass exploded. Beginning the physical process these. Created the universe that we observe around us. What was before the big bang. Well. Nono's. Most scientists are not even hazarding any guesses. It makes as much sense to the scientist in me. Finish divine creator with present for this event as does the converse. That there was nothing he just was and it just happened. So i choose to believe. And its creator. I said this process god. Was not the old white man with a temper. Rather this god is beyond our comprehension. But i can tell you what it is not. Some of what it is. I process god is not gendered. I get frustrated with the english language pronouns which is signed he or she status. The pronoun it does not feel right does not feel respectful enough but that's what i'll use. Get. It's not a puppet master. Controlling the strings of the universe. The greatest created mystery set things in motion according to physical laws. Some of which we understand. It is not meddling and how things unfold creating floods or typhoons or earthquakes. And it is not even helping. Our favorite sports team win imagine. It is not a vindictive punishing transgressors. God didn't have any role in becky's stuff. She was not being punished nor with god taking her home to a better place. People die. Unfortunately. Becky was one who died early. It is not immutable. We use the word unchangeable in everyday language forgot to process theology is malleable changing with the universe. This god feels our pain. God feels the pain of our earth in this time of unfolding ecological crisis. T'god. Horse spirit of life a process theology as a loving god. Loving all of what it created. Because this god is part of us. We can sometimes feel its presence. My hoe. Was born out of the love of my community. But also how does how i felt the love of god. Where do we find hope and tragedy. Only the living can be healed by love may sarton wrote in the palm we heard earlier. I've read that americans are the loneliest people on the planet. Community is the antidote to that. I found hope in tragedy through my community. Mostly you this uu church community. But other community as well. I found hope in love with surrounded me. I'm in the love of god. Which may be the same thing. He-man recipe. Please join me now and reflection and prayer let us hold all those of the named and those who remain in the silent sanctuary of heart our hearts. Let us hold them in this our beloved community spirit of life here is as we pray for those in need those here within these walls who are suffering and those who suffer in our community we pray for those who need our love and support we pray for the lonely and afraid among us molly and taiwan and we experience joy and worshipping together each of us is apart and oil change. Please join hands touching elbow differences which heals all wounds light all here's which reconciles all who are separated the inner and among us now and always.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-02-26-How-do-you-choose-to-be-a-UU.mp3?_=1

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california website at www.sec.gov org for further information. Internet campus minister. Universalist church of davis place of caring and compassion. At the unitarian universalist church for our own answers and the most important questions. What does it mean to grow up unitarian universalist. How is our church shaped by. How do you choose to be you you. We come together to create a unique community for this one hour. The issues that surround us are sometimes overwhelming. But in this space. We sent her ourselves. And come to know again that we are not alone. What might have been a burden. Becomes light. Welcome. I want to invite carol and join us with an announcement. Thank you grace. Thank you to everyone who's. From the rest of you soon. Administrator who helps us keep everything running smoothly. Has yet to reach you a salary guidelines. We should be leaders in fair compensation. We heard from many people. Setting this year of attacks on freedom. But they want to give money to other very worthy causes. Aclu and the southern poverty law center. Are fighting the racist agenda odorite. Can solicit get money from and most demographics. Is only supported by. Even though. Abyss church goes beyond ourselves. To share our values. An interdependent life. Please give your money where your values live. Working for a world of justice for all. I feel like smokey the bear. Please take whatever amount. Submitted. Today's service is all about how you choose to buu. Whether it's at home or everywhere you go. Douglas dear acquaintance teacher asks a question. Who am i. So i'm still trying to figure out who i am myself. The one you you value i will always express is never not asking questions. Everyday unitarian-universalist across the country by doing. Striving for social justice. Racially embracing different police. Since the beginning. Our hearts call us to care for our friends. And neighbors and to advocate for a fairer and more equal world. United spirit communities. Admitting. Asking with the big questions and learning how to. Please rise in body and spirit or spirit celebration spirit of life. 23 123 in the graham.. I have been a unitarian universalist. Regeneration uuni grew up in the church. So when i started it was mostly because my mom didn't remember coming to the bridgehouse i remember snacks and games and toys i'm a stability in an ever-changing life. I did not understand universalism to me. I came for my friends. I remember being excited every day to come to a group of friends. Which are a junior high weekend-long event that happened in a church. What does cumin hang out for this new amazing group of youth and young adults who have really become some of the most influential people in my life. These friends i've known since junior high. I want to con high school version of mugs. It was very much the same. This chapter in my life university. Unitarian universalism was stability and a friendship. Beautiful picture of what unitarian-universalism anatomy. Our coming-of-age program. I started to define my spirituality. This was an amazing group of life on friends. And we had all grown in parallel grown closer and closer with each experience. I started spending time every week talking about deep-pocketed topics like life and death in the afterlife and of course spirituality and religion. We believed this was really the start of my journey. Spiritual journeys are never truly over or complete universalism. I see how unitarian-universalism has really defines me as a person. Unitarian universalism is the single most influential experience i've ever had. It has shape every aspect of my life my morals my values and my beliefs. Thank you for inviting me here today. Speaking of growing up yu-gi-oh. I suspect like so many. I don't know for my phone so i can't speak for me as a kid. Generations my ancestors were quakers. Anybody else here with my three older siblings in tow. Coincidentally.. Early sixties when he took my older sisters on civil rights marches. Questions. Mom is there a god or heaven or hell. Well honey what are you think i wasn't coming. We moved away from new york when i was only ten years old. Community. White collar. High school race riots were an annual spring thing. First man. New york. 20 years later. Invaluable. Founding member dinner. Three days after that my mother died.. My siblings have had sustained in really intense involvement. And they would have made my parents so very proud. I wouldn't really wonderful. Because they were just showing sick but i do know that i am grateful and humbled. Dear friends dear friends let me tell you how i feel. Sometimes we start because of our parents. Sometimes we start a thing because of our kids. I came for my kids. I wanted to raise them to be. Well. In about 23 years ago. Why do we go to church. Jesus save me. Other impossible questions. Our neighbors were part of religion. Investigating churches. Having been raised presbyterian. Sunday mornings in the parking lot i work at a mental health facility and one of the clients every week. And i would relish my little hour alone. When it came to choosing a church for my kids in 1994 i started here and it just took one or two visits and i found a home. Within a year i became a member and i chose this church for my kids and it turns out for myself. I was a quiet member generally snuck out before i head to talk to too many people and i never. Mostly i was here to provide us. And i skated through with a moderate dissipation. Committees and task force. Opportunity. The variety of points of view. Voices in my spirit awake where the array of learning opportunities and relationships available to me i feel like i haven't even scratched the surface and what is in store for me. Capital public radio receive my only sustaining contributions and i come here to do good and be good. I initially came here to provide my three kids with an educated approach to spirituality. I feel they got that. All three are as good of people as i could have hoped. I did not do it. Their teachers. I see wonderful things happening every year in these services with your kids. We are a vibrant and responsible community. We make the world a better place. I stay in baltimore for myself i'm thrilled and my daughter is driving here in her own leadership role. However i realized that i myself need and educated approach to spirituality. I have met the most influential people in my life. I have had experience connection is made through leadership. I'm a better person because of this community. I don't know what my relationship was this church have. Surprising ways. I feel i expand smaller with each passing year it is a holy experience and i intend to stay for the ride. I love you so. Leadership roles. Eventually decided to volunteer in the nursery until. Feel like going i just got. Unfortunately sixth grade was seriously. High school church. Universalism. I made it my mission. But there are described. Quick before i left i told my mother i would never. It's a little bit hard. Today. But i've been over and over and over again i always will. Seated next to you. Whether it's a tradition. What is it that brought you this morning. Coffee hour. Ministers about. What are the community. To keep it alive and energetic. Energetic. Is this community in courage. Today. Struggle. Your heart today. Community in place. Hair. Either way is that you. 10 a.m.. Spirit. Major understanding of self. When one of us celebrate. We are apart of the turn of the earth. But not. Community. Or the fire of commitment. Questions and knowing. Do you choose a space with your spirit feeling the stirring inside in your own car. Spirit together. Moving in covenant with others. The shape. Congregation.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-12-08_I-Sing-the-Body-Electric_09_30.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. You are welcome here if you are filled with joy and how can you not be filled with joy with all of this festive decorations is everywhere or if you're lost in your being. And you're welcome here if you have a message to share or need to be quiet and listen. You are welcome here at all of your fullness. Your raise your culture. Your sexual orientation or gender identity religious views or political party. Come to connect with community. Come to honor the earth and come to claim your spirituality. And jen and i wanted to acknowledge that today's service is about sensuality and sexuality and we know that. This has been used to abuse some people to hurt them and we hope that this service will be. A time of healing of heart. And mind and spirit. So we acknowledged the difficulties that this may have been for some people among us and we hope for healing. Now is the time for centering to music. Arkhalis later today is izzy fisher is he is a sophomore at uc davis and she's majoring in film studies as she's a member of the unitarian universalist campus ministry program and she's also a member of the davis ballet company she choreographed movement choir piece that you'll be enjoying later in the service and now we light this chalice symbol of our unitarian-universalist heritage with a mere touch of another flame the light emerges from within this chalice. And begins to dance. May the chalice remind us of the warmth of community. And how our sacred connections to each other have the power to transform us. Advent which is a season of anticipation and waiting began last week during advent we will like one new candle on our advent wreath. Each week until christmas each week in bills to the final piece candle that will be lit on christmas eve. And now we light the first advent candle for hope. Hope can be seen in the actions of our caring youth they live with active compassion i doing volunteer work and speaking up against injustice. We like the s & b advent calendar candle for love love resonates in the small moments of kindness and attention we give to those we encounter. Becoming embodied has been. A long and continuing process for me as a sickly asthmatic kid i spent a lot of time in and out of hospital emergency rooms having difficulty breathing sensing the anxiety of my parents i'm watching gunshot victims and others wheeled in by ambulance i killed what seemed like the endless time waiting to be seen by a doctor by either carefully examining the vending machines or the poster on the wall with images explaining the differences between 1st 2nd and 3rd degree burns. Much of my journey as an adult has been about learning to come back into my body and to live more fully into its wisdom. To this day i want to weep with gratitude for the friends who had the patience to take me hiking camping skiing and rock climbing for the first time in my twenties when my asthma was finally managed well enough to do those things. Even now when my wife laureen gently encourages me to get out there and move to dance to jog to lift weights at the gym i'm filled with gratitude god bless her she thinks i'm inherently kinesthetic that my body was made to move sometimes i i almost believed her. I am inherently kinesthetic this is my birthright. Which leaves me to ponder. Who's barbra streisand. Isn't it to be. Kinesthetic. Be fully embodied isn't embodiment a key point of our experiences humans the answer is yes every one of us has a right to be fully embodied yet much of our experience in modern society conspires against us being fully embodied some of us learned at an early age through trauma to be at medical physical emotional or sexual to escape our bodies. Most of us learned there are very narrow parameters and which our bodies were socially welcome to exist only if you are this skin color this height this weight this strong with these abilities wearing these clothes the list goes on and on and on is your body acceptable used to be the burdensome the pathologies of many of these social expert expectations about the body fell mostly upon women but sadly we are seeing more gender equality in this realm with more and more eating disorders and body image issues are young amongst young men and boys with all of these pressures and dangers it's a miracle that we come back at all to be fully in our bodies into authentically experience the world and people around us why is coming back into your body worth while he may ask because there was so much healing pleasure and wisdom to be found in our bodies from your mother would brush your hair as a kid to when your junior high school coach put his hand on your shoulder after you started crying while explaining that your parents were getting a divorce to the pleasure of climbing a mountain or receiving a massage or making love to your beloved are incarnation it's a blessing. I have perceived that to be with those i like is enough to stop in company with the rest at evening is enough to be surrounded by beautiful curious breathing laughing flesh isn't on my arm ever-so-slightly around his or her neck for a moment what is this then i do not ask any more delight i swim in it as in the sea there is something and staying close to men and women and looking on them and in the contact and odor of them that it pleases the soul well all things please the soul that these please the soul well. Ralph waldo emerson roads we are made immortal by this kid by the contemplation of beauty our theme for the month of december is incarnation and the word means when the spirit becomes flesh and so today we celebrate the love of the body waiting for shower. Sitting on a plastic stool. I am patiently juggled my shampoo and soap and steam poured out from under one plastic shower curtain along with a billows of steam, song sung by a very young girl the gentle wordless music continued until she needed to take a breath and then. We feel our daily lives because we don't know what we would do. If we allowed ourselves to witness the beauty. Cities around us. What would it be like. If we became deeply distracted by the heroes. The sensual heroes of life. Would we drive off the road because of the pink and white fireworks of the almond and fruit trees blossoms in the spring. What are isley quit appreciation when we taste the creamy flesh. Of a medjool date. Fresh from the tree. When you listen to music will be risk getting lost emotionally never finding our way back. From debussy. From diana krall. Are daft punk. We are always looking for the breath of life the spark that will allow us to feel our vitality. Thomas moore says. The breath of life is found as scintilla. Meaning fragments are grains whispers traces minuscule bits that call our senses. In everyday. Scintilla is the origin of the word scintillating animated vivacious and effervescent. We can live in a constant state of spiritual and emotional attentiveness. And if i said arousal it changes the level of engagement but that is what i mean. And we could walk around in constant a constant state of arousal from our senses alone. We would all look so very distracted. Although our culture would tell you otherwise. I feel like the lights just came on with that thought he know that that was a very pleasing thought thank you jack and i'd like it just a little more microphone if you could just turn it up a little bit. Although our culture would tell you otherwise. The heroes of deep connection and relationship is not only contained in that sexual act. It is more available to us and every moment. Because. Sacred becomes mundane. That's why we try new experiences go new places delighted meeting new people. And let me do this week effortlessly become alert to the new and the delightful and the slightly frightening. We could keep our senses on alert. Each day imagine you would leave out of bed ready for the encounters with life in all of its variety. You could not wait to wake up. Consider living. In the counterculture. We know what the culture would tell us but consider as good unitarian universalist living in the counterculture. We can choose all of us to be lovers. Lovers of. All the senses and all that is perceived by our senses. Victor turner and influential anthropologist of religion wrote about sensuality and sexuality and the importance of experiences when we are listed out of ourselves and meditation and prayer. An exercise as jen was saying when we find that perfect flow and imagine her charging on the i can't believe that in the gym in moments of adrenaline rush skiing down a slope. We can have such experiences by gathering thousands of sparks of santillo's. Of eros. Through our senses and live a whole life. I distracted love. Monasteries are known as keepers of culture and beauty and architecture of riding and painting music and gardens and cheese and honey and brandy's and ales and books. The monasteries themselves are known as places of gracious hospitality referred to as the keys of experience of connection. I want to be clear that i'm not advocating celibacy. I'm saying that there are many ways many ways to have our everyday cares fall away. And to be held in a spiritual space when we are ourselves and yet out of ourselves. We are in our right mind and yet we are out of our mind. The every person can create a life that is a gateway to connection and arousal to life. And since i mentioned celibacy i will mention its opposite. The kind of arrows that is found in sexual encounters. Opens profound levels of connection to us. And sex can be meaningful without deep love. Can be a joy just because of the sharing of the intense pleasure that it provides. But sex with eyerus of connection and relatedness. Takes the experience to a spiritual dimension. And like all spiritual experience as it is filled. It is filled with incredible power. When i meet with couples preparing to make public their commitment together they've usually already made that commitment and private. We acknowledge that they have come upon nothing less than a miracle. There are many kinds of relationships and many kinds of love in this world. The two people managed to find someone who has the right out looking life. Where there is mutual attraction. That is nothing less than amazing. And living in a relationship with arrows or sexuality sensuality and spiritual intimacy merge. Is not an ordinary human achievement. It is extra ordinary. Especially in a world. Where did such a challenge to define and sustain this kind of deep relationship. The first. The first thing we do in this session together as a married to be couple and minister is we give thanks. But then i challenge them. They receive this gift from life itself. So how will they give that love back to the world. It will be possible for others to find meaning. How will they use this gift. Of power. Audre lorde. An author and african-american road that erotic sexual love. It comes from sharing herself. Deeply with another lessons the threat of the differences that exist between her partner and herself. Despite their disagreements there is a stronger bridge that brings them together more than pushes them apart. Trust growth. It is as if distrust create a larger container for joy. Once audre lorde experiences this magnitude of joy and safety she then demands the same level of satisfaction in all areas of life. She's no longer satisfied with a merely convenient. Expected. The risk-free life. And she finds new courage. Soon she sets aside fears and chooses to address even difficult truth. Because she has a sense of power. That she did not have. Without this container for joy. A person who has a loving relationship with their own body or the body of another. The feeds connection and relatedness. Is a person in touch with power. Finding our own power touching our strengths lord says. Watch out for these people. And be with them. They have less fear. And more courage. And are in an extra-ordinary relationship with life. With the sensuous arrows and the sexual eras we are awakened. From chaos and love we come into being we are aroused to courage. Audrey lord says that the connection of essential arrows the scintilla sparks of being lifted out of the everyday world are part of what is necessary to reach. For that passionate heroes. I paraphrase. Her writing. The writing of carter hayward actually. With. The poem. In phrases. She thinks about more than concepts like sexuality theology and ethics. She leaves behind all of that intellectualization. Get myself some daffodils and wait for them to open. It's easy bring some bright beauty into our life and then spends time. And she writes about settling down beside her old arthritic dog and. Getting his legs and comfort and she makes them mocha java decaf. So she touches what is soft and consumes what is pasty. And remembers. Denise. Amc. Black sash. South africa. And i had to ask myself. How we are connected to these movements for survival and joy. No there's that connection to things much larger than one person. Only after this and much more can she love. And be loved sexually in a way that brings power to the world end to her life. For survival and passion. Her friends and movement. For justice and yearning. For touch and pleasure. We are becoming. Ourselves. And it's season of incarnation may you be in love with the world. So in love. But you live with courage. An extra-ordinary relationship with life. Maybe so. And amen. And i too into a time of prayer and meditation. We are so aware. At the passing of nelson mandela. I said i would turn our thoughts to that great man. And we will dedicate the remainder of this service. Tis life. These words from his trial when he was sentenced to a life in prison. He said these. To the judge and to all who gathered. And the judge is the lord. He respectfully addresses. I've cherished the ideal. I'm a democratic and free society. All persons will live together. In harmony. With equal opportunities. These are the ideals for which i hope to live for. But my lord. If it need be. It is an ideal for which i am prepared. Todai. And so he lived for 95 years. His life. Is a gift. He knew fear. He knew resentment. He knew bitterness. He chose to live what he wished for the world. Reconciliation. Peace. When a man is done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country he can rest in peace mandela wrote i believe i have made that effort and that is therefore why i will sleep i was clean for the eternity we are love we are peace. I to take cans across the aisle take an elbow by nelson mandela over it may you be in love with the world so in love with the world that you live with courage and extraordinary relationship with life.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-03-22_Ordination-of-Anne-Gonzalez-Copy.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website at w.w. org for further information. It's my honor to welcome everyone here to the unitarian universalist church of davis and the ordination of any gonzalez this is truly a celebration of the highest celebrations that we could ever have in this congregation so welcome to this church welcome to this congregation welcome her and her ministry. And the truth of our association deland cousin until bonds are blurring congregational district regional national. And international. As we discover that we are better together together we serve unitarian-universalism as we grow spiritually and create love and justice in the world annie. Blessings on you and your ministry i'm delighted to call you colleague friend soon reverend gonzalez this is indeed a joyous occasion. Welcome to all of you who have come to celebrate. Spirit of life and love. Let us feel your presence of bee life is chalice and celebration of our face. You lie our way and service to others and in our search for unity with you. Blessed be. From the noisy busyness of our lives we have come. To this place and this time this holy moment of ordination. May we be holy here. Together in the sacred ritual. Presence. To the weight of what we are here to do. May our hearts be here in this room as well as our intention. As we honor annie's call to ministry. As we witness her deep gladness meeting the world's hunger. Maybe we be awake to the divine that walks among us and moved beyond us as we honor and his vision. And witness with gratitude. Her gift of service. Maybe feel our connection to the with width and depth of our religious movement as we honor and he's commitment. As we witness her transition into the ordained ministry of the unitarian universalism. A reading from deuteronomy. Surely this commandment that i am commanding you today is not too hard for you. Nor is it too far away. It is not in heaven that you should say. Google to heaven for us and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it. Neither is it beyond the sea that you should say. Cool cross to the other side of the sea for us and get it for us so that we may hear it and observe it. No. The word is very near to you. Bees in your mouth. And in your heart. For you to observe. My greatest fear is that i will always have my microphone on at the wrong time how good it is to be here with annie and the so many others who have gathered for this wondrous occasion and i am rather in awe that you have actually asked a lutheran minister to give this tournament so i had to have a text from the bible. This text from deuteronomy comes near the very very end of the book of deuteronomy which is itself the end of the pentateuch. Which we often call the five books of moses. You probably already knew that. Even though moses didn't write them. But the people who had left slavery in egypt. And the people that crossed the red sea. Had wandered now for 40 years and they were moving slowly and circuitously toward that land that god had promised them and that you would think that now that they are at the edge of the jordan river. They will be able to simply crossover. But instead. Moses gives a very long sermon 34 chapters the kids are fidgety and the grown-ups are impatient. Because they can look over and see the land. But before they can go across the jordan. Moses has something to say to them from god. Remember. Who you are. Remember who brought you across the sea. Remember who freed you from slavery. Before you go into this new land remember. Who created you. Remember. That the word that i am giving you is not. Far off. It's not up in heaven. As elizabeth stole ably red. It's not across the sea it is. In your mouth. And in your heart. It is close to you. As breathing. When i was a pastor way uptown in new york city we shared a street with an orthodox jewish congregation a large congregation and on the festival of simchat torah they would literally dance the scrolls. End of the street. The street bennett avenue would be filled with people and they would be holding the scroll up as they walk down the street and people would touch it with their prayer shawls and celebrate the coming of tara. And then on that festival day they would read the last. Chapter of the book of deuteronomy. And the first chapter of genesis. In the same service. They will gather up the beginning in the end. Is going the same. Breath. Like today. We're gathering up endings and beginnings andy. Something's abandon your life grade school. And high school. And your years of macalester college ended. 3 years at union seminary ended. Several people are here including me to witness that we witnessed attending. Your internship in this congregation. Has ended. But all of those endings are gathered up. For this beginning. And i want to just take a bit of time to give thanks for those who have been part of those endings. John o'donohue has a book called the book of blessings and one of the blessings he has is this. Praise be your father and mother. Who loved you before you were. Entrusted to call you here with no idea. Who you would be. Thank you. And he includes also a blessing for the larger community. Blessed be those who have loved you into becoming who you were meant to be. Lots of people here. Just look around. Well there's lucas look at this grandparents john and dixie to. And so many mentors and friends and colleagues and the people in this congregation who nurtured you. True that internship year all of these endings have now brought you to a new beginning by the river. Because this is where we always come the jewish people always come to the river every year. They read through those five books. And they end up always at the same place. By the river. Because you know by now. As i said before that this book wasn't written by moses. You took old testament. And even before you took old testament you might have wondered. How could moses write about his own death. But this is a wondrous thing about the book of deuteronomy i love this about this book of deuteronomy that it always ends up with the river and so when the jewish people read genesis through deuteronomy they always end up with the river. And in my old neighborhood they literally walk to the hudson river. To remember the before they went into the land they had to remember some things about who they were. Where they had been. And who brought them there. So we stand at the river today. I don't know about that wonderful. Wall hanging. Beautiful river. So here i am i'm. You can turn around now if you don't know about that. It's just a lovely lovely river and so here we are really literally standing at this. River today. You know you woke up today. As annie gonzalez. And you will go to bed as reverend andy gonzalez. And you will still be anna gonzalez. But you have been called this day really to gather people at the river. Students young adults all over the country now part of your calling and i think searching people of every age you will stand with them by the river and i think that one of the things that i have come to cherish. About my students who are unitarian universalist. Is a deep commitment. Just searching for a word that is near. Close. As breathing. Closest breathing. You might not turn to the book of deuteronomy. You might not even turn into some of you to the bible. I know that we make our students preach on the bible. Whether they want to or not and they are very good sports about it but some of them say this is the last time i will do that. But you are. Searching people. Honest about searching and longing for a word that is near i think you have some of the same spirit. As the poet. Stephen dunn he wrote a poem called at the smithville methodist church. And in this poem he has sent his little daughter the poet the father in the poem has sent his little daughter off to vacation bible school. Because he thought it would be nice for her to be with some children and then they. His daughter came home talking about religion. Really she came home singing songs about god. And he didn't quite know what to do. Because she seemed to be very happy and the story was coming alive in her and then at one point. He says in the poem you can see he's try he's struggling with this he says. Evolution is magical. But devoid of heroes. You can't say to your child evolution loves you. The story. Stinks of extinction. And nothing exciting happens for centuries. I didn't have a wonderful story for my child. And she was beaming. What he was feeling as he didn't have a story for himself. Either a story that would hold him that would really. Hold all of his life together. So i think that one of the things annie that you will do is to help people find that story that holds them and it may not be like the story they grew up with. Or they may not have grown up with any story at all. But you will stand with them beside the river for their beginnings and their endings. Does wonderful beginnings babies born. People falling in love getting married. The beginning of. College for the first time. Those wonderful beginnings you'll be with him. But you won't go away for the endings. And you've already experienced some in the congregation. People lost a job that they cherished. And it wasn't their fault. Fired. Asked to leave. Without saying goodbye. Or. Tragedies that cannot be explained a person dying way too soon. And you'll stand with people. When they're dying. You'll be with them in their beginnings. And their endings. A know you will honor their questions. After all the bible is full of questions. Am i my brother's keeper. Oh that you would rend the heavens and come down where are you guys. Or. Why have you abandoned me. For questions about bible. And moses knew about this he asked for god's name you said will when i go to the people when i go to faroe what name shall i give i mean tell me your name what is your name and god said. I am who i am. What kind of answer is that. Really. Badoo. An answer. As close as breathing. Refuses to be defined. Robaxin. Refuses to just take what has been handed down. Insists on new language when new language is needed i am who i am. Might be female as well as male. The word is. Near you. Closest breathing. Take a breath. Pick another one. This word is not far off. Is not up in heaven. That we should ask someone to go up to heaven and bring it down to us. It is not up and have an even though there lots of books ed. Tell us that they have proof of heaven. It's not across the sea. Not in some other place so that someone would have to go across the sea to bring it. Home to us. This word is very near. It is in your mouth. And in your heart. So that you can do it. Keep breathing. Keep believing. That this word. Is very near you. So may it be. Hi good afternoon. Thank you. Today's offering is being collected to support the living traditions fund. Organizations and installations are occasions where we celebrate our spiritual leaders and he's being ordained into a rich tradition and we welcome her and we celebrate the religious professionals who lead our face and we traditionally we take a collection to support them. I'm sorry i was. I was. Expecting someone to join me but that's fine i'll just very important source of financial support for ministers and other religious professionals and like i said it traditional at occasions like ordinations and installations that we support. Hello. Where are you yes well i lit the beacon because i'm i'm yes i'm i'm doing it. I'm doing. And if you're going to write a check please make it out to uucd and put living tradition fund in the memo line. At so that we know where to put it and thank you so much for your generosity the offering will now be gratefully received. From the unitarian universalist church of annie's you'd i bring memories of blessings received from anna gonzalez we remember her singing in these choir with a smile on her face her conversations with us that were engaging and articulate. Enter curiosity about people and ideas. We remember her emerging social consciousness and her courageous spirit. Her passion for a life crammed with living. We remember with all learning of her college decision to enter the ministry. Edward pleasure her request to sponsor her candidacy for uu fellowship. We remember being inspired by her ministry in chinese government. These blessings we receive from annie. These blessings we returned to her today. As she crosses the threshold to the place where her deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meat. May her ministry staff are usable chorister smiles. And motivate vibrant adult conversation. May her ministry inspire intellectually curious congregants. Esther courageous social action. Met her ministry energized a church community life crammed with living. As andy gives of herself and her talents. Macy finds fulfillment. Pleasure and awe. Today with handwritten notes from inez illinois friends i blessed the space between her bloomington-normal sponsoring church and her davis ordination. The writers of these notes stretch out their hands bearing witness. That annie is part of us and we are proud of her. We'd last sermon the stereo journal. This is reverend michael brown from the universalist unitarian church of peoria illinois we're delighted to be part of the service today andy we bring you greetings from our church and. Wonderful good wishes for your new path. We're delighted that you were taking this stuff. We believe that we were your first unitarian universalist congregation and that you were with us i think up to about age 12. And i remember you in the basement of our old church i remember you and sunday school and. Have fun memories of you and your family here in this church and of course many fond memories of staying in touch since then. We are sending you today all of our best wishes all the good wishes that we can muster up our with you today from us we are so pleased that someone who started. On the path of unitarian-universalism in our church is now becoming a minister of this wonderful faith. And so today. It is our wish that the blessings of this church. And the blessings of life be upon you and your family and your community as you embark on this path which is going to change the world. And we are looking forward to the next time that you preach in our pulpit once again. As the reverend andy gonzalez may the blessings of life be upon you. Annie's parents here. This is big. And i am filled with pride and joy. I have many hopes for you. Among them is my hope that your passion for social justice will continue. And your love of nature will also go on. At the same time i hope your laughter and your joy for life will stay with you. In other words my hope is that you can follow this challenging. That you've chosen. Plumbing heating of dallas. Between caring for yourself. And caring for this bruised and hurting world. Finally i want to remind you that your friends. Family. Probably lucas and especially your parents are always there for you. As you know annie my nature is to worry so i was worried when you decided to attend this multiface seminary in big scary new york city. Neumeister immigration rights in arizona. With that wonderful steroid down there are over there i thought. Did you actually have to go stand there then during your summer experience as a hospital chaplain. I worried about your dealing with patients of different face. Asia's illnesses. Tragedies. Not to mention getting along with your chaplain collies. I'm half and an apostolic pentecostal. But you became. Search friends. Finally i worried about your internship at a clear on the other side of the nation in california. I just charged. You came to love. Dearly. If you continue as a minister. Right now in serving an adult. I'll probably continue to worry that i admire and believe. And you wholeheartedly. Plus you have a blessing that will go with you always. It's real love you tired. In all gathered here this day. From near and far. Enzymes here in spirit. And then memory. So keep just stay in your heart. Drawing it when you want to throw your hands and everything ministerial. When you serve those in heart-wrenching came. Conceal your own car freaky. Or when you marked on the side of love which i'm sure you'll do again. Or in the gladness of your ministry. See the love of this day reflected in that gladness. Don't worry any i think it's really convenient. That. The place god calls you to is the place where your deep gladness and the world's deep hunger meet because your deep gladness. Is so close to the world's deep hunger. I think your deep gladness is really in the first principle of unitarian universalism that the inherent dignity of all people. I think you do more than that. I think you're not only affirm the inherent worth and dignity of all people. But when people are near you and when you interact with people. You celebrate their infinite worth. And their infinite dignity. And you dry out. And really powerful ways. I've seen you do that with people in this community and this particular church. And with people across the country. In every interaction that you have. You. Are really connected to who people are. Dupree. And you beat yourself up when you feel like you haven't run it out as fully as you could. You do you kick yourself for it but you do it. You do it so well not be kicking yourself the drawing the drying it out and i want you to just take a minute with the people here gathered here. To really recognize that every single person here in this space is here because on some level. Bear delaware. So worthwhile. And so dignified. Because of your ministry. And that you'll carry that always. Hi i'm megan and i had the profound pleasure of being the student president of the campus ministry group why danny was are interred in davis when auntie asked me to speak are i was incredibly honored. Any exhibits many of the qualities that i think are vital for the future i hope to see in unitarian universalism. The fall that annie began her internship with our campus ministry group it was small and broken the previous year we had struggled with our leadership. And we're starting off a little rocky. Annie was fantastic at helping us rebuild our foundations and for that we are all very grateful. Because any help reconnect our group members and our sense of group unity i felt that it was important to get input from other members about the impact that they felt and he had made on them here are some of the aspects of anytime here that we remembered the most. Her ability to simultaneously lead us and treat us as equals. And with the utmost respect. The beautiful and rare balance with which she let us allowed us to feel that we truly got to know her as an individual. Her skill at making campus ministry meetings truly feel like a respite from our otherwise chaotic lives. And last but certainly not least the enthusiasm and joy with which annie brought to everything that she did with us. Danny you already have the skills that we are the adults think i needed. Thank you for the influence you had on our group and on myself as an individual. Davis and campus ministry were so blast. We wish you the best in your future and we know you will continue to bless the world. The way i wanted it to can you hear me michelle from the first unitarian church of oakland sodium is too tall for me you are already so blessed what possibly could i give you you your presents and poise are perfect. You are beautiful singer you're an amazing leader you're very thoughtful and attentive to detail and filled with intention so i bring with me the well wishes and encouragement of everyone at the first unitarian church at the first unitarian church of oakland. Especially the young adults we've been so blessed to have you this past year has it been over a year. So that as you go forward to build bridges and men circles may you represent the best of us and of unitarian universalism. Bless you. Bless you now and it all days to come. In our living religious tradition the authority to ordained ministers rest with our congregations our congregation voted unanimously in august of last year to afford a nanny and today we gather together for this ceremony and katherine gonzalez please come forward and we have experienced you as a minister and we confirm your calling to serve our world through eunice unitarian universalist ministry are you prepared to take on the privileges and responsibilities of ordained ministry and fully embrace your call. Do the unitarian universalist ministry we send you out into this world to nurture and inspire unitarian universalist communities as you continue to grow in your falling and at your face as you serve our religious movement and encouragement as your internship and order rogation i humbly accept this ministry. Would a nice family please come forward and find a place where you can lay your hands on annie. Anime stand that the river. But you do not stand at the river alone. You are surrounded by family and friends by colleagues. You are called to the ministry not only by your god but by your people. And through this ancient act of laying on of hands. You become part of a legacy. Of all of those who have been called and ordained to minister to their people. Lucas and pat. And ernie. Take a moment. To let your blessings. But you have so eloquently spoken. According to annie through your hands. And you gathered clergy aroubd ones you have special blessings to offer any as well will you come and place your hands on a knee or those touching a knee. Welcoming her into this tradition. Into this ministry. And now we'll all of those gathered please come forward placing your hands on those touching any. As you reach your hand out to touch. Imagine your hopes. Your love. Your vision. 4 annie's ministry. Your desires for unitarian universalism. And for our whole world. Imagine all of those hopes and dreams. Wishes thoughts and prayers. Pouring. Out through your palms. I'm feeling annie to the brim. Annie. Soak it up. You're going to need it. Let us all stay together. Reverend annie we bless your ministry. Take a breath. Let it out. Even as though this is your ordination and you graciously reminded us it's actually not all about you. And so as we release our hands i invite you just bring your palms together. In a blessing and just rub your palms together create a little warm and energy. Some of that fire of justice. Some of that tender comfort is contained there. And release your hands and say let us bless the world but i bless the world. How many please find your seats. It is my honor enjoy to prevent the stool to annie our church has been praised for being a teaching congregation but truth to tell. Much more back from our insurance and we ever give to them comes back tenfold. We tend to be a little possessive of our insurance and he sure we have a hard time giving them back to the rest of the denomination but and we also tend to take credit for everything they do out you know so it's judy moore's created this beautiful stole hanging. Has a gift to annie when she finished her internship here the fabric is in the store matches the fabric that judy used for hanging in the new entry hall. We hope that annie will feel our presence and love and support of our whole congregation whenever she with. That clearly visible claiming chalice symbolizes annie's call as unitarian universalist minister and there is also a fish design that's a little more settled which symbolizes the importance of christianity to a neon a personal spiritual level as part of her calling. It's my honor and privilege today to get to extend any the right hand of fellowship on behalf of all the ordained and fellowship unitarian universalist ministers that have come. In by. Three or so months of ordained ministry i am come to understand what it means to be in fellowship. What i've come to understand is that being in fellowship. Means at least two things. It means that we hold up a silver mirror. Three other person so that they can see truly who they are and be reminded of that and reminded of the self work but they are called to do. And we point out the true star of our faith that we are called to follow. There's a poem by william stafford that i talked to andy about earlier this week and it goes. If you don't know the kind of person i am. And i don't know the kind of person and you don't know the kind of person that i don't know the kind of person you are and you don't know the kind of person i am then a pattern that others made may prevail in the world. And following the wrong god home. We may miss. Arstar. I have known you for four and a half years and in those four and a half years. You've been so constant. I actually we talked a lot about ministerial formation but i have not seen you forming i've seen you being who you are in a variety of different settings and throughout the years. They talk about ordination as making the inner self visible to all you were dating the person you know. Them to be. I actually looks forward to you before i met you because on the kitchen counter of the doorman which auntie and i lived her first year in seminary she left out of uu world magazine and i thought well i'm going to get a colleague and i've also learned that that's true about fellowshipping. Word of your coming has spread from minister to minister and congregation to congregation. And we have looked forward and awaited this day. This moment of your arrival. When you would be the reverend. And katherine gonzalez. I got to tell a little story last night to annie and lucas about how my husband and i went on this absolutely insane bike ride in the dark at night to nepal. And how as we were riding a bike we'd sink to one another cuz we literally could not see the other person and we didn't want to crash our bike into the other person. And ministry is a lot like being blind in the dark and riding a bike but the wonder of that is in that. Meaningless darkness that true darkness the star of our faith shines so bright. What we are called to do. Is so clear. It also makes me think of you because i think of you was full of song my clearest memories of you are at singing. The song we used to singing gospel choir still good. But there is a song within you that you have not signed yet. And i know that song will be. So beautiful. In the darkness there is a song. And that song is full of joy. And that joy is bright and clear. Your quilting informed your ordination today talks about a deep gladness. I think a deep troy. You. Rrd troy. And we will follow you singing into the darkness. And their answer the world great hunter. Annie is my privilege to stand with you in this threshold moment the skateway moment. And to invite you across through the gate. And into fellowship. Tripp place where you will always belong. Welcome. 20 we'd agreed that you i would face you in this way and i'm going to change that a little bit but first i need to know that you're going to do this with me in some ways and so i'm going to try to kill you but i have confidence that we can do this with great enthusiasm. Let us go out into this beautiful day and let us find those places where our deep gladness meets the many hungers in this world that each of us may live lives of meaning and of great joy maybe so.

uudavispodcast_org

2015-10-04-Animal-Blessings-The-Reverence-of-Creatures_09_30-3.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. We come to the sanctuary to celebrate and to be in community. Reverend beth banks is celebrating the ordination of our previous intern minister ashley her and this week so i'll be your worship leader this morning with major backup from the lovely amanda caught a lot larkin. I sent a special thanks to amanda and nancy and mandy dawn and the many others who pulled the service together. I've been away and often out of touch for the past nine days and they took care of many many many many details that it takes to pull off this iceberg of a service so. Sometimes. We simply understand our experience of god. As an experience of belonging. Not justa family. Or nation or galaxy even but to everything. The experience of the ultimate belonging. This ultimate belonging comes with a price. Joy and well or woven fine. When we create community. This congregation comforts us when we know loss and celebrates our best dreams we bring our differences for together. We offer a fuller truth than anyone point-of-view can offer. This is a place of challenge and compassion the holy is experienced here in many ways and given many names. People of all sexual orientations and gender identities are celebrated and we welcome all political parties races classes and physical abilities we have much to learn from one another. And from our diversity. This is a place of learning. And a place of hope. And whether because of the touch of a friend the words and music. Or a moment of silence may you feel more alive. May you feel. The sense of belonging. As part of our congregation we have lit chalices. In the rear of the sanctuary to honor ashley herranz ordination. We did not have words in response to this week's mess shooting. In oregon. But we light a chalice. As samuel snook brown from a neighboring community college road. This shooting could have happened. To any of us. And today. It feels like it did. I am gutted. I am dizzy lost. I feel eviscerated by some emotion some combination of genuine shock and conditioned resignation. Apart shaking grief. And impotent rage. That i cannot find a word for. And so we light a chalice. But now let's let all of that go. And appreciate the beauty of this moment. This clean air. This community with which we do belong. And this lovely song by gillian welch. We light this chalice spark of the original fire of creation to remind us. That we all on this planet the furred the feathered defend in the scaled along with us featherless bipeds we are all made of the same star stuff and all share a common destiny. We all share the same hopes of a life free from harm and suffering and the same aspirations of happiness love and flourishing. Being able to express our own unique nature's and capacities as best we may. We are all just that many diverse perspectives from which the whole is seen and experienced. We are intertwined interconnected and interdependent. And it is good. And now these opening words we honor and celebrate the animals of the field or barn. The forest and the mountains. Animals that are plentiful. Or nearing extinction. All animals that are great in size and spirit. We are blessed by their presence on this earth. To learn from animal beings by john o'donohue. Nearer to the earth's heart deeper within its silence. Animals know this world in a way we never will. We who are ever distance and distracted by the parade of bright windows. Thought opens. Their seamless presence is not fractured this. Stranded between time gone and time emerging. We managed sell them to be where we are aware as they are always looking out from the here and now. May we learn to return and rest in the beauty of animal being. Learn to lean low. Leave are locked minds and with freed senses feel the earth breathing with us. May we enter into lightness of spirit. And slips frequently into the feel of the winds. But the clear silence of our animal being cleanse our hearts of corrosive words. May we learn to walk upon the earth with all their confidence and clear-eyed stillness. So that our minds might be baptized. In the name of the wind. And light and the rain. As i began to think about the topic of animals in my life. I realize that in many ways animals are my whole life. I cannot remember a time without animals. From the very beginning as a small child living in new york state near long island sound i was constantly trying to get closer to any animal that came into my life i spent hours watching the geese down at the water even managing to capture a small gosling. And probably terrifying my mother by showing up at our front door with the baby duck hopped in my hands she convinced me to return it to its parents to very large canada geese who were stalking up and down the beach in search of their offspring. I also spent hours watching songbirds and trying to catch one. I was sure if only i could sprinkle some salt on their tails i would capture one. Keep in mind i was only about 4. When i was seven i brought my pet toads in to school for show-and-tell. I was forever creating homes for them in buckets. Complete with moss. Stones and small pools. And they were forever jumping out to their freedom. By the time i was 11 and we lived in rural connecticut i spent many summers down at the local farm pond. Watching the frogs and tadpoles the edges of the pond were warm and squishy under my bare feet. My shoes abandoned in the grass. A12 i was wandering through the farm fields passing cows watching hawks. And even once cleansing and beautiful fox. Often my cat would accompany me on my walks. Her steps were soft. Her tail held high like a beacon. She was an excellent wandering companion. After i walk she would come and sit on my lap. Hurrying and smelling. Like the woods. My mother was amazingly put up with all of my animal habits and i had an array of gerbils hamsters and pet rats over the years she even allowed me at age 52 name or new standard poodle puppy daisy. Daisy was with us for the next 17 years moving from new york to minnesota to southern connecticut to northern connecticut with us. She was a constant in my life i don't remember lying down next to her. Trying to breathe in sync with her slow. Respiration. Wanting to be as peaceful and as relaxed as she was. My love for animals and especially horses carried me through all of the moves we made while i was growing up through intense teasing that i endured as a result of being call shy. And perpetually the new kid in school. I was lucky enough to start horseback riding at age 6 and i've been riding ever since. His passion for horses has taken me so many places including veterinary school. I had met amazing people including my husband as a result of this love of horses. Do horses i have learned about myself about commitment and dedication about discipline about joy. About success and about failure. About the power of practice. And about the perfect harmony that is possible. With another being. Currently i have one horse. Two dogs and five cats. They make me smile every day they bring out the best in me. And they bring out the worst in me they drive me crazy and they fill me with joy. They keep my life full. And my house full of hair part of ourselves. And i feel blessed to have. Such an amazing beings in my life. Thank you. My parents were among those evacuated from the butte fire so i spent several days on twitter looking for updates to see if their house was safe in the end by the way it was. People rallied to help not just the affected people. But the affected animals as well pepcid been rescued were post along with hopes to find their owners owners of ranches volunteered their trucks trailers and skills to retrieve animals that were left in the burn areas. What organization posted that animals needed supplies and within hours they had so much pet food that donations had to be turned away. Veterinary hospitals including the one at our own uc-davis provided care for over 450 animals and hundreds more were rescued sheltered or treated by their communities. This is a recurrent theme in major disasters after hurricane katrina an impromptu network and this was before facebook and when you know when you head to track down people's phone numbers this network of volunteers sprung up including myself and members of my family searching through lost and found records driving hundreds of miles to reunite separated pets and owners and after superstorm sandy a similar effort arose in new york and new jersey. When disaster strikes we humans want to ensure that all of our animals are well cared for. So what is it about animals that inspires than up such reverence such profound respect and care for the creatures that we know but also those we've never met. Perhaps in part it's the way that these animals for whom we provide care care for us in return. There are many kinds of animal helpers dogs are employed in rescue operations as companion for humans with many different needs. Research shows us that interaction with animals can help humans with their anxiety but their blood pressure and depression and can even help our social skills with other humans. If you float on a sacramento lately and i actually met them you may have met the members of the boarding area relaxation corps or bark a team of dogs and owners deployed to reduce travel anxiety among those waiting in the terminals and i'm afraid to fly in it actually did help. Animal visitors, those in nursing care on hospice and have been shown to reduce stress in those with alzheimer's disease. And in schools there are therapy dogs that have been trained to sit and listen to children who are just learning to read while they read aloud. And they found that having a non-judgmental attentive companion to practice reading with can more than double their reading speed. Then there are the smaller acts of compassion that are animals provide us daily. A friend who is just started in-home hospice care for her father. Reports that her cat wakes her up in the morning if her father gets up before she does. My wife's grandfather had ms and he had a dog patches that on more than one occasion alerted his caretakers when her grandfather got stuck. And after my own personal disaster we were staying with friends who had three small dogs one of them biscuit was my constant companion for weeks after our fire. She would sit next to me every time i sat she would lay down with me when i went to bed and she followed me wherever i went. And when she was with me for at least some time. I felt better. So if you have animals in your life where you have in the past. Take a minute for me. Close your eyes. And think back to a moment where one of those animals provided you with comforter care and how without any words at all. Your animal friend made you feel. In the beginning. God created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form or void. Ellen davis is a biblical scholar and conservationist who was interviewed on a podcast on being. She highlighted the first chapter of genesis. Noting how different the rhythm of the text changes to a magisterial toned liturgical poem. When creatures are introduced. God makes night-and-day firmament and water seeding plants sun and stars. And genesis notes. It was good. It was so. There was light. However when creatures are introduced the rhythm of the text changes. It shifts to poetry. Let the waters bring forth abundantly. The moving creature that hath life. And god blessed them. Blessing came into play and know that the fishes and the animals received their blessing before man and woman. Creatures receive exquisite tension attention in the bible. Now before i totally lose those of you who may find the term god. Sticky. Let me share a favorite thought from debbie ford. She says the god i speak of is not an all-powerful presence that lives outside of us but rather a universal force that lives in the core of our being. Connecting us. With all that is and all that will be. Connecting us with all that is and all there will be. It's an all-encompassing energy that is both powerful and wise. A force that is often referred to as spirits. Love. Universal connection. God. We tend to forget the art of being creatures. It often seems to be a lost art and we tend to think of creatures as anything not human. Yet we need to remember that we are creatures. And anything that slows us down to our true nature. Is a gift. Animals know this world in a way we never will. They're always looking from the here and now. When we move. It's typically. From point a. To point b. From a. Tubi. Yes. How often do we truly notice the sacred places. In between. How often do we appreciate the transitions. Near the earth's heart deeper within its silence animals know this world in a very special way that we never truly will an animal creature will meander. And sniff. It will pause. We'll take a break and we'll take in everything around it. Fully aware. Will lie down wherever it feels like. It will eat when it's hungry. And unless going after prey or perhaps a ball. An animal. Being is ever on a journey. Destination free looking out. From the here. And the now. We need to remember that we are creatures. Creatures of blood and bone. And wendell berry reminds us that there are no unsacred places. There are only sacred places. And desecrated places. Let us be the creatures that we are meandering in sacred places. The in between a and b. Sniff. And pause. And take it in the here and now. May we return and rest in the beauty of our animal beingness. Learn to lean low. Leave are locked minds. And with freed senses feel the earth. Breathing with us. In our pastoral prayer we sit together in the sanctuary. In the spirit of ultimate belonging. Belonging not only to family nation or even galaxy. But to everything. Because of this belonging we feel when our neighbors are senselessly killed. We have a deep grief that our great nation is toppled day after day by violence. There are no words of comfort. We should not be comfortable. Thoughts and prayers are not enough. We hold our connections dear and we feel our belonging. Let us breathe deeply in the shared experience of this thing called living. Let us share the despair. And struggle as well as they wonder in celebration. May we learn to walk on this earth with the clear-eyed stillness of the creatures that we are. Stopping. Pausing. Seeing the world around us lee learning to lean low. May we look out from the here and now. Each of us is part of an intricate web of relationships. When one of us grieve the loss or celebrates a joy or milestone the web of life moves to a new shape we are part of the turn of the earth the shift of the stars the pull of the sea and all change. The experience of god intimately and extensively connects us with everything all that is present in our lives and in our world. As well as all that is past and all that is possible. May we experience that god here and now. May we learn to walk upon the earth with confidence. And clear-eyed stillness so that our minds might be baptized in the name of the wind. And the light. And the rain. Common.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-01-12-_Becoming-Courage-Leading-with-Our-Hearts_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome welcome and good morning my name is caitlin connor and i am your intern in campus minister for the year. This morning you are accepted just as you are. And at the same time may you come here seeking change. Perhaps that change is to live with more trust. Or to forgive others. How to reach out to others you don't understand. In this our together some among us wish to be changed by the quiet time. A time when they focus on their own spirits. And how it connects to others. Perhaps you want to make change happen in our beautiful and hurting world. May this. Be a place of comfort and challenge and the people around you be known as companions on the journey. On that journey are people with a diversity of beliefs. God or whatever it is in which you place altima trust. Is different for each of us. On this journey there are people of different sexual orientations and gender identities and expressions those a different class and race and physical ability. Come. Let us search together. And become our best selves once again each week a new opportunity to remember. What is possible. Petrella's represented the collective denomination jean-marie. Courage is a complex concept that is exactly in general there are at least six overlapping. Several of my relatives. Never spoke to me again. A tiny brown baby had brought forth their strong deep south heritage and attended racial prejudices. Fortunately others in our family embrace ryan and supported our decision. Ryan dropping as a nap american african american kid in a white middle-class family. App for enough. I'm not black i'm brown like my teddy bear. Volunteer garden it came home one february day very upset. It took a while for us to tease for him. From him the reason. Turns out his classmates. Core learning about abraham lincoln. Had called him a slave. We assured him that lincoln had helped our country outlaw slavery over a hundred years ago and that he was our son not a slave. Otherwise brian mostly escape prejudice in davis school and had many friends. However he did experience prejudice at uc-santa cruz. And in chicago. And even life-threatening bigotry in texas and georgia. Last year we met harry belafonte. After he spoke at the mondavi center. Only mentioned. That we had an african-american son he quickly asked. Is he doing okay. We realized later he was asking if he were a felon or in jail. Current statistics indicate that in the us. 1 and 3 black men will spend time in prison in their lifetime. African-american males are about 6% of the us population. But they make up about 40%. Of the u.s. male prison population which as you know it much larger. Can any other country in the world. Including china and russia. There's a problem and a story in that. Fortunately we can say that brian has built himself a successful life and career. In the uk. And in europe. As an expert on. A program called next week. Which is an international web-based business data management system he lives in the uk because it's a better life there. Trim and it isn't this country. For many people like our son. It takes courage everyday. Just to go out into the world. And it's not just racial prejudice. Discrimination takes many forms. Such as targeting physical or mental disabilities. Lack of education. Sexual or gender identity. Where you come from. Or even where you live in town. Personally i salute all persons who face such discrimination with courage. I hope that we can find the courage to make such prejudice disappear. And i look forward to the day when all people are accepted and valued for who they are. Just as they are. I'm at this time marty west who is serving as the chair of our board of trustees is going to share with us a life journey of courage courage herself and courage for this congregation. In my prayer careers as a practicing attorney in indiana and then as a law professor at uc davis. Both careers involve the significant amount of courage at certain key moments. However i probably had to summon the most courage when i served on the davis school board particularly when i faced down a very angry group of parents of gate children gifted and talented children when i suggested that segregating kids into gifted classes from grades four through grades nine classes with very few brown or black children in them. Was a form of systemic and structural racism in davis. That idea did not go over very well. But now i want to talk about a different kind of courage not individual courage. But the courage of a group. To be precise the courage of this congregation. I'm honored to serve as chair of the church board this year. Particularly because i believe that now is the time for this congregation to be able to to be courageous. And challenged itself to set a new goal. We have completed a successful capital building program despite the challenges presented by an economic recession. With our new building new opportunities for service have come our way. And we have just completed a week of house posting the rotating winter shelter. A big thank you to the many many volunteers who helped to make it a fabulous week. And potentially the patmore pickett who was the chair. And to lindsay weston who coordinated the food. But now it is time to expand our church programs. And to do that we need to expand our staff. In november both the generosity committee. And the church board approved a 10% goal for this year's generosity campaign we agreed to increase our pledges by at least 10% for the coming fiscal year. And we are now inviting all of you to join us. With a 10% increase in pledges we can do many things. But the most important step in my view is the opportunity to hire a part-time assistant minister. A part-time assistant minister. To improve and expand the pastoral care within our congregation. We will be able to re-establish our pastoral care associates program. Because we will have someone who can train and supervise volunteers. To reach out to those who need support and assistance. An assistant minister would work with our pastoral care council and support r121 program. Where we offer simply companionship to a member who needs a caring presence we could expand our outreach programs. Like the wonderful christmas caroling we did this past season. Programs which make connections. Between those of us who are here in church on sunday and those who are unable to attend sunday services. This assistant minister would be under reverend beth supervision and work closely with her. It would not be what we call it called position the position called by the congregation but it would be a position hired by the board. A second ministerial position was recommended by our human resources team back in 2009. To meet the demands of our growing congregation and the needs of our families and elders. So i most five years later. It is time for us to find the courage to take the significant step forward. A 10% increase would only mean an extra $10 a month for those giving at the hundred dollar a month level. So maybe those folks could increase their pledge by $20 or $30 a month that would be a 20% or 30% increase. So please don't feel limited to our 10% go off if you can pledge more please do. This year's generosity campaign gives each of us the opportunity to honor the wonderful connections we have made within this congregation. And to look forward with courage. As we take the next step together. Thank you and now for more beautiful music. Courage. Looks you straight in the eye. She is not impressed with power trippers. And she knows first aid. Courage is not afraid to weep. And she is not afraid to pray. Even when she is not sure who she is praying to. When she walks it is clear she has made the journey from loneliness. The solitude. The people who told me she was stern we're not lying. They forgot to mention she was kind. This. Is from jroos candlers book of qualities. It is a quotes that i have kept closed for many years. In fact i think it was the very first thing i put on my facebook profile back in the day when facebook was only thing that college students had and we used it to organize study groups. Really. I love this quotes. I remember discovering it as a teenager and thinking yes. That is what i want to be when i grow up. I want to be courage to know first aid and be unafraid of praying and all the rest of it. My desire to be courageous. Was hardly something new eleanor roosevelt have long been my hero and her charge to do one thing everyday that scares you. Resonated in my life. It still does. I want to be compassionate and thoughtful and all sorts of other virtuous things but it is this idea of courage. That really resonates for me. Anais nin wrote life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Retired episcopal priest bishop brother john's fro groped to have the courage to be oneself. Declaim the ability to define oneself to live one's life in freedom and with power is the essence of human experience. As you can tell. Interested in the idea of courage i'm also really into quotes about courage courage is a thing for me. Now the word courage brene brown tells us comes from the french word for heart. It meant originally. To tell one's mind by telling all of one's heart. It was also originally considered a feminine virtue although eventually it kept to have came to have more masculine attributes and connection to the idea of physical bravery there's apparently considered more of a dude thing. I think that's so neat. But this word that means so much to me has changed meaning and gender overtime. How cool is that. Your. Conception of gender may not look like mine. Like the one that's envisioned by jay ruth gambler and then fact i hope. But it doesn't i hope. You are a vision of courage looks a great deal like you. You who is facing interfere into the uncomfortable. Into worry and the doubts that keep you up at night. Whether you think of courage as male or female or something in-between. Has he or she or he or they. I hope. But you are idea of courage inspires you to live authentically. And i hope. That you have been seeing especially this last week the examples of courage that live all around you and the large and the small things that we do. I know i've been extra aware of them this week. I see courage everyday every time someone admits that they don't know something. Or that they are confused. Or frustrated. I saw courage and those of you who came up to me after the service on pilgrimage i did in november. Just say you didn't understand the pronoun that i used in my sermon illustration. Using they as a gender-neutral pronoun maybe becoming more widespread and accepted. It may be a real point of justice for some people. Certainly is for me but it sure sounds grammatically incorrect when you're hearing it for the first time and it may still sound grammatically incorrect to you. I also saw courage recently. In a student who realize that the career path. They dreamed of for years wasn't right for them. They have the courage to face into that fact and the strength. To begin building a new dream. And i saw courage and a big way this week. When a friend decided to go public about her status as a rape survivor. Silence she announced only led to shame and she refused to be ashamed anymore. It has been 10 years since she was assaulted by someone she trusted and she decided it was time to tell her story. I cannot imagine. The courage it took for her to share that. Bashar that vulnerability and it is a real vulnerability a true risk. And yes i want to assure you i asked her permission before i gave that example this morning. Fear. And keep us locked up. Locked away. It separates us from compassion and empathy. Injustice. And generosity. It keeps us from seeing each other. And from seeing ourselves. I know from my own life. Just what fear can keep us from. I have had as i imagine many of you have had to grapple. With how honest. I want to be about myself. And to myself. For example one christmas eve so 40 years ago my family gathered in my maternal grandparents living room. I've been getting more and more nervous all day thinking about honesty and vulnerability and when my grandmother got up to get something from the kitchen i called out right. As long as we're making awkward conversations husband dating a woman. My grandmother sat back down. My cousin who struggles with asperger's laughed and said that's weird. And my uncle hugs me and told me i was brave. My uncle's comment bothered me. At the time. It bothered me in part because i don't think of myself as brave. I'm not a physically brave person i don't like going fast heights give me vertigo and the only sport i have practice is literally the safest one on earth. And it's fencing so you don't have to keep wondering i wasn't trying to act with bravery. And i wondered if he was reminding me that being out in a homophobic society with a scary thing. If he was trying to tell me. He was scared for me. I imagine. So. But what my uncle meant. When he said that i was brave what he wanted me to hear. He was grateful. That i had shared something about myself and my identity that made me feel normal. He was glad i had found the emotional courage to come out of the closet to myself. And the people who mattered most to me. To push past the fear of being other. Into being. Authentic. Tom shade wrote in an article on congregations in the most recent edition of the uu world magazine. We have to turn ourselves inside out. To turn the world. Upside down. This. Is the kind of courage i strive for. The kind of emotional and intellectual and social courage that has miriam examining myself. And rethinking how i fit into the fabric of things. I see a lot of oppression. In our world a lot of racism and sexism and transphobia and xenophobia and ageism. And ableism. And so on. There's a lot. A prejudice to face into once we start waking up to it. Thinking about courage as telling my heart about being open to other people's hearts. It's not simple. Or easy. Learning about racism. For example has led me to learn a great deal about white privilege and that has often been uncomfortable. More than that it has been scary. Because it's challenged my understanding of our society as a fair place. And the thing about facing into oppression about choosing to be courageous striving to be courage. Is it is something we have to do over and over again. I can never simply choose to be anti-racist and aware of my white privilege once and for all time. There's no badge that you earned the i'm not a racist bag. I have to continue. Did she choose to be aware. Of that uncomfortable truth. This is the nature of privilege after all that one can choose to ignore the oppression. The oppressed are almost never allowed to forget. I might just have to come out that one time and my grandmother's living room. I have to decide over and over again. If i'm going to be authentic about this piece of myself. Or not. Now i know i am far from the first intern or campus minister to be out in this church. You've heard a lot of coming out stories. Nelson mandela once said may your choices reflect your hopes. And not your fears. I hope. The hearing the stories from all of these interns who have known and loved. These stories of vulnerability and authenticity has shifted the choices that you have made. And we'll make. I believe. But in addition to being the church of the open mind and the loving heart and the helping hands. We need to be the church. Of courage. You. Have opened your hearts over and over again. You have stood on the side of love against bigotry and i know you well again. I hope. But you will continue to do the things that scare you. That makes you uncomfortable or nervous even when you believe they're right. I hope. As a congregation. We can continue growing into whatever vision of courage. Kisses hope for ourselves. And our world. I invite you. To enter with me now into a spirit of prayer. Spirit of life. Help us to find courage in each day and to seek truth with love. Help us to choose courage again and again. As we face into our problems. I don't mistakes. And our own potential. May we wade through fear. Into transformation. May we take the risks that are worth taking. For ourselves and others. Maybe we find it in ourselves. To really see each other. Say we support each other and doing what is what we know is right. Rather than what is easy or comfortable. May we comfort each other when we need comforting. And challenge each other when we are doing harm may we be there. For those who need us. Inner thoughts are with those who. Find winter the season of cold especially hard the most especially our thoughts are with those without homes to turn to like the folk who have slept in our social hall all of this week. Thoughts are with anyone who has experienced trauma may you find healing and hope and feel our love for you. Our thoughts and our prayers and our hearts go out to those who have recently suffered loss or in the midst of struggle. Even as we also find space and ourselves. To rejoice in the beauty of this world around us. Of all these things. Let us enter together. Into a moment of silence. Amman. Blessed be. And as we stand on the side of love i invite you to take hands and once again i invite you to let the words of the reverend wayne arneson sink into your bones. Take courage friends. The way is often hard. The past is never clear. Imma stakes are very high. Take courage. 4 deep down there is another truth. You. Are not alone. And the people say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-05-25-Sacred-Purpose-Cherished-Lives_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. I want to say welcome to the sanctuary to celebrate the beauty of the earth would be do everyday and to be in community here together this congregation comforts us when we together and then we offer a full of truth in any one of us can offer alone this is a place of challenge and it's also a place of compassion. Today we light the chalice the symbol of unitarian-universalism we also like candles to remember those who have gone before us i light a candle each you to remember my mother on the day of her death this is a jewish tradition that has been going on forever mother has no grave her ashes were spread upon the ground so i lighter anniversary or yard site candlelit my home the candle flame burst forth like the flowers that we place on graves to honor those who've died the flame and candle represent the soul and the body lighting a candle is usually reserved for the memory of apparent once the candle is lit just left to burn itself out no matter how small or how incidental each of us impacts the others 1864 at the camps near andersonville georgia national cemetery in section k grave number 2428 in what is now andersonville national historic site adoption of the republic. But union veterans organization jenny simple action of placing flowers on the grave was one of the thousands of such declarations happening in a time of great sorrow in our land her hopeful request of another girl and another place and bodies the universality of the grief and then humanity of joining with others to move forward her action in the individual small actions of many others reached a critical mass in the creation of a national day of recognition be but the connection is drawn each of us affects the interconnected web of life sometimes in ways that do not become clear until much later life is like a spider web if i cut on a small thread it can change the shape of the entire web. Father's day i asked you to think about going to your own mind. People. Who have served. Our country. To bring peace. To bring justice. People in your lives. Family. Friends. People you have in mired. I'd have them in mind i'm going to be asking you to speak their names i think this is a holy space because of our intention of coming together in love in this place. So hear these words i know that nancy and i will be inviting a time for you to share. People from your life. This is our song. A song of all the people. Duluth. In all nation. Who live in all cultures. Song of shared dreams that. Our family's all families. Will live in peace. And our young. Will live. And die. As elders. Other hat other hearts in other lands know that same blue sky. Those same hopes those same dreams. And on this day we remember the people who serve to make our country safe no matter the government's. Or the political stand. We turn our minds and our hearts to the people. And their families. They may have served or currently serve in the military. Or they may have served through becoming a conscientious objector. They may be families. Who made it possible. For people to serve. Our country. All of these ways. And all change. Amen. And blessed be. The wondrous sight to have come together in a springtime morning like this and have so many people wearing flowers. I kind of think of it as a garden i'm going to read a poem that is written from the perspective of dorothy rough who's my grandmother. Dorothy and her family moved to the wyoming in 1915 and from that point forward there's a hillside right outside the little town that we lived in. Where their their names are put in blazoned on headstones and so it's from an early time and life there was always this moment of this day when we would all trades off to the to the hillside cemetery and place flowers on graves so that's with the with the references it's called wildflowers. Mom winter white hair blowing dad at the reins the wagon rumbled rolled over ridgelines over new fairy summer. Patches of wildflowers stopped us. We children jump down gathered handfuls ran back. Climbed up breathless wild piles on paper flowers on the floor of the wagon. We tied our wild flowers with bits of ribbon. Mom's firm hand push them into jars of water dad dug holes to set the jars in. Assistant i brought water pulled weeds from around headstones stood by mom while she was quiet. Dad waiting in the wagon seat. Rusted bluemercury rattled to start in the drive my child's child sits in the quilt in the backseat. With the orange and white spaniel. Newspaper in the trunk covered with plastic rays taken from their place on the porch highover rags and toys trunks lambs engine cranks and rattles over ridgelines. Over new summer prairie. I pull up weeds near headstones i know. The grass has grown so i say. Hypo quickly extra weeds. Hang the plastic reeves. Bring up festive lilacs from the front bush. Feist and quiet. Asher the whistle. From the track below i see the train of cars drive slow between the graves. Mercury plows the alley over my shoulder coming for me. I stand quiet. Don ended his talk thinking about the future of our country and of the young lives who would or could serve in the military. Invited to take hands around the room making sure no one is left out and remember that after the service in the library after don finishes greeting everyone he and ted will be speaking with you about the ways we can care for veterans here.

uudavispodcast_org

2015-01-11_Life-Let-It-Be-a-Dance-2_01_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website at www.ge.com for further information. Thank you and thank you to the stewards of our buildings grounds music coffee sound booth and office there's so many individuals who create this dance of worship each week thank you to those who bring friends and family to those who contribute some time and talent to those who work behind and in front of the curtain it is not magic it's were it's you and thank you to my name is karen klusendorf and i'm your step in worship leader for the day and hoffman had some emergency traumas in her family including the death of her father so she's not able to be here and reverend beth is on sabbatical so you have an exciting few months wondering what's going on but we have a great team to keep everything in line. Welcome when we come here on sunday morning we bring the gifts and the imperfections of who we are the we've broken our vows a thousand times your we are returning again this is a community where we challenge each other and encourage each other and support one another i work as to keep our site on the best dance we can dance in this place we are surrounded by a diversity of religions and beliefs god or whomever it is to replace our ultimate trust is different for each of us and it comes from our life experience we celebrate all those with sexual orientation and gender identity and we welcome people of all races classes political parties and continue to work to build a world that we dream is possible and to cherish the living earth. This being human is a guest house every morning a new arrival by joy trip russian amini's some momentary awareness comes welcome and entertain them all even if they are violently sweeter house empty and invite them in the grateful for whatever comes.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-02-02_Whats-Needed_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov or further information. So we come on sunday morning to be a community where we can challenge each other and encourage each other and support each other and i work is to celebrate in this moment and we're doing a great job and to live into who we believe we can become if we are our very best selves. In his place was surrounded by a diversity of religious beliefs in god or whatever that is in which you place your ultimate trust is different for each one of us and comes from our life experience. We welcome those of all sexual orientations and gender identities and people of all classes and races and we will continue to build the world that we dream about and cherish this living earth as our sacred home. On this morning, sing a song with me and bring your imagination to dream. Come walk and rain may we have some more. When hope is hard to find and share a rose the symbol of love. Come fully so we can know each other's mind and heart. Every new year love i mean your home i really love with me. As you may know this church invites us to share our treasure our time and our talent for me the opportunity to share time and talent has been a big draw for the years and every time i have come to this place with an idea for a gift of my creativity to offer it has been received with open arms this church has had the programs in place that made it easy for me to pour myself into the flow here as a worship associate as workshop leader of musician and coral composure as a committee member or participant and small-group ministries and now that i'm directing the sparks choir i have the sacred function of opening my arms to people who want to come and share their time and talent as singers and musicians in the choir accepting their gift and helping them shine is a great joy to me just as singing in community is a joy for them. But this. Reciprocation does not end there the joy of choir is like one of those. Crazy escher drawings you probably seen where the staircases are going up and down and every witch way in every possible direction and a few impossible directions. Just to give you an idea what i'm talking about i'm going to get a little specific imagine me. Receiving joy as i watch. Karen russell singing her heart out at choir practice on a freshly memorize piece and maybe at the same time karen is receiving joy from singing alongside catherine desper. Recently joined our soprano section. And then catherine. Is experiencing delicious joy from hearing how her soprano line harmonizes with the low notes at the base section. And over in the base section jim coulter is just relishing. How is joy extends beyond choir practice because he's so happy to have songs to learn and the occasional guitar part to practice at home filling his retirement hours. With. More music than he's had time for in years. Then we have someone like. Bill hall. Who comes on a sunday morning. And beans out from the congregation hearing the music and drawing connections between the musical message and the theological message in the way only a retired theologian can do maybe in a nearby row you have myrna paris. Brimming over with joy as she watches the choir and recalls her many years as a professional singer. For we might have james lee jobe. Being invigorated by the choirs musical exuberance than feeling so proud of his wife alex singing alto in the choir. And. He's even grateful on thursday nights he's told me to have a wife who comes home happy and singing from choir practice the sliver of an idea of how this works and you can multiply this chain of events by. 25 to 40 choir members and then. X 300 congregation members are more. Goodbye you multiply that by 30 choir sundays a year factory in other variables like. Singers who who connect by helping each other learn their parts for volunteers who work together to organize a music library. Grandchildren who reap side benefits when their grandparents sing to them hugs and rides that are shared by quired members people stepping up to play percussion or take a solo that the which is something they've never done in their lives and the expansion they feel the joy trimble just keep growing. Now what about. The maximum moment when the choir and the congregation sing together with like nancy at the piano works maybe some guitar hand clapping the beans of giving and receiving in the room if you could see them it would be like like a fantastical laser light show. Sometimes. When i'm when i'm down here in that really good spot where i'm directing the choir and the congregation. I feel like i can see that light show i. I see people spontaneously hold hands ice i witness the. Emotion playing over these open faces and i hear the voices upwelling all around me. In those moments. Burdens are lifted. There's a sense of possibility in the room that's electric. And i'm so grateful to be with you and to be a kind of two-way lightning rod for the joy of singing that happens in this place. My cup overflows. And now at this time of year there's also this opportunity to give up treasure and we have a request floating around that we. Expand our budget by 10% this year. I know i'm expanding my contribution by 10% from what i gave last year you could choose to do that or you might even want to give him or your cup might overflow more than 10% extra. You can do even though the the little beautiful brochure doesn't mention it that there is a piece of that extra 10% designated to go to our growing music department. There's also a significant portion going to have to hire a new assistant minister that's going to reinvigorate our pastoral associate's program and then there's a piece that we're going to very wisely. I invest. All of these things. Are your opportunities to invest enjoy. And if it this time there any children left in the room i quietly went around and patched some shoulders. The time for them to go to their group test come. The reading. Support josh's sherman is from rumi. If you want. Would visible reality can give. You're an employee. If you want the unseen world. You're not living your truth. Both wishes are foolish. For forgetting. Did what you really want. Is loves confusing joy. His loves. Confusing joy. I did that way sing fire of commitment. Josh throw fights our district executive. Thank you it's so great to be able to be here with you today. Anyway. i just i love being here you know this place where the music is vibrant and you all feel kind of excited and where you got this brand-new that you that you would have it. You know what my name is josh's definition of the district executive that means is. That i work for the freeway and my job is to support as best i can the work of our faith in this area this area meeting from northern california border down to monterey and from reno over to hawaii and and i haven't been hawaii yet all right everybody bugs me about that but anyway i only started in july. As you may have noticed if you've been reading your order service. The topic today that i wanted to talk about was what what's needed and what's needed. He was kind of i don't know if you call it a philosopher like an orientation towards life that i've been trying to adopt personally and. And it's kind of orienting that i just want to offer you as a possibility of a way of helping yourself through your generosity campaign and into your planning for the next bunch of years. I'm just giving you samples what i mean when i say what's needed because i talked about a little bit last night i was. And. And she was she isn't she still there still teaching. Astoundingly a student at knowing what's needed in any particular moment like if you have a group exercise and uganda some stuff place or you know where you have a group that's working about to try to do something and they they don't know what to do next she's really good at this. We were in a bunch of us to 535 us we're in turkey. On a trip which was to visit various holy sites and do long meditations and things like that we went to rumi's tomb room includes words you just heard we went to. Old amphitheaters and we we did meditations we get one. I mean i never even thought i could do something like this but we did one that was all we started at midnight and went to 6 in the morning chant in a in an old roman bath hot springs for the same sound. Making sure that interpersonal stuff was all sorted out and making sure that we processed all of our experiences and so we had these meetings today. And then we can meet in hotel in the hotel we're staying in some conference room until late in the night in these meetings went on forever it felt like and the result for three weeks that we were there we never slept more than 4 hours. Not anytime during the day a little bit but not at night and it was the last night of the trip. And this hotel conference room in the morning and we're doing this one of these meetings and this is the last one to be. Intense deep processing and we're going to have to talk about the things that have happened and all the stuff. We are in a hotel and we're looking like 88 americans here and we should probably pull ourselves together and go to bed so we did but that pillow fight. It was exactly what was needed. Unexpected unplanned. But perfect. So that's. That's what i'm talking about is being able to discern. What is needed. Asking the question always what is needed. Quarantine ourselves around that and not around what i want. Not around what you want not even around what our collective vision is but our orienting around what's it what's needed. Right here. Right now. And so i'm just offering this to you as a possibility is an experiment as a way of removing it. Perhaps might help make you and your congregation and even more open even more flowing even more loving place. Then it already is. How many start buying by holding up there in the carrot that is used here's what i think some of the benefits are. Then later we'll talk about the slightly different more difficult part of actually doing it. And i can really talk about my own experience here because i have been trying this but to me the first thing is. It just makes life. Easier. For example one of my jobs is to travel around and talk to me why do workshops i do public speaking like this and it's very easy in this kind of situation. To get caught up and asking myself questions like okay. How do i want this to go. How do i want them to react how can i do this so that they would like me and not hate me if i'm there when i'm done you know and those questions naturally been lead to strategizing about okay how can i can basically manipulated the situation so that it comes out the way i want how can i control your reactions so that you will react the right want you to. All becomes easier. My job to decide what's right for you or what your reaction ought to be. My job is simply to kind of offer what i have. You know whatever is needed. Then you don't feel controlled and i don't feel have the illusion of. Being charged. It's very liberating it's exhilarating actually. It also allows me this approach of of what's needed also allows me to to access more sources of wisdom than i otherwise would have access to kizi. Just like the people in the story. And i can get attached to a my ideas this is what i think here's what i think happened you know the problem is. That when i get attached to an idea like that it limits my ability to respond to the world creatively. Because my vision. Cool as it might be. Is limited by my imagination if i can't imagine it. Then then it can't happen so i cut myself off from who knows what kinds of sources of inspiration and creativity. Back in my church in meadville. I was involved in the service is quite a bit and. And what time i was involved in a service my friend lenny who the local contractor to fantastic guide to someone hard play music. Where is calling home to see one of the daughters daughters you know it actually actually showed up. Nstar the service. Incredible. His heart he spoke truth we're 12 years he could never have imagined. That without his notes which had worked on for. Weeks he could conduct a service but he did who knows what he drew on. But it was something. So somehow that situation allowed him to draw on. On on a deeper source of inspiration that he never would have understood. It was so. It was so moving. Maybe more obviously from the story that i told. One way that this house this orientation what's needed isn't your whenever we get together we use as i said and you know very well we have our ideas right and we have our democratic process and talk to them leave lasell through and we fight and we do all that stuff which is part of the process but when you bring what's needed as your intent. It's just. The debate just a little bit. The outside. Quiz each other towards the community towards the ineffable. Right it's like we opening ourselves to the possibility. There's an order to things where the half the things that we don't actually even. Don't even know about it because we just don't have access to it. But that we might. Have access to if we open up and listen for it. So when we asked what's needed here in a budget meeting on a committee meeting. It houses a kind of feel like. Wood shooting in with our surroundings i kind of actually imagined it sort of has a. Even a physical shift when i mention this to myself it's your life. It's like listening with your body. Instead of just with your mind. It's catching the breeze. Give me a chest right it's very subtle. Very cool. And it's liberating. Assuming just for argument's sake that i have convinced you that this is a good way of going. You may be asking how do you do it i happen to have an answer prepared right here. Anyway i think it's i think there was three. Central spiritual practices that are essential. If you want to go to orient in this way. And they're going to be in there not brand-new they going to sound somewhat familiar the first one is if you wanted to bella episode of what's needed. Approach you need to develop humility. Yeah for me it's it's like it's like remembering it every moment you know i'm part of something that have a lot bigger here a lot more mysterious and i really understand until so my own ideas as cool as amazing as they maybe don't get me wrong. That is bigger than what i can imagine and having that always be a possibility to me that's the essence of humility. Orienting towards what's needed requires faith. And i would say faith in the power of our own ability to communicate to each other. Back when i was part of the. Ask sandra the teachers like she was psychic at times that she could not know exactly what to say to someone with the right move to make in order to kind of bad things blossom. She said you know. It's just not that complicated. People will always tell you what's needed. You just have to be paying attention. They may not be able to articulate it in words but they will show you. Your community will show you your church will show you what's needed you just have to pay attention and let go of your own ideas of it. I think that. In a most important that this requires. Is what i would call spiritual maturity. In order to do this to throw orion towards what's needed to be able to tolerate uncertainty. You have to be in it for what's really a gift to the world from you not just from your agenda welcome what your vision is of what's right. Because when you when you make an offering quiz with needed you you say here's here's my best guess and then i offer it and then you let it go. And you don't try to control what happens. And that's hard. But i think it's important i wouldn't say as a editorial aside here that. You know the world needs more grown ups. You know we need people who are willing and ready to look beyond themselves to tap into greater wisdom. If we're ready to do it is possible rather than only one comes to mind. We need people who can trust who can trust that even those things seem a little crazy and chaotic at the moment. I'll still wait a little bit just to see before they rush into try to fix things. We need people who are willing to give up trying to create the future in our own image. Instead of willing. He created in partnership with grace. I thought you was what i think i think what's needed is a question to be asking. Yeah that's right now right it wouldn't matter what decision were facing window matter what challenges win. No matter where we are. What's what's needed here what's. What's needed to be something that i can contribute. If not where might it come from. What's needed to bring this moment. More faith. One love. Courage. What truth. The problems we're facing in this world you know it there a mess. So we need to be able to reach beyond and drawn bigger resources to address them. Final question of course is well. So what's needed right here. Right now with me and with you. I guess this is what i think but mine is best sense of it is then what's really needed in this congregation and every congregation. Is a willingness. Deepen our capacity to risk real relationships with each other. Go further. Can you even walk into a church and and infallible how. Vibration hear something. When they're interacting it doesn't mean it's all sweetness and light it means it's alive. And i think that it did that kind of experience our people adjust magnetic because we all crave more intimacy. In our lives more wheel connection everything in our culture mitigates against it. And we participate wholeheartedly because there's nothing more terrifying than real intimacy and real relationship i think all of our technology and all of the iphones and busy ourselves with that's not a problem we just use that stuff. To help keep ourselves separate from each other. We use it not to have to look inside ourselves and see us. We'll use it not to have to be as deep and as beautiful as amazing as we really are. So for me was really needed. Is that ability and that willingness to reach out just like the congregation did in the story. Reach out. Ambien real connection with the people around us. And i mean that here within you absolutely and here. From you to the davis community and beyond. Hey we need. More i would say more on garden connection. More trust. And more authenticity. That might not always come on our terms. You know sometimes we might need to get it metaphorically whacked upside the head with a pillow. In order to be reminded there's more to this life than what we can see right in front of us. And to be reminded that that more whatever that is. It lives in the hearts of those who write near us in breeze through them. Where else are we going to find ourselves really. And where else are we going to find god. But in the relationships we have with those people around us. That's where lives. So i would say let's practice. Right here right now. In a few minutes on the social hall and it's we take our lives. Out into the world. Let's see what we can create by being really courageous and risking real connection with each other. And love and all this up intensity and presents these are all available either what i wish for myself and that what i wish for you. So maybe for all of us i'm in. Invite you into the time of prayer and meditation with me. Thinking about. Josh's message. And our need for connection. The hymn of the month is. Inspired by the 23rd psalm. I thought we're going to return. To a fresh version of the 23rd song. Ending with r singing together. Kline's ice you into a time of quiet. Meditation. And bringing yourself totally to this place. With spirit is my guide i have all that i need. Invite me to lie down in green pastures leads me beside quiet waters. Refreshes my soul he guides me along the right path for the sake of goodness. Even though i walk through the darkest valley. I will fear no evil for pieces with me. Strength and guidance comfort me you prepare a table before me reminding me of the gifts in my life even with my enemies around me wondering you anointed my head with oil and blessed me and my cup overflows surely goodness will follow me all the days of my life and in this shelter of love i will find peace forever. I meant. And blessed be. Besides hearing messages of inspiration and. They moved into prayer. We're going to do a recognition of keep seger who died this last week. And then we're going to do another short piece of gratitude for the art working in our sanctuary of the people who made his so. Let us begin with recognizing peas and josh has agreed to say just a word or two. From his perspective. But i don't think there's much that needs to be said about pete seeger what a what a light. He has been 90 in my life for my entire life and and in many others had a really good fortune to see him in that general assembly in fort worth a few years ago and when he walk on stage. You know he didn't even have to open his mouth. But for all of us to feel moved because you're the genuine american hero who's who's showed what heart and soul and commitment can do in in every corner of of our existence. So we're going to honor pete seeger. I suspect most of you know the words to if i had a hammer to sing together and i think in honor of singing in the aisle.

uudavispodcast_org

Worship-2012_06_17-10a_ED-1.mp3

Look up to sunday sermons another recording from unitarian universalist church of davis california www.org for further information. You'll hear these words throughout the service. Also right to the very end. Measure your greatness. By the length of your reach. But also by the gentleness of your touch. For now the world needs hands that love. And you building task force members. Have given us hands that love. And your work is beautiful. Blessing on all with you. Today we speak of fathers. Recognizing the wide diversity of fathering and fatherlessness. We asked. What is the nature of a father's bright light and shadow light. But the ultimate question regardless of the father and received. What are the gifts of the father. What are the gifts of the father. Reading poems about fathers i came across robert hayden's home those winter sundays. I wandered back to my early childhood memories of cold mornings in the pocono mountains of pennsylvania. My grandfather would rise early. To stoke the still glowing bank kohl's in our pot belly stove warm in the house. Later as i grew older. I remember in the dark hours of early morning when i was snuggled deep in my bed. That my father would get up early. Move around the house getting ready for work and then almost silently close the door. Start the car pull away. Morning to return 10 11 12 hours later a tired man. As a father i too left early. To return 10 11 12 hours later. Of contemporary poetry robert bly has said. The all-too-often unattended consequences. Is that when a father absent during the day returns home at 6. Is children only received his temperament. Not his teachings. Since the onset of the industrial age and the urbanization of america. Children less and less know their father's life as he leaves for work out for their. Does non-availability of the father for most of the day disengages the child from knowing the father. As as possible when the children worked side-by-side with their fathers in the field in a craft trade for family store. Now the child gets to know more of the father's temperament rather than his teachings. And the godlike father of the young child that the young child had known becomes more and more of a stranger. The child getting older and wanting the intimacy and teachings of the father. It's wounded by this distancing altru frequently developing resentments. From the counter in the cold shadow life of the father's temperament. Intern the gifts of the father become obscured. I may only be fully realized when a child has grown. It's a mature adulthood and has children of their own. Here is robert hayden's poem those winter sundays. About his father stoking the early-morning fires. 21 the house. Robert hayden was born in 1913 and raised in a poor neighborhood of detroit. He had an emotionally tumultuous childhood. In this poem peter speaks from the experience of his own fatherhood achieving reluctant forgiveness of his father those winter sundays sundays to my father got up early and put on his clothes in the blueblack cold then with cracked hands that ache from laborers in the weekday weather made banked fires blaze no one no one ever thanked him i'd waken hear the cold splintering breaking i hear the cold breaking when the rooms were warm he'd call and slowly i would ride and dressed. the chronic anger of that house speaking indifferently to him who had driven out the cold and polish my goods shoes well what did i know what did i know of love's austere and lonely offices and slowly i would rise and dress. please. What are the gifts of a father. It's 5 in the morning. And a woman sits at a graveyard with two cups of starbucks coffee. Is the morning after her father's funeral. And she has come for a conversation. With him. She says that her father's voice is in her head. He's carried around inside her. Interjecting is comments. Whenever he pleases. I showed she should she sits one cup of coffee and she places the other next to the headstone that's already in place. I imagine that you talk then staying because she is a musician. Even though he hasn't offered her a sterling example. At this point in her life she would say he is good enough. This is years into adulthood with decades of experience is to look back upon. And peace comes to her as she watches the sun come up. On his grave. The lyrics. The sun is on the cemetery. Leaves are on the stone. The never was a place on earth it felt so much like home. And refrain that comes to her god is in the roses. And in the thorn. Relationships are roses and relationships are thorn. Prison cash is the daughter and johnny cash is her father. What are the gifts of a father. Rosanne cash is 18. She graduates from high school and goes on tour with him. She's just starting to play the guitar. She loves the music music of the beatles and southern california pop music. And one day between the shows on the bus. Piaster. Do you know long black veil. Now she doesn't know it. Do you know silver wings. Bury me under the weeping willow. Johnny cash is alarmed that his daughter doesn't know what he considers to be the classics of american folk music. He prepares what becomes known as the list. A 100 song. Old appalachian valid. Songs from jimmy rogers and woody guthrie. Music influence by gospel and the blues. Rockabilly and modern country music. He tells her it is her heritage. And her education. And if it had been even a few years earlier she wouldn't have understood the value of this gift. But at eighteen. When johnny gives her the list. A 100 essential country song. She takes it seriously. She saves it in a special box. And never loses it despite how she moves for decade. For her. It ties together the past and the present and gives her a journey into the future. This is the simplest gift. To rosanne cash from her father. And she wrote. Had been a martial arts master. He might have passed on his martial arts. His oldest child. And if he had been a surgeon. He might have taken me into his operating room and pointed out the arteries an organ. And if he were a robber baron he might have surveyed his empire and said honey. Someday all of this will be yours. But he was a musician. The songwriter. And so he gave me. The list. If we're lucky. We can point to this kind of gift. For my father in our lives. The objects the knowledge shared with a child. But not all gifts are so clear. When considering the gifts. Abba father. Can't nurnberg. Letters to my son. Helps to identify those gifts that are more hidden. He tells about the difference between male hood and manhood. There was a time he right. When what he called maleness was important for survival. Competition strength dominant. It may have been needed for survival but using this. As an ideal measure. Also damages relationships. Destroys cultures. And the environment. When he described maleness. Restart to find an answer. For the richness of the gifts of a father. Much of what he describes as maleness. Is having strength of integrity. Courage to make difficult decisions for the good of a hole. And you things one physical self for healing. And not harm. Developing one's maleness. Is done deliberately as an ongoing discipline. When's maleness is earned. And an honor to be cherished. Sometimes a father will attain it perfectly. Another time more often parsley. And sometimes he will fail. But each time a father acts from this moral center. For the characteristics of. Mailman. We are given a gift. Good enough. What is good enough. Good enough. Needs relationship. If the father's responsibilities to try to live from this strong character the strong center. The adult. The adult child responsibility is to recognize those gifts obvious or not. I do not. Forget them. And to place them next to the gifts that are most obvious. A gift. Fed rosanne cash cannot hold but that holds her. Is this. Johnny cash give his daughter a taste for justice. He dresses in black and tom said if he knew i was going to speak about johnny cash he had plenty of black he could have worn. He dresses in black when most country western performers were dressing in sequence. Maybe tom could have dressed and sequins to. Before johnny cash the color symbolizes something that i never realized. With his awareness of the poor he said the hungry. Those who have been betrayed by age or drugs. Those with long ago paid for their crime. For the vietnam war. And all those who he said could have been. Could have been if they had survived. And when that war was done he said he's still wore black for the many things that need to be made right in society today there was no reason to change the color of his clothing. He starts performing concerts in prisons in 1958. Beginning in san quentin. And the gift. He gives his daughter dad which holds her is a restlessness. For what is possible but not present in our society. And she ends up singing and some of those same prisons decades later and after one concert a man says i heard your father sting when i was in san quentin. She calculates how many decades have passed. The man has lived in prison for virtually his whole adult life. The taste for justice. Her compassion for those imprisoned at the gift of character. From her father. Kent nerburn write to his son. And you've already hurt them. Measure your greatness by the length of your reach. But also by the gentleness of your touch for now the world needs hands that love. Not hands that conquer. Rosanne cash receives other gift my father that are even more difficult to discern. His life choices stretched over her like a shadow. For years she avoids entering the music business for fear of replicating his mistakes. She observes from him. Being a successful musician means spending most of your time on buses and trains motel rooms and in bars. And to keep creative. Keep those wheels turning. You take amphetamine. And drinking alcohol can make you sleep. But loneliness. Izzy's by love found on the road. Did you bring all of this heartache home. He is a man who lives with addiction. He's a man who lies to himself and those who are closest to him. I did take some years. To live differently. I do win the love and respect of his family. Sometimes they are hard gif. It start as wound. And we grow around the scar like a tree bark grows around a wound. And its bark. A lifetime later we discovered that a father's fault. What gives us the most pain. Can also be the momentum. To overcome a wound. Or limitation. A father's dominating personality forces a child to move away. And he creates a much better life as a son. Burgeoning with creativity. For the unpredictable anger of a father teaches a child to be perceptive of others. Cues. And she seems to know people's needs even before they do. People naturally feel at ease and comfortable with a person who has this skill. My own father's belief. If there were only a few professions for women. But that also pushed me to live. To my own potential. Rosanne cash. Come to a certain point in her life. Eva.. And johnny cash comes to a certain point in his life. As a father. Johnny is going to be singing at carnegie hall for the last time in his career. He asked his daughter if she'll sting. I still miss someone as a duet. Roseanne is resentful despite the thing. That she has received the positive thing. She's better for the things that she missed. In her father's fathering. He keeps. Asking that day. She says no. 3. 4 time. And it lasted gives up. And he turns away. And in that moment. She saw an angle of him. He's back. But she always thought from the wings behind stage. The stage where he became his beth. And in that moment she saw him as he tried to be. And often achieved. The manhood of integrity. Of courage. And if healing. And she says yes. Yes i'll do it. And that night they sing. The bitterness. Mouth. Good enough. Good enough father. Did i say. Amen. Green. Invite you to. Enter into prayer with me. If you still with each other and quiet to hear the beating of your own heart. And to listen to the breadth of those who share this space with you. Give this time. You're pure attention. Which is what we know as prayer. What is jointed silent. For the moment. Restart the circle large. Celebrate that as of thursday many young undocumented people in this country no longer live in fear of deportation and there are tears of joy. We honor the 20 people from our congregation of many generations will be leaving this week for arizona and our general assembly may they be open to learning. Stick to make a difference and be safe. From the heat. And may this congregation greet them with curiosity when they return. Spirit of life that surrounds us and moves through us. We have many needs for love. Guidance. Mentoring. Recognition companionship. How can one person fulfill our every need. May we ask for only what is humanely possible from one father. In our life may there be a gentle hand of the mentor. Who shows that's how to craft a good life. May there be someone who teaches us the importance of taking on responsibilities and when to let go. May there be a father figure who we trust. To listen to our doubts. And celebration. And may there be someone who believes in a. Even more than we believe. In our cell. Reactive. To be fulfilled by many. And not only buy one. Iwan life will be full to overflowing with the care from fathers and many fathers. May we see all of their gifts. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationship when one of us celebrate the joy or grieve the law the web of life moves to a new shape we are apart of the turn of the earth. Assisted the stars the pull of the sea and all change amen blessed be thing with me. You go down to the table and hear each other stories about your father's and what they have given you. These words yet again may we live them this week. Measure your greatness by the length of your reach. But also by the gentleness of your touch. For now the world needs that han. Does touches. Of love and may they be from you and let this congregation say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2015-03-08_Money-and-Real-Life_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website at www.sec.gov or further information. Good morning and welcome to the unitarian universalist church of davis i am leann d'amato's your worship associate and we are lucky to have visiting minister reverend rodger jones with us today you will hear more about the reverend jones later in the service please take this time to greet each other reaching out especially to those you may not already know. Welcome may this be a time of peace and reflection for you may you find what you are seeking in this hour of worship whether that be a moment of quiet or fellowship or inspiration. May you feel yourself a part of the sacred space and community you are welcome here whatever your ethnic or class background your gender identity or sexual orientation or political party. Together we can create the place of love and transformation that we dream about. When i was writing these opening words i came across many quotes about money many this was my favorite. Richest man able us to confer favours. But you can't rule them with propriety and grace requires something that riches cannot give that was charles caleb colton who was a minister in the early 1800s. Having money does not make us better people. It does not make us worse it is compassion towards those who have less that make us better. What we do with what we have that is the key. Money has been called many things the root of all evil being one my personal feelings about money come from both the experience of having it in abundance and having none at all i have been well-off going to private schools and traveling the world and now i literally have no regular income and i'm reliant on someone else for almost everything i am not one paycheck away from homelessness i literally have no paycheck. This means that i think about money all the time whenever i have to pay for a prescription or buy new shoes i almost feel guilty. It is taking on an importance in my life that i never would have given it. I believe that there are definitely benefits of having money for example you have the ability to share it with others for needy. And in this congregation there are very many generous people who share what they have financially they put their money where their mouth is. But we can always do more. Our schools are seriously underfunded in california california ranks as one of the lowest state in terms of a student spending we also have the highest class sizes are college students often cannot afford to go to college. When i went to college you could get a part-time job and a few small loans and pay for it but not now. Now it is prohibitively expensive to go it is hard to find were even when you have years of experience. We need to work together to change that we need to elect people who care for the poor and unemployed and want our country to be better. That want our children to go to sleep without hunger. I challenge you. If you are lucky enough to have the money then find someone or some cause that you can connect with and share it. Think beyond this church. Work to help the poor. Work to make it financially viable to educate our children work to change the way it is now because it shouldn't be like this. And if you can do it with propriety and grace so much the better. Good morning it's great to be here it's great to be back it's wonderful to see some friendly familiar faces a lot of them and also to see some new faces since the last time i was here and appreciate the invitation and i'm glad rev beds banks is on sabbatical so we can do some swapping like this so she'll pay me back later which are all wonderful and. When isaac had become an old man and was nearly blind he called his eldest son he saw and said my son yes father i'm an old man isaac said i might die any day do me a favor get your quiver of arrows and your bow and go out in the country and honda me some game then fix me a hearty meal the kind you know i like and bring it to me to eat. So that i can give you my personal blessing before i die. The mother rebecca close up her older son he saw and put them on her. Then she plays the hearty meal that she had fixed and the fresh bread she had baked into the hands of her son. He went to his father my father yes are you so that you can give me your personal blessing. Isaac said it's so soon how did you get it so quickly because you're god to clear the way for me. He didn't recognize jacob because jacob jacobs hands were hairy like his brother esau's you yes i am isaac said bring the food so i can eat them my son's game and give you my personal blessing. Jacob. 38. He also brought in wine and he drank. Isaac said come close son and kiss me. Became close and kissed him and isaac smell the smell of his clothes finally to bless him. All the smell of my son is like the smell of the open country blessed by god. May god give you a heavens do and earth's bounty of grain and wine. Play people serve you and nation's honor you. You will master your brothers and your mother's sons will honor you. Go to curse you will be cursed. Those who bless you will be blessed. And then right after isaac has less jacob and jacob had left. Esau showed up from the haunt. He also had prepared a hearty meal he came to his father and said. Let my father get up and eat of his son's game. But he might give me his personal blessing. His father isaac said. And who are you. Here ends the first reading our second reading comes from an advice column in the newspaper money manners written by jeanne fleming and leonard schwarz it's in the toronto star, toby and online today's column is what to do when exchanging gifts with a cheapskate. In return he sends us next to nothing this year a bargain basket dvd and some drugstore bubble bath i can't stand another year of opening williams cheap gifts and then getting the credit card bill what should we do by the way the guy is not hurting for money. Dear nora if you can't stand playing santa to williams scrooge when his gifts arrive. Get your finances in order so said the headline in the new year's day edition of the business and money section of the local newspaper. The article gave a checklist for us reduce dad. Watch your spending habits and get a discipline of saving money. Practical importance hello. Getting your finances in order is everyone's complicated relationship with money. This is a spiritual issue and like other spiritual issues and can be taken care of by resolutions and checklist alone. It takes practice patience. And honesty with ourselves nearly every face tradition has something to say about money well possessions resources and the needs of others. Liberal religious communities like this one affirm the importance of this life. More than future life. We do not dwell on otherworldly concerns but on how we live in the world as it is. As a medium of exchange money is one way that we connect with our world. She's part of my calling and my ministry to invite people to pay more attention to our relationship with money. If we don't we risk ignoring its power and place in our lives we are at risk of confusing money with our self-worth and our sense of possibility. In relationship we risk stealing money for using it as a substitute for love. Or as an expression of our hurts. For hostility. We need to pay attention. Be honest. And show some patience with ourselves. I would like to invite you now to go with me on a visit back home a few summers ago back home to the midwest. To see relatives. In the prior-year and aunt has passed away. Her uncle had died suddenly 45 years earlier when i was five the same age as their son and after his death she moved herself and my cousin far away from us i hadn't seen this and for years before her death. On this day i am visiting three other relatives in my hometown. Did you get your money one of the masks i looked puzzled. Didn't you get the letter from the lawyer uncle roy's estate included an amount of money for all of his nieces and nephews to be dispersed to us if the money remained after his widow would pass away. Now she has so every group of children of his brothers and sisters will get $48,000 to be divided among them in equal checks with each sibling group. This means that a group of three siblings will share bequest getting $16,000 each. And a lucky only child will get the full $48,000 i expressed my surprise at this news. Stated the letter out for me bring it to me i read it as i look at the list of names. All of my cousins my older brother. But not me. I'm not here i say well honey you weren't born yet when he died i was a bad nephew and to leave me out of his will on purpose forgot me what are you going to do one of them ass getting curious. My mind is racing let's see with my brother each of us would receive $24,000. I was left out. Did my brother get this letter if he hiding this from me i need asking the others tell me about a recent phone call from another cousin this person is the most outwardly accomplished of our generation of the family in spite of a hefty two-person household income and an enormous house. My reaction to this news of a surprise inheritance. A potential inheritance is being hungry and then walking into a dining room where there are tables of steaming beautiful food suddenly i want some of everything i hit the highway back to my brother's house. We plan to dinner out just the two of us. I think. I'll wait and see if he brings this up no no i need to get this over with. I worried because he's been worried recently about money unrealistically so in my opinion he retired early his wife has a great job their house is paid off and he owns a rental property however we are now in the great recession he has no confidence in the government and the angry programs on talk radio just add to his anxiety. Well i won't make a big deal out of this i think. Fight over money can tear a family apart. Before today i didn't imagine having any money other than my own earnings and savings. I think if you give me half. I'll just give it away. In the book of genesis the brothers jacob and esau fight over their birthright their inheritance. Esau is the firstborn son in that culture traditionally has the birthright. Comes back from a hunting trip empty-handed and very hungry jacob offers esau a bowl of red lentil stew if he saw will give him his birthright. And he does he start praising his future inheritance for the short-term gain of satisfying. His appetite is craving. So later on as we heard in the reading jacob seals the deal with his mom's help he impersonates his brother to trick their blind agent father into giving the fatherly blessing to him instead of to esau. In the story the blessing cannot be taken back even after the theft is exposed. Launches agent tumultuously future for the hebrew people. He set the standard of disharmony for the whole human family the first family feud over an inheritance. I need to talk to you about something. I tell him about my discovery and ask him if he's received the letter. No. Well the others have. You will. I explained the situation and the humor of being a forgotten one he doesn't get it half of your money so i explained again. I'll give you some of that money. My big brother was happy and popular. State target for my hostility. And he took a lot of it from me. She married before finishing college against are angry father's wishes. After graduation he was unemployed. He mowed lawns to make money he borrowed from our parents or dad use this to make my brother feel bad. Every hundred dollar loan was and i told you so. On my birthday 1 year i got a windfall of cash. I was mowing lawns myself and i was feeling flush. My brother came to me and asked for a loan $100. She didn't want to ask her dad again and risk hearing more criticism. I let him the money and then i confirmed the terms of the loan by mail the electric typewriter until i would send him periodic statement of the dead heat. I realize now that i'm pestering my brother i was trying to make your connection with him and awkward hostile counterproductive eleven-year-old way of connecting when he moved closer to our home my brother made money doing small engine repair lawn mower engines mostly. I became his agent i would put ads in the local paper and answer the phone when he was at work. He paid me a small percentage for this role and. I would type of statements business reply envelopes to change the name on them from my dad's to my name. Now he doesn't owe me anything and there's a big check on his way to him. Pikachu's to split it with me or he could quite legally choose to keep it on. Fortunately. The first born son has chosen to forgive me for my early treatment of him he did grant me forgiveness so now i'm wondering will he also grab me a full half of his money he could say that he needs to stay. Money has such pool for us power. Of course it does. It's how we interact for the things that we need and want and for the talents and work that we have to offer. As a medium of exchange money simplifies our transactions. Yeah because it stands for so much that we need and want and love and fear money makes life complicated. Most of us learn our habits. Regarding money from the family culture in which we grow up. Growth and healing from unhealthy or unhelpful attitudes calls for attention and effort. And support. I still have some anxieties and some annoying habits about money but in many ways i've grown and healed. The support for my growth has come from two main sources. My friends and my church communities. Friends who are generous no matter their wealth or poverty religious communities that remind me of the abundance and goodness of life. Spiritual community. Like this one i'm invited to appreciate my blessings and giving thanks. I learn about the needs of the world beyond these walls. I learned about generosity. Over the past 25 or 30 years first as a as a lay leader of member of the churches and then as a minister i've learned that is possible to stretch myself. To give. And i feel good about it. I can give with my money talents and time and feel joy in it and freedom. I can also feel good about earning money. Federal ingratitude to happen but satisfaction that i have something to offer that people choose to support. But as a fearful young person from a family that fought over money i didn't know what it meant spiritually to pay others or to be paid to give or to receive. As a boy i attended the church with my mother we went to a moderate mainline protestant church we pay the monthly clad. But i didn't learn what stewardship really meant. Back in the 1970s when i was growing up the church was timid about the relationship between money and your spiritual life. Timid about looking at serious matters honestly. I drifted away from church involvement after high school and then in my mid-twenties i started exploring congregations in three different denominations. And in those churches i visited i found people who look at serious matters honestly. I learned what stewardship means. That's what story should means to me. Taking a good look at what has been handed on to you for you sand your care. Whether it has whole wide earth. Your local environment your country your city your neighborhood. All of all of it is handed on to us. For using tending and passing along to others. We stand on the shoulders of generations and institutions that existed before we did. We live for a moment in the stream of life. Edit clothes on. Stewardship is about connectedness and interdependence. It's about belonging to one another belonging to the past and the future. As a new unitarian universalist young adult i learned that there are people who have diverse ideas about god. In churches including the idea that there is no god at all but people who still have a practice of giving. Lay leaders and ministers that i came to know starting as a young adult all the way through i got the idea of tithing of setting a target of giving away 10% of my income. Setting that targeted moving to that target over time. And at this point i give five or six percent of my yearly gross income to my congregation and another five or 6% other organizations that i care about. I didn't learn to do this from my family. I learned it from people like you. But my family came through also. My brother eventually gave me a half share of that inheritance. Those checks providentially arrived not long before i entered doctor of ministry program at pacific school of religion in berkeley which i'm still in very very hard time and also arrived not long before my congregation in sacramento had its capital fundraising campaign for the fooling expansion another good used for. An unexpected gift. So now it's showing up in concrete and wood and glass. Nearly every face tradition has something to say about money. Because it's bad. Not because it's worthy of worship either. We should not avoid money but nor should we idolizes. But we can take it seriously. Like most resources it is limited like our time our attention our talents are health. It is limited. An important. However much for however little we have of money. How we deal with it is a way to practice and grow in our sense of stewardship. We can practice and we can strive to gain our money responsibly. Receive it with gratitude. Lended or borrowing carefully. Splendid thoughtfully. And share it with joy. Responsible grateful. Careful thoughtful 24. Joyful. Joyful. So may it be. Amen. Invite you to take a few moments with me for your personal contemplations meditations in the spirit of the prayer come into an awareness of your bodies in these seats. Sustained by the earth. Coming to an awareness of your breathing. Your neighbors freezing. Are common breast which is the breath of life. Spirit of life. Wicked thanks for the gift of life and the gift of this a new day. We give thanks for the abundance of life from all sources all people who share with us this earth which offers his bounty agent to our senses and our nourishment with curiosity and spiritual hunger seeking a home seeking cold weather just recently but it's remember that our grief is a sign of our love. Tell me if you're comfortable to join hands for the benediction or just be with us for this moment as you go out into this world today may all of your senses teach you the blessings this world offers to your life and may your heart and mind teach you the blessings that you offered and bring into the world by the way you live your life. For all who see god may god go with you for all who embrace live at mail i don't return your affection. Crawl who seek a right path. Mei wei be found and the courage to take it step-by-step lisenby. Namaste.

uudavispodcast_org

2015-05-10_Mothers-Day_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome to this inclusive community that strives to affirm those in all different identities gender expression sexual orientation racial economic location and ability level you are welcome here i have some words from reverend barbara marriage i found these in the meditation manual bless all who serve standstill we are all striving to be as faithful as we can be to the truth that we understand no more is required it is time you bless others into our world the hard part is taking in the love it's time somebody told us that we are. And it's time we believed it. The chalices lead within our souls each time that we pray for vision long for healing forgive our enemy comfort our neighbor and feed a four justices day in his life are hope and compassion are renewed and the covenant will ties that bind each to all become clear. No south or north only a world to greet and bless was still more light all men i would like to wish a happy mother's day to all of the moms grand mom's daughter's son's grandchildren foster mom's steph moms adoptive mom's men that are in a mom's roll and anyone else they miss with her great-granddaughter and don't let anyone. This reading is found that apparent in the name of allah the beneficent and merciful praise be to the wisdom of the universe who has created us and made us into tribes and nations that we may know each other not that we may despise each other and trust in god for god is one who hears and knows all things and the servants of god most gracious are those who walked on the earth and humility and when we address them we say peace. When i realized. Did i signed up to preach on mother's day. I was nervous. It's a complicated holiday. One which the much-beloved anne lamott told facebook she hates for it's in authenticity. And disregard for how children might actually feel. How mothers might feel. I couldn't imagine standing up here and ignoring the stories of so many people by only talking about loving heterosexual cisgender women. Who have the capability of showing off children they have raised to great heights nurturing them into strong beings even with the messiness of life. It's an important role to honor the one of mother. But it's not always a safe one. Nor is it even relevant to everyone's lives. Sure we all spent time in womb space. But not even that is created equal. All the stories that we hold in ourselves. They aren't always ones we want to revisit. And they make us who we are. Who we are is worth acknowledging. As we do the best we can each day. And try to learn how to do better next time. I'm going to try and make church on mother's day a safe space by blessing the different stories and identities among us. I also need your help with this because you are part of this community. So if you would join me by saying we honor your experience. After i give different examples. Those of our congregation. Who are mothers of children. Young or old. We honor your experience. Those of our congregation grieving the absence of mothers or children on this day. Shows of our congregation who could never trust someone called mother. Those of our congregation who are unable to become pregnant yet long for children who have no desire to become parents and are told that they will not be complete unless they do siblings. Here in this holy space. It is recognized that today can be difficult. And this is because there is a false story telling us that there is a certain way relationships must appear. Here in this holy space we say our stories our lives are more than one narrow definition and we honor our experiences. Mavis church be a safe space for diving into those uncomfortable places and telling those stories even when they aren't the ones that we necessarily feel or correct. We create new identities of who is valuable. All of us. Now we recognize that rose people assigned the gender female at verse are surrounded with pink toys and domestic things to prepare for that ultimate home take her motherhood role at the same time top result their bodies and presentable ways. The alluring but not too alluring don't be too bad then. Bando be disabled. People assigned to the gender-role male are all given the toy robot toy guns on grand adventures. Told you be tough act like a man. Whatever that means. The boy body is judged as well. But don't be re-elected. Be big but not. Be strong but also quick. And also don't be disabled. Narrow uniform boxes and we're all supposed to fit into sure whatever supposedly options of hore. Virgin mother cat lady the new spencer and within that only heterosexual married women will be decent mothers. Furthermore that only verb middle-class white maybe asian maybe religious latina or black women will be nurturing in the right ways. What of all the people who don't fit into those categories. Where are the native voices. Parenting isn't buying airy it isn't narrow. It's not just a mother and father experience. It is worth celebrating all of it. Aunt. It's complicated. Parts of the wondrous beauty and confusion of life. Is self-discovery. Self-discovery without the confines of these labels be supposed category that everyone fits into. Self-discovery without these women can be so fun. Or at least that's what i imagined when i pretend i'm in a world without such categories. When i can say to the world i am this way today. And have that be a part of my complex being. And that i am one who loved to imagine these fluid rolls but also values clear precise communication. Somewhere in there fluid rolls clear communication. Therein lies the truth. We're always in a state of becoming who we are. Sometimes the motion is slower. And less pronounced. And other times it's faster than our stomachs can take. Growing up. Figuring out how we fit into the world figuring out what hauled us to be more human more ourselves. Occasionally figuring all this out is most clear through relationships. Not that relationships themselves are clear. And know that they make easy ways of learning. But we don't exist in a vacuum. Relationships build our identity. Teacher minister. Friend. Without relationships these words don't mean much. It's a blessing to have so many kinds of relating. To learn from and revere our differences. Our identities numerous as they are within each of us on any given day. That's wisdom. Difference is wisdom. Difference is an ethical value. In a portion of her book entitled indecent theology which contains critiques of shortcomings of liberation capital l and feminist capital ask the ologies. Suggestions for expanding the scope of each. Delete marcella althaus reid says. A poor honest and devoted christian man apparently cannot be a transvestite and lesbian women do not fit in the most the mother oriented family pattern of liberation theology. I just asked liberation theology encourages people not to be judgmental but the situation would be one of abnormality. This is accepted for another words tolerated in liberation theology with a spirit of love. So what's so bad about toleration in the spirit of love sarah well let's see what marcela says the point is. Toleration is a category based on normative principles. That normativity decides what should or shouldn't be tolerated. Toleration fails to deliver the goods because in the end it makes more solid that limit between the tolerable and the intolerable. Only by dissolving these frontiers. And therefore dissolving the concept of toleration. May we be in a position to find a society where internal differentiation and not toleration. Is an ethical value. But the people here with the spirit is saying differentiation is an ethical value. Those who say otherwise. Are missing the point. Of being in this community which recognizes that immortal that difference that creative love. We heard it earlier in the reading from the quran. In the name of god most gracious and merciful. Praise be to the wisdom of the universe. Who has created us and made us into tribes and nations. That we might know each other. And in the affirmation from reverend merit. Just possibly. Messages of love and acceptance and this is acceptance as we understand it just possibly messages of love and acceptance have always been circulating in our mist. The hard part. Is not seeking out these positive and creative affirmations. That remind us we are loved. Positive and creative. Differential. Different tribes and nations. These things are wonderful ways to look within ourselves and to understand ourselves a little bit better. We are the face of thinking and creative people who aim to recognise dignity and worth in every person. We are not the norm. Some might call us indecent. And yet. As members of this society we carry with us the stories of what should be normal whatever normal is and these stories can carry with them the incorrect idea. That to be abnormal is less than desirable. To have an experience beyond the boundaries of a hallmark holiday should not mean that you fear coming to a place of love and acceptance like this church. Let the people hear what the spirit is saying differentiation is an ethical value. Ethical doesn't make it easy. Much like motherhood it's not simple and it's not clear but it does matter. Your story your experiences your different ways of being in the world. That all matters. And it doesn't have to conform. Thank you for bringing all of your stories and modes of being with you today thank you for adding to my own understanding of self. By being in a relationship with me. Please join me in the spirit of prayer. Universe. We come together today on this complicated holiday. It's complicated day. But we recognize. Different modes of nurturing different relationships in different stories. I'll make us who we are. There are mothers and children grieving in nepal their mothers and children grieving here involves some more all over the world struggling to make sense of what it is to be human may we come together to honor these differences b6. says these stories as the holiness that they are they we be guided by the immortal internal love so that we may bless the world as part of our story i'll men and blessed be. Let ourselves be lifted with that eternal love that immortal love that river that never runs dry are different identities bless the world as we come forward even with our struggles and our joys mixing together and how is it that we get to bless the world even in all this complexity. Well love will guide us. We could join hands and or connects through the spirit we are a blessedly diverse and differential community bringing our love and our stories to the world on complicated and simple moments may we go forward and enlighten the world around us with our stories and relationships and blessed be.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-02-12-Flying-Together.mp3?_=3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california website at www.sec.gov org for further information. This morning the reverend vail weller is our guest. I'ma say it was the envy of many. The ministry is currently at the congregational giving director at the unitarian universalist association and she encourages our congregations and you will hear more about this. Mutually support each other so our congregations across the continent and beyond supporting each other. Ocd has consistently given our fair share it was called the annual program signed every year and we have a very long history of giving appropriately to that support. Special guest this morning transylvania melinda. Why don't you stand where you are, melinda is a leader of the unitarian church in transylvania and the wife of the minister of our partner church after the service she will be joining are used to talk about growing up unitarian she's a lifelong unitarian transylvania. Churches are wonderful opportunities unitarian universalist to connect with our larger face. Universalist church council. Council has encouraged and supported almost to 100 congregational partnerships between north american congregations and unitarians and unitarian universalist around the world in many places including transylvania. Universalist church. Was under the leadership of interim minister david keys in the year 2003 with the swain family thank you peg and its partnership. In transylvania in the year 2000. Pandora and melinda where the young minister and his wife in this village. And also serving a neighboring village was called here and found or signed a covenant of partnership between the two congregations and there have been several visits back and forth most notably in 2013 when 10 went on a pilgrimage to transylvania into the village and if you were part of that. Thank you. This congregation church which is where they meet for services and robin battles mother dori designed a quilt and many hands here helps created including the little hands of our children and youth who drive through small squares for one side of the quilt and that the prayer house in that village. In return community presented and delivered it by hand in 2009 and it is hanging there out in our social hall and see the many ways that the lives of community and the lies of our community have interacted. Our partnership has opened us all to deeper understanding of our. How to make lifelong friends and encouraged us to share our lives with others. This is the promise of broadening our perspectives and learning from others. On thursday melinda and peg and i will drive to monterey for the international women's convocation a gathering of unitarian and unitarian universalist women from around the world talking about how we might come together to transform our local communities and to influence. The community of the larger world. Belinda thank you so much for traveling to be with us today. Isis challenge our relationship. We recognize our ability to make changes as well as commitment in community. Accept the responsibility. These words were adopted by the reverend erica. Light one candle for the sorrows of the world. And the times of failure that we know exist. Another candle for the ongoing. For the beauty the successes. And empowerment. He's opening words. The religious life is to grow in service. And we bring ourselves here. A blessed community. With grateful hearts and open minds. To share. Let us worship together. Talking bird. Everyday from the rim of the field. Everyday to show me. And why not. So one day i went there with a machine. Play some songs of moller. Listen. Now when i go down to the sea. Listening is the music floats. And i gave thanks also for my mind. Mostly i'm grateful that i take this world. So seriously. I'm guessing i must see my father and i had a playground. Birds. Maybe tens of thousands of birds. The closed car windows. Turn the car around. The edge of the forest clearing. Had gathered and we got out of the car. Sound. As we watched the birds rise collectively in their power into the air. Somehow. Rising and flattening. Ballooning reseda. Somehow moving all together as one. Have you ever seen. Starlings. Move like that. Murmuration. A murmuration. Brandon time wrote about this phenomenon in wired magazine. And i'm quoting him best described would equations of critical transitions. Systems that are poised. Instantly and completely transform. Like metal or liquid turning to gas. Each starling in the flock is connected to every other. When a fly in unison it's a face. What we see when a solid transforms to a liquid or a liquid. To gas. We see. In the beautiful's light of these birds. We aren't actually completely clear. Transform. Earlier i am the congregational giving director for unitarian universalist association. I'm going to take just a minute. To talk a little bit about what the annual program from fund does so that you know. The entire. Unitarian universalist association. It's the largest source of income for all that unitarian-universalism expresses. In texas. And you are making possible the search for a new minister. For the very first community in maine. Impossible. Which is our whole lima sexuality education curriculum. In a young person's life. Nebraska. When you're together annual program. Receiving the world magazine magazine. Your support amount large-scale justice organizing. Is there a need for large-scale justice organizing today and we show up and far more powerful ways. Then we can alone. To be able to be with you and that you received the support of our. We sing from and design for. Banners. Banners and so on. So i don't know what i want to say support house actual real life people. Difference. Thank you you've been very consistent in your support. It's recognizing scene thank you. So again you were personal gift. But also to make the point that. I support you in your spiritual journey universalism. Far far from here. So you're a small. No i want to propose that the purpose of unitarian universalism. Is nothing short than the transformation of society. Principles and purposes. Together. Those are principles. Are far more than about. Intellectual stimulation on a sunday morning. It is to be with friends. Transformation society is more than just about social connecting with one another. And it has nothing to do with. Keeping us comfortable. And say anything i need to say in the sermon right i don't have to say. Keeping you comfortable you were supposed to nervously laugh a couple people do okay. Opportunity to transform society. Our principles and purposes being lived out. In our communities and growing. People who are willing to stand up in support of our values. Now there's a joke that you may have heard. The joke is that at the pearly gates lyrics. This way. And the other sign says discuss this way which means maybe. Over the real thing every time which. You know there's a good value embedded in that which is that we like about ideas and we like to learn. I don't know about stations. There is a desire to debate from time to time. But the point of the religious life. Is not to learn about being kind. It is. The point of the religious life is not intellectually consider. The point of the religious life is not to become well-versed in the state of generosity. Cities to be generous. Learning about it in theory. Attending stewardship workshops. We learn how to be generous. Practicing it by doing it. By growing our way into. The only way to get it is to do it. How is it that we have so much. When it comes to giving. Well i think. It's clear that we live in a culture. Wichita never have enough. Or perhaps more accurately we cannot. Enough. Are you into this. Imitate what i'm doing clemson together. You're keeping something. And then. Just feeling what that feels like. Just feeling that let's do it again. Hard like you mean it. The religious life as all of the history is to experience. Release. Unlocking of the heart. The opening of the hand. To share. To practice generosity. Generous with your presence. Be generous with your attention. In such short supply. These days. Generous with your hospitality. Be generous with your. Citrus fruit earlier. Citrus tree just producing voluminous beautiful. And she thought to herself this was given to me this is a gift. I didn't burn it. It can't be bought bounty. For people who used to live in california. She said of course. It's this perfect illustration for this morning because. It was about. That's the spirit. Moving from clenched tight. Open-hearted and by being generous. Transformational for us for ourselves. And stay with me now. For this little next part. You may have heard the statistic and if you haven't unitarian universalist are statistically speaking. The second highest earning religious group. Statistically so often when i share this with. And let's just pretend that it just may be true i'm just saying. Second highest earning. Religious group. Statistic is giving to support our own. Our own tradition. In fact we are last. Very last. So that you can. Racket that disparity. We have to figure out a way to rebalance that and i can think of a way. But i want invite you to think about it too. Chronicle of philanthropy published. Which is available online and it's really interesting and user-friendly to experiment with if your. Into the sort of thing like i am i can tell you what the address is. Thanks. Charitable giving. Within states. Metropolitan area. And you might guess if you think about which state is the most generous. You might guess. 10.6% of income. Begin with a 10% to support their religious community. Get on top of that whatever they're called to give. Additionally outside of their congregation. The next generous states mississippi. Alabama and tennessee. Where they giving ranges between 6 and 7% average. Again pointing down it's not as bad as unitarian-universalism. The state is 2.7%. From over 10%. Right here in yolo county. Those who have incomes of $25,000 a year and less. Give the highest percentage to charity in the county. Coming in at 6%. So i'm going to give 6% to support the mission of this congregation. To the creative possibilities that would be. Fruition. As is consistently the case. They're all kinds of reasons for that. And these are just numbers. The number speak to some people and not as much to others but the numbers tell story and my concern. From a preaching standpoint is is that the story that we want to tell. About our own dedication to unitarian universalist on. I want to be clear that this is not a sermon about shame. It's actually in my mind quite. The opposite. I hope that you're giving to this community and you're pledging to this community will be grounded in you. Individual spiritual health. Which is a very different matter. What is your individual spiritual health. Support your religious community. And giving our movement collective power has for me about that your spiritual health. Collective power. I do think that it's important just have a sense of where we are at unitarian universalist in are giving as compared to other. Traditions. How your own personal level of gaming comparison with others in this in this area. When you make your pledge. You can be a part of the murmuration. That helps to move other people in a new direction. One in which values. And resources. Aligned. And in perfect integrity. Starlink. For birds to manage predators that they become larger could be as individuals and more fluid and responsive. As you picture it in your mind. So if we were to take this metaphor of the birds. In our collective power and think about our abilities and our congregation. What do you think might be the predators. We might collectively overcome. If we were. Wheeling the band together with all of our strength. Dedication and. Directly in our principles and i just want you to sync. Are there any situations going on in the larger culture which say that these principles are in need of our support. Only together with our full strength can we just met. Systematic brutality. Which negates the inherent worth and dignity. People. Did that. Seem like that's relevant today. Corrupt structures destroyed fastest. Compassion. What about rampant consumerism which lies to us destroying our true acceptance of one another. And compromising our spiritual growth. Particular interests which conspire to. Are free and responsible search for truth and meaning. Do you feel like that might be going on. What about the erosion of democracy. Divisions which destroyed the possibilities for world community. Short-sighted interests resources from the earth. And ignoring the reality of climate change. Rather than. Of which we are apart. That's just really. List of our principals. That we are needed is pretty profound i think. Another way to support universalism and it's from my favorite new yorker cartoon of all time. Depicts. Traditional. I'm talking with an angel and they're on a cloud or on another planet or something cuz they're looking down on earth trouble. They're bombs going off you can see that happening on our earth. And so does exasperated. This human experiment has gone on long enough. Give the hippos control. Healing message of our faith. And you don't need me to go on with further examples about how this is true today. Communities are so blessed by the presence of communities like this one. Civic-minded open minds and open hearts needed. The election poll asked. Xenophobia and racism. Lurking beneath the surface. Flying out like some sort of pandora's box. Streaming before us now. Our values are so desperately needed. We need to come together in our full strength. We need to mobilize in all of the ways. That we are mobilizing and. We don't have time to argue about what percentage to give. We just have to give like we've never given before. What would it be like actually feel the effect of. No that you are supporting into that level. I think the engagement. Showing up a new ways being creative and our resistance. Giving before. Which is to ask you to consider. A deeper relationship with the spirit of stewardship this year. Which means just being. Very discerning and. Searching for what you are actually called to give really being open to that question. You may decide to personally commit to an appropriately outrageous. A generosity like 10%. Which is why our friends or 6% as others in this county. Personally committed i want you to know that you would be a part of. Starling effect within the congregation system. Which is poised to tip. To be instantly and completely transformed. And of course. Significantly. You would have experienced a spiritual growth only found. Sacrificial giving. Many of you have already completed and if you wish to reconsider. That we are facing right now. And for the rest of you. I hope that you will think about. What we are called to do in these times i'm thinking a lot. Now about my own children one who 16 + 1 + 10. Trying to imagine what the world will be like for them. 25 years from now. And i imagine them saying what what did you do how did this happen and what did you do. So passionate about the possibilities on the power of universalism. Did i devoted my life to it. This is an opportunity that we have to make a real difference. Like never before we need to be strengthening our congregations as communities of resilience. And resistance. Close with a poem called black birds by julie cell. I am 52 years old and truly the better part of my life. Out-of-doors. Wrestling wrestling quietness in the spring air. And when i turned my face upward i saw a flock of blackbirds i didn't know was there. And the sound was simply all those wings. Turn. As if of one body. And one mind. Do they do that. How do they do that. If we lived only in human society with its cruelty and fear its apathy and exhaustion existence that would be a world so that when every now and then mercy and tenderness triumphs and our lives together, good we can sink to ourselves is how it's meant to be yes this is how it's meant to be so. Will you pray with me. Remind. May we not squander the blessing of life i forgot the reason we are alive. Help us know that we are enough. Both private and public sorrows we are also washed. With the fresh light of a new day. The promise of spring session. Warm. May our lives be lived out in gratitude. For all that we have. May we choose to use our gifts. To bless the world. I may we see. Truly see. Tears in your own heart. Consider the comfortable and uncomfortable. Given to us by zayo. And these are the prayers of the people. In our community. The leadership of. Islamic center. You are bored. For their outrage and their letter of concern. Members of our congregation. This coming week. Received the check. Are contributions. For the damage that was done to their mosque. The refugees. The transformation of society and the hope and strength that we gather. Congregation. For those among the undocumented students at uc davis. Bringing them chair. And planning for their future. Let us together in singing gently and dutifully. of lice. The wider world joy and wonder years. We belong together.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-06-18-A-Pinch-of-This-a-Dash-of-That.mp3?_=2

Welcome to sunday sermons another recording from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Good morning i am stacey first-year worship associate. Welcome to the unitarian universalist church in davis. I am your internet campus minister for this one final sunday in my intern year on this father's day we celebrate all of those who played the role of dad. Knowing that include step parents grandfather's. Recognizing. For whatever reason. You are welcome here. If you worked here seeking safety and protection. Flexion. We welcome all races and embraced. We welcome all sexual orientation and gender identity. We encourage you. Authentic. Today is father's day and offer gratitude for our fathers in whatever fashion they come into our lives. Stepfathers. Adoptive and foster fathers. Grandfather's spiritual fathers and all of the uncles brothers. In friends who whether they know it or not in someone's life. We are shaped by their presents and their absence. How they choose to act and when they abstain. And when they remain silent. Remember today and always the impact that these people have had on us as individuals and as a community. Let us also remember that this relationship is not one-sided. No matter how they came into their roles or failures. Grace to forgive them for their failures. Let us love our fathers in each other. Lorain court off mcneil. Reading is expect life by elizabeth tarbox. Far into the past or the future. In each moment expect a miracle. Epic theater in the snow. Pick up a magnifying glass and screen eyes the crocus. Steve apollon at the center of the daffodil. Life's dusk death-defying lice. Be astonished at the flower. Arrested by its beauty. Run naked through the garden early in the morning and hope the wild geese fly by. With your grandchildren or your grandparents. Refuse to leave the dead behind. But bring their memory to all of your chores and games and corners of quiet tears. No always the joy and sorrow are woven together. Can i be without the other. If you love. Know that sometimes your love will bring you tears. If you grieve. Because at some time you were willing to love. Afraid to die today. Respect life. I realize that i was choosing which restaurants to eat at feast on their patio eating experience. I think i have been doing this for some time enterprise newspaper article about mark francis. Based on these principles. The article brought my word as to how much i love being outdoors. Taking naps on lawns experiencing art outdoors. Picnic. Even choosing which restaurants to eat at. My favorite spots on east davis campus. There's something about the experience that makes me stalked and appreciate the temperature. Light. Sound and smells. I relish the time spring season begins. Maybe it's the unexpected and unpredictable nature. Is it sometimes becomes extraordinary. My brother and i went to see a speaker play at the festival. Right in the middle of it it started to rain. Experience. We still both remember this memories. Experiences and i appreciate that many of the reasons i can choose to do things outdoors because i live in northern california. Directions to other seasons. In the winter if there is a covered patio with a heater and it's not too unbearable. Anytime tuesday is outside this is not something my friends and family are fond of but i do enjoy it. Distinct memory of eating at burgers and brew outside and when i turned away from the heater i could see my breath. Choosing where to eat. Do you mean ours. Meeting with friends. These could be done indoors or outdoors. Choose an outdoors for me is my life special sauce. Sometimes you really need. I don't care for sweet. much. More than one occasion. I'm pretty sure i've said it in other contexts too. And. I'm sorry. I didn't actually like ice cream i would happily eat ice cream at every meal. In vermont by scream is called a creamy and i can happily write you a dissertation on the importance of the maple creamy. Even though i think i prefer desserts when i've spent hours preparing them with others. Ingredients together. I'm sorry. It will be less distracted. I like desserts most when i spent hours preparing them with others holding ingredients together carefully piping frosting. Eating them becomes the reward for all of the hard work. Over the years. I've had several friendships that are built actually around creating deserts together. What started as regularly making both the easiest and the best tasting brownies i've ever had. Unusual ice cream flavors or cupcakes. Is one of the things that i was given on my first today as it's your intern minister. Pieces of dark chocolate and on the top of the lid best wrote your own stash. Sweetness. Is almost always welcome. It was more than a promise of a little sweetness in my day though. Internship reflecting back. I see what offering me my own stash really was. It was a welcoming into the traditions of our church office. My early days and weeks of my internship. You reached out to me the most. Play my internship to thinking about my relationship with this church. As well. Has anyone here ever made lemon curd. Lemon curd homemade lemon curd what. And others are going to learn is actually surprisingly easy. Very often or we think of as part of. It's pretty simple to make eggs butter and lemon juice. A few minutes in a saucepan. And it's ready to go into a pudding like. Sweet and tart filling for many recipes. But there's one ingredient i forgot. Bright yellow lemon peel. Here's the thing about lemon zest. Your lemon curd will still hold together. It was still thicken. But you might find yourself thinking that it's missing. Something. Flavor to be more robust. Color could be brighter. Lemon curd is good. Lemon curd with zest. I've been thinking about this church. My last five years of ministerial formation. Death isn't the end of making a dessert with lemon curd isn't the end of making a minister. My internship somewhere else. Missing out. Community of children abused. Who cared deeply for one another. Unitarian universalist. Enter our world. Purchase commitment to its role in helping new ministers develop. Men set. Whether i saw you throughout the week. Only every few weeks. You played an integral role in my developing ministry this year. For the time we've spent together. I have been taught things that i didn't even know i needed to learn. How to stay focused when you're here. Glitter christmas ornaments cleaned up and out of the carpet in just one hour before the next. More somber event immature. More serious things to. Such as. How to simultaneously learn and lead as i did at one of the facilitators in beloved conversations this spring. Anyways this year. And i still remember when i first became aware. It was during my first year of seminary and i learned about your unique context for internship. The opportunity to spend time with the congregation. And with the students on campus. Even at that time where i wasn't too certain about congregational ministry. Internship that combined campus ministry. Just might be the right one for me. I felt so lucky when it turned out that i was your chosen intern minister for this year. I've learned that i was luckier than i even thought. Have been special. I'm grateful for the times we've learned together in worship. Committee meeting. Programs like pasta. I'm grateful for the times we got to put our uu values into action. By speaking out to support immigration at the state house in yolo county. Campus. High school students. You welcomed me into your personal moments. Joy. And of grief. Can i share mine with you as well. I have deeply cared for. In the moments i needed support. And it's my hope that i have offered that. Perhaps the sweetest its investment in this congregation in the towns and communities in which you live. In the creation of space that fosters gross and learning. How to love a church as one of its ministers. I don't mean learning to love this building and his property out of who couldn't love this property can i take it with you. Churchmans loving all of the things that make up this community. It's people. It's patterns and traditions. Willingness to take a rest. And sometimes dance. In approaching the new carefully. With the intention of learning and remaining open to possibility. Like you're doing as you begin to explore what it means movement. This is all of the work that you do. Itron on rebecca parker's benediction from her collection of essays blessing the world in several contacts. Benediction closes. None of us alone can save the world. Possibility waiting. It's a strong sense of justice message. The need to engage in work in community. I'm not talkin the context in which i together. How to respond to a world that hurts people so often. As i close out my time with you. I've been thinking about that message differently. It isn't the big actions that save the world most days. It's the little ones. The seemingly small moments that when held collectively person. Open experience. Church. Those moments have happened for me everyday. Conversations in the social hall over coffee. Sharing a meal together. The offer of a hug when my aunt died. Touching your eye across the sanctuary as we sing together. Just to say hi as you're passing through. We save the world in these moments because we see each other. We save the world in these moments because these are the moments that hold us up. Set reminder community. This church. But our larger you use and our larger world. As i leave my internship. I know that this community remains. Bring me up. You stand here. You sit here so you are present supporting me and following whatever it is you can about my ministry and my life over the coming years. I know because i've seen you do it. I know because you are going to. Because you asked me how i will keep in touch. That is changing the world. Moments of connection that remind us. That we matter community. That is the together that saves the world. My moments of zest minister. For so many years to come. Stacy's reflection told us about this in the world when you can see your breath. Beauties of disaster in our lives. Many different things. We might find our family at work. Your zest might come from taking yourself to the movies digging into the social and literary criticism of a story. Perhaps good friends. Last time you sat down together. Is yours. Observing. Receiving. Some combination marin. Do you find your zest in a crowded room or in solitude. Time to notice the next time it comes around. Appreciate the robustness it adds to your lifesaver all that it adds to your life and honor. The uniqueness. You. And then when you're done. Yes. The little things that you do and you are. Those are addressed for someone else. Sweet someone else's life. Thank you. For becoming my zest. Into a time. Prayer. So that i can. Get out in front. Invite you to settle into your chair. Nice you. Sabacc supporting you. Notice the energy of other bodies around you. To breathe deep. Your eyes if you choose. Find twist focus on. Is an amazing week. Today we celebrate all of the fathers. In this world. Bring to us. The specialist. That can be found in those relationships. We honor the people for whom father's day is complicated. 4 missing children. Fathers. For those whom this day is never easy. Told that we can go celebrate. Amazing dads in our lives. An honor the lost where it exists. Tomorrow we celebrate juneteenth. Lavery. Celebrate that end we also remember that we have in this country. Family of philando castile. The minneapolis area. Chastised. Grieve for the children who have lost. At the dads to embody children. We love the dads. Mister kids tour far away. Grateful that they are with us. Kids today. May not be here this morning because. It's time for dad. We honor and hold close complexities. The difficult moments. Terry and celebrations. The times that we get to be together. Anytime our joys and our sorrows together. May we breathe deep into this community. Be surrounded by one another. Recognize the divine as it shows up in our lives. We see it when we need it most. May we see it when we think we don't. And i can just say that the davis art center is so lucky to have stacy. Thanks for the gifts you can't very well say that about herself but i can say that about her so thank you so much for your generosity as a congregation to support the arts in davis. I'm still sharon hale internship committee that supports. The unitarian universalist church of davis is proud of its role as a teaching congregation. This congregation knows how to interns into ministry. Turns to grow into their potential. Just as it is for each of us. The edges of variability. We want to be a place that is safe to discover who a person might become in the very large calling of ministry. We love our interns difference we give ourselves intern. We speak the truth in love. Patrick rothfuss. Truth. With each other. We have done well. Willing to learn. And us. Add what you gave to us was your real interest and curiosity and worship together. Campus ministry. As a congregation. If the wedding is small enough. And lovely and in that span of time. But they would have a couple. The couple received the rings in their school. Lovely. And then we bless them and santos the gathering. For elizabeth. Intuit. And then to. And when you see her in the reception. You have something to tell her now. Of what you wish. And what you sent her way. And in this moment we are saying thank you. And we are sending you forth. Even in doing that. There is a tiny space within us that's making way for the next. Intern is hard as that is to imagine. And yes. We will always be in touch. Are chairs of the committees have yet one more task. May the road rise up to meet you. Rains fall soft upon your fields again. Play around. A celebration of.

uudavispodcast_org

Worship-2012_10_14-1115a_ED-1.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Good morning it's great to be with you this morning for you regulars out there your eyes are not failing you. Where we may be for all i know but i am not reverend beth. My name is evan yonker and i am the director of field and development at the unitarian universalist legislative ministry of california. And i'm grateful that reverend banks has invited me to be with you this morning. Universalist abolitionist and suffragist. Mary ashton rice livermore writes the following. As our life experience deepens we realized that the whole world is one vast encampment. And that every man and woman is a soldier. We have not voluntarily enlisted into the service. With an understanding of the hardness of warfare. And an acceptance of the terms and conditions. But we've been drafted into the conflict. And cannot escape taking part in it we're not even allowed to choose our place in the ranks. But have been pushed into life. And cannot be discharged until mustard out by death. We're all drafted into the battle of life. And are expected to do our duty according. To the best of our ability. I want to thank you again for having me here and reverend banks for the invitation to be with you. As unitarian universalist. We long to make a difference in this world. It's part of our being. Identity. It's what we are called to do. While others have an afterlife. Enoree they're fearful of hell or yearning for heaven. We enter this life and achieve salvation in it. I was not personally raised a unitarian universalist. I love the church i grew up and don't get me wrong. I look back on those years at fairfax christian church disciples of christ. The great phone is sitting in wonderful sense of community. In salvation was simple. Do good. Don't do bad. Apologize to god when you do. You're in. And we did a charity work. Collecting fluid in in building houses. Reaper weekend adventures for youngboy. Indian. Salvation wisconsin play in not sending. And apologizing to god when you did. That would be simpler if. Muse you use. Just pray. And nothing else. Imagine what our life would be like if we sat down each night and said. Dear god. Please forgive me i screwed up. Thanks goodnight. Especially the salvation right there. But that's not us. Wii u use don't have it that simple. We don't have anything simple but that we really lack. Instead we seek salvation in this life. Closest by faith to create heaven on earth. Common fate. Children all those who dwell on this spinning ball we call earth. Our sense of salvation. Largely exist. In the differences we make in the world around us. During our brief stint. Between being mustered into service. And are forced retirement. As unitarian universalist. We have a view of salvation on this planet. And we have from birth to death. To get as close as we can to it. Wilborn and have to learn to feed ourselves change our clothes brush our teeth speaking right to at least basic arithmetic. Pay bills contest bills. Winton apartment house condo trailer. Cook get a job exist with people we call friends. Exist with people who don't call friends driver car care for a dogfish cat or child if we choose the latter we have to teach them to do all the apple mention things. Care for parents help our friends refund print fix things when they break clean up after ourselves and those around us and try to make sure we don't leave a mess when we die. Oh and someone in there make a difference in the world. When are we have to live life. The build our own version of salvation longer in it. So how do we do it. Together. And in faith. Some have argued that a premise of unitarian universalism. Is that everybody can be who they want to be. This unitarian principal has a mini cases drowned out. I will call for a common salvation that are universalist heritage espouses. I like what reverend fred meyer said this past year and his berry street lecture. What individualism may have been a bold and appealing way. To create and build a nation and its institutions. Enfagrow unitarian-universalism it might even have felt natural or god-given. It is not sustaining. Individualism will not serve the greater good a principle to which will committed ourselves. Who is littleton nothing. About the etiology and theology of individualism. That encourages people to work and live together. Create and support institutions. That serve the common aspirations in beloved principal. This was a way of dreaming and living. Before the storm. To make a difference we must work together. As you use. And his partners with other groups. We need to recognize when it is not in our best interest. Each pick up a pitchfork and scattering different directions. But tonight. At the same place. In the same time. For the same cause. As long as we believe in a common destiny. We must work toward common goals. I'm not saying. When you care about doesn't matter i'm not saying you shouldn't do this work order or do that thing. Because not everyone agrees with you what i am saying. Is that as a community as you use. We must know the difference between a personal battles. And those battles in which would join forces with other you use as just as seekers. When we fail to focus our energies and our time together. We fail to achieve our goals. If we are to succeed in our cause we must set aside our personal druthers. And focus on what we can accomplish together. We must also work together to decide how to achieve a common vision. Many times i've seen it and it's been appropriate to hold witness events. Get petition signatures calling campaign. Write letters to the editor and even more. But how effective is it. In making a difference. We have five people at a witness event. 4 people committing civil disobedience three signatures on a petition one letter to the editor. Not only must refocus our energies towards common causes. But we must focus our efforts in a complimentary manner. Each person having a voice at the table. And each committed. To the decisions of the majority. Bottom line here. What we do we need to do together. Ben simple. But it's still not enough. You must also allow our actions to be guided in faith and truth. In the spiritual activist leadership training at the unitarian universalist legislative ministry holds each year. I did a session for young adults on media skills. We went to a point where they picked an issue they care deeply about. And i told him to finish the sentence. As a person of faith i. He'd be surprised how hard that is to do. In august of this year i was honored to be part of a group of you use who went to the capital to speak with legislative staff. About the human right to water bill. I went on with hundreds of petition signatures that you and others all across california had signed. I sat with representatives of other organizations promoting the bill as well. And two families who traveled over four hours by van to be there. They were families directly affected by unsafe water. I sat there. And listened as a mother explained. Every time her nine-year-old son took a shower. His skin would break out in a rash. And she had to put lotion. When his skin every night before he went to bed. I watched as a student explain how a classmates got sick. From drinking contaminated water. And many times they would drink sodas instead. I don't mean silent. We finally got to me i said. As people of faith. We believe in the worth and dignity of every california. It's simply unconscionable. For water not to be a basic human right. And after four years struggle governor brown sign the human rights water act last month. Being able to finish that sentence as a person of faith. Is what sets us apart. And gives us the ability to truly make a difference again and again. It keeps us focused on alcohol. Not ourselves. It refreshes our souls. Connexus to spirit. And replenishes our energy. Our difference-making must be about caring creating the world we want to see. Not about getting the world to see us. You can hear the clear conviction of faith. Is martin luther king jr left the courthouse in 1956. Frank ordinarily a person leaving a courtroom. With a conviction behind him with were somber faced. But i left with a smile i knew that i was a convicted criminal. But i was proud of my crime. No. Personally my calls is an actions were not always grounded in faith or truth. My previous career was as a political consultant in campaign manager. I got into politics to make the world a better place though. But as each november came and went. My campaigns became less and less. About changing the world. And more and more about winning. I had no spiritual connection to my work. And it became a game. I remember one night sitting around a table with my candidate and a slew of consultants are pulsar rpr guy fundraiser. Email consultant. Google looking over the pole we had done and i saw something that raised my eye. Where do you stand on this issue. And looked at my candidate. He look back and without missing a beat set. Where do you need me to. I laughed. And with the exception of a favor i did for a friend the following year. That was my last campaign. I got out. To truly make a difference we must work together. Enormous ground are work. And our unitarian-universalism. Reverend shirley strong road. Many social activists have come to realize there's something missing. In the struggle for justice and human rights. In the sense of being connected to something greater than ourselves. Something whose inherent outcome. Is the creation of beloved community. We can make a difference. We can work together. Connect to fa. And make a difference in the world. Unitarian universalist legislative ministry has it has a three-pronged approach. Deepening faith. Growing leaders. Building justice. Find out more about this. Spell segway. An experience that you can work. With us and doing that please no more annual walking the walk justice leadership summit. Is november 16th through 18th outside of san jose. And i hope many of you will join us there. But basically at work comes down to this. We work with congregations and you use. Cross california to put our faith in action. And ground our actions and faith. We grow leaders by working with congregations to strengthen justice ministries. Connect to the larger uu community in their efforts. We grow the next generation of leaders who are spiritual activist leadership training program. Which just started its second year. You did justice by giving you use opportunities to make a real difference. In their lifetimes on major issues facing us. And we educate learn and feel justice community. Add regular training. Want to make a difference in our lifetimes we can get nervous. So much to be done. Can we do it. In that brief time from being mustard. Accidental death. What difference can we make. Grounded in our faith and truth and driving toward a common goal we can make that difference you seek. That is how we got the human right to water bill pass. That is how we will achieve immigrant justice in the years to come. When we shut down our individual wants and desires and put our efforts into a common salvation we can achieve our goals. But we must work together grounded in spirit and aimed at a common vision. And you and you and you. Do you use church of davis with others around you. Did you use legislative ministry with our network of partner organizations. Hand in hand hurting heart. Time and time again we will take up the causes that speak to our collective conscience. You may not get there overnight. But we will make a difference. For which we yarn. Please join me for a moment. Prayer and reflection. As we gather today we reflect on our time since we were last together. People proclaim their human worth and dignity on national coming out day last week. Let us celebrate the freedom that comes from living ones truth. And be grateful for those who work for justice. The rights of individuals everywhere. Let us also be mindful of the pain so many feel everyday. To remain unable to live their truth. Do the pressure from family friend. Connect community. May they find peace and refuge. This coming monday. Is indigenous people's day. Maybe be mindful of the contributions of native americans to our world. And always remember the injustice has they haven't you heard. And continues to battle. As we focus on longing this month. Let us be grateful for the differences others have made in our lives. Let us remember the people we see everyday and recognize the differences they are making. In the world around us. Let us reflect. Replacing our community. In our country. When i planet. And the difference is. We making. And as we go through life. Their many burdens placed upon us. Some we share together. So painful we hold them inside. May the power of this community. Make those burdens. A little lighter. Destroying. In a moment of personal reflux. Rebecca edmisten land tells us. To be mindful of our highest aspirations. Bound by a common faith in purpose. And yet. Beginning with ourselves as we are. Let us take one more step. Together. Unbending unending quest for dignity. Justice. And love.

uudavispodcast_org

2016-04-24-In-Her-Shoes_09_30.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Dearly beloved we are gathered here today to get through this thing called life. Welcome to the unitarian universalist church. Of davis my name is laura thompson and the ministerial intern here at your cd and i also serve as the campus minister for the uu campus ministry group of davis. And there are fine group of students and they're leaving us in the service today. So you'll get to know them all better in a few minutes i just onenote on your order of service zachary cobar couldn't make it today so amelia will be reading our chalice lighting. This is a place which welcomes all peoples. Atheists humanists christians buddhist pagans. Muslims theorists seekers & beyond we are all welcome here. We welcome those of varying viewpoints and public interest. We welcome those who are straight and those who are lgbtq. 4a. Are gender-neutral bathrooms. Her right through the doors. We welcome your smile's your tears your struggles. Your gifts and your questions. We welcome. You all and we welcome all of you. It was feared of holding one another in community. You're invited slide a chalice in the back of the room. And write a milestone page. On the table back there. Those are for joys and sorrows that service milestones of your life you can do this during the greeting time in just a minute and i'll share those milestones later in the service. And now in the spirit of welcome i invite you to mingle and greet one another seeking out for house of face that is not familiar to you. Arkhalis later this morning is scott ragsdale. Scott has been a member of uucd for 10 years. He served as a greeter for all 10 of those years and has been on the campus ministry committee for 9 years. Serving two of those years as its chair. Scott says. When young people see and even take part in unitarian-universalism they are empowered to hold closer to their sense of self and more easily shed the. Shed the shame that many of society's institutions and some personal relations place upon their idealism and life choices. Scott will be letting the chalice to these words. How often we seek refuge in the sacred flame. From the world's trouble and pain. Today mary lamp light the way. For those who know no refuge. That may that we may open our minds are arms our hearts. Our mouths to sing. Come whoever you are. Wholly new and wholly true. And these are opening words by richard gilbert. We meet on holy ground brought into being as life encounters life. It's personal histories merge into the communal story. As we take on the pride and pain of our companions. As separate cells become community. How desperate is our need to be for one another. Are silent beckoning to our neighbors. Our invitation to share life and death together. Are welcome into the lives of those we meet. And they're welcome into our own. Mirasoles capture this treasured time. We are spirit celebrate our meeting in this time and in this space. For we meet on holy ground. This is a poem by andrea gibson called elbows. I chose this poem because i think it speaks to. Both interpersonal connection and having empathy for yourself. I get panic attacks when i'm being looked at. I get hungry in crowds i eat potato chips to crunch away the noise. The noise is not noise if i'm the one who is in control of the loud. You can't see me if i close my eyes you have no idea where i am. I guarantee i am somewhere thinking about the people who choose the middle seat on an airplane. When our elbows touch. My heart goes so fast. I dare myself to not pull away. It's the point of life don't let anyone tell you different. The point of life is increasing the amount of time you can get your elbow to stay. Mijoy likes to run from my body quick as it can. I've been practicing holding it like you practice holding your breath at a public pool. I can do about half a lap before my panicfreaks out on its little red whistle. My panic is not a lifeguard. But you can't tell my panic that. My panic googled how to perform cpr on yourself. Despite how it might look i was raised right. My father is a good man. When i asked him why he stayed three years in vietnam he told me the army offered him a free trip to france if he stayed the extra year. When he left the room my mother said no andrea that's not true your father say the extra years so his brother wouldn't have to go. When i came out to my parents they took me to a psychiatrist to get my head fixed. The psychiatrist said you are not responsible for your family's happiness. But my father's brother is a happy man. It was a lot to lose. I never nightmare so much as i did those years i was at catholic school playing basketball for the lady monks. I was taking environmental science from a nun who did not believe in dinosaurs. What i know about extinction. Was that my family stopped calling. And i started working demolition and volunteered to run the jackhammer through the asbestos tiles on the buildings floor. When i finally got my degree the only job i could find was as a telemarketer. Selling a product called score. A cologne guaranteed to get any man laid in the club. There are times when your life is not on the upswing. And no one was saying it was going to get better when they said straighten up they meant straighten up. But some of us can't help but jackknife out of the net. Some of us know love is not the only closet we will be told never to come out of. There is also the causative grief. The closet of sorrow the closet of panic. A terror of rage the closet of all and wants and bliss. The world asked for a stencil. Of the chatter of cordial manufactured machine and yet here we are. With all the honest great that we feel. During our elbows out noisy in the noise blowing whistles at the past for not being the past. Making no excuses for wanting to feel too much. There is no tragedy that doesn't knock the wind out of us. But we follow that wind where it goes running with our windchimes dragging behind us like we were just married. To knowing the breakdown is what trampolines the bouncing back. I am always a groom just learning to pull my own weight. Without wishing my past ways less than it does. Learning brave is a hand-me-down suit from terrified as hell. Just me and whatever will get me through the door of my heart. Get my faith in us under your skin. Hold my stubborn in the palm of your free tell whoever is resting their elbows beside you tonight. Thank god you never got braces. Your bite looks like a city skyline i bet you believe that kind of mark on the world. When the students and i first started talking about what we might do for this. Service the. Word empathy came up. And we started talking about what empathy. Isn't. What that means is a form of compassion. One of the things that we looked at was this video that we're going to show up from brene brown so we're using this kind of in lieu of a reading because we're. What's millennial what's today. Embracing modern technology and using our screens to their fullest capacity so we have the video ready to go. Mymotherlode. And why is it very different than sympathy sympathy sympathy drive disconnection professions. Empathy is feeling with people and it's dark and then hey i'm down. Sympathy is it bad. Rarely if ever does an empathic response begin with at least. I gave myself the challenge of asking what symptoms are what empathy. Means to me. Empathy is the ability to understand and share the feelings of another. But sadly in order to have empathy we must know what it feels like to experience. Suffering. Or some emotional pain. Our compassion comes from. Knowing our vulnerability. I believe that i have the ability to show empathy through my life experiences of being in foster care of having a deceased parent. And from having a learning disability. However this is not mean i'm a automatically relate. Or fully understand what someone is going through. We each have different coping mechanisms. How one person may respond. Two suffering can be significantly different from the way another person responds. For example. My mother passed away in 2009. I was sad to hear about her death. But i wasn't devastated. My grieving. was short. And i was able to move forward with my life. But this was due to the fact that i never developed a strong bond with my mother. Our relationship was limited to occasional handwritten letters. But during the same time a couple of my high school friends had also experienced a parent passing away. Around the same time my mother did. I remember how they grieved for a long time. They would take a leave of absence from school they would cry. Or they would talk about it and. Bring up nice memories about their parent. But despite the bond between our parents being different. I felt i had a connection with my friends. Because we shared. A similar form of sadness. That makes but that's what makes empathy great. It allows us to feel our connection through our feelings. It's important to be present and understand that each person deals with their emotions differently. When i'm sad i need laughter and the companion of a good friend. When other such as our campus minister laura are sad they might need a good movie to get through the painful then. My boyfriend jacob needs some comfort food and some hardcore metal music. When he's feeling down. Being present is it an easy task. Because it brings up your own vulnerability. But it's also important to know. That you're suffering ends. Whoever you're suffering and just where another begins. In order to be fully present for others. We should ask them what they need. Empathy might mean knowing how others feel. But it doesn't mean that i'm. I always know what they need. And it's important to know that. They need are as important to know what they need. Because as. Leo and i'm going to butcher this last name bus call zia. Says. Too often we underestimate the power of a touch. A smile a kind word. A listening ear. An honest compliment. Or the smallest act of kindness. All of which has the potential to turn a life around. In the end. Empathy reminds us of our true nature. As. Relational beings. I'm not strong because i don't need anybody. But rather i'm strong because i need everybody. And if you can please join me now in the spirit of. Prayer and meditation. Spirit of life spirit of love. Your light is always shining. We are grateful for the beauty which we find everyday. We find it in the blossoming of spring that is the beauty of the earth. We find it in the annoying presence of a friend. We find it in the warmth of a hug. We find this lights and the tasks we do for one another to ease the burden. We find it in the laughter of children and in the wisdom of our elders. We give thanks for this beauty and we give thanks. For the comfort we find in the abundance of life. And in the chair we receive from one another. May we be sources of light one another maybe reach out and its tenderness and understanding to those in need. May we also reach out with courage and conviction in pursuit of justice. And may we know that our own lights need fuel and reach out to others for our own needs and care. I am about you now into a moment of silence and reflection to lift into the space the concerns and prayers of your heart. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships when one of us celebrate surgery or grieves the loss the web of life moves to a new shape we are part of the turn of the earth the shift of the stars the policy and all of change may we find beauty comfort and truth in the light which shines within among & beyond has blessed be and on men. So another poem on empathy this is the mangroves by mary oliver. As i said before i am living now in a warm place surrounded by mangroves. Mostly i walk beside them. They discourage entrance. The black oaks and the pines of my northern home are in my heart. Even if i hear them whisper listen we are trees too. Okay i'm trying. They certainly put on an endless performance of leaves. Admiring is easy. But affinity that does take some time. So many and so laggy and all of them rising as if attempting to escape this world which. Don't they know it can't be done. Are you trying to fly or what i asked. And the answer back. We are what we are. You are what you are. Love us if you can. Good morning i made a film called mind plus body. It was about the stories of three young adults living with various mental illnesses. I asked those three. Individuals to write short pieces on their experience living with his mental illnesses. Then i had three separate people three other people narrate what they wrote. And in addition i had three more people interpret those stories through dance. So what i'm about to show here is one of those three stories. A dancer friend and i work together to come up with choreography. Based on this person's experience living with social anxiety. Being a dancer myself i find that body movement and dance. Are extremely effective ways of both representing as well as processing emotions actions and experiences. Sometimes. It is difficult to understand what a person is going through. And how they must be feeling. In some contexts our own preconceived judgments or assumptions. Can cloud our ability to empathize with someone. And we might not be as fully present for them as we could be. Because mental illness has such a stigma surrounding it and because sometimes. We still do not take them as seriously as physical illnesses. This can impede meaningful connection. And understanding. That we could have the remedy. As i said before i'm a dancer. And the way i knew how to interpret these stories was with dance. It was through dance that i knew i would be able to process and understand their experiences. Better or as best that i could. Of course i could never fully comprehend what it is like to live with a serious mental illness if i've never lived with one myself. But dance is a language that i understand. So choosing to process these people's experiences through that medium. How to be a better grasp what they might be feeling. Those of us who might be visual learners. Or kinetic learners. Could see a representation of someone's experience like this one that i'm going to show. And then understand that experience better. That could lead to a re-enactment anxiety as a persistent, vaginas if you let it it can really rely 50k. And as brene brown explained in the previous video. Hopefully it could also drive human connection. I hope you enjoy the video. Social anxiety as a persistent form of shyness if you let it it can really real life enough to only have a mild form of social anxiety but even so it has shaped my relationships with others for years it started in 6th grade struggling with an untreated mental illness made middle school especially challenging i was basically living in fear of other people of them exactly but i was terrified of what people thought about me i strongly little things like making small talk or starting conversations and i remember hearing my classmates laughing in the hallways as i walked by some days are worse than others sometimes i feel hesitant to talk to anyone even post friends and family and never really talked about how i felt except to my parents because i was so frightened people would think i was weird or unfriendly for a long time i push this part of myself down because i internalized the idea that having mental illness was shameful and of course there's only made things worse i remember when my mom kept saying i'm sorry we should have done this sooner i should have recognized it i can say with absolute confidence that my social anxiety has gotten better during college i think a large part of that positive change and finally having a name for what i was experiencing. Please gather hands with those around the room. And we'll go with these words from wayne arneson. Take courage friends. The way is often hard. The path is never clear and the stakes are very high. Take courage for deep down there is another truth. You are not alone let the congregation say amen. Amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2016-06-26-Belief-Faith-Trust-Doubt_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california website at www.sec.gov org-mode further information. This morning at like to invite susan steinbach too late the talus as many of you know susan his son deep and important work for the people of me and mark and i had the opportunity to go with her and many people from this congregation to see that firsthand about two years ago and today in the service and we're talking about face and doubt and believe i experienced that firsthand susan's taking 15 people through myanmar on buses and through rice fields to see schools and all the great work the tapping has to combine faith doubt and belief to get that done thank you susan at times are only albert schweitzer linguist and mathematician alfred corbus keyone said to believe everything or to doubt everything both ways save us from thinking. Cherish your doubts for doubt is the attendance of truth is the key to the door of knowledge it is the servant of discovery a belief which may not be questioned binds us to error for there is incompleteness and in perfection in every belief doubt is the touchstone of truth it is the acid which eats away the false that no one fear for the truth that don't make him sumud for doubt is a testing of belief the truth stands and unafraid it is not shaken by the testing for truth if it be truth arises from each testing stronger more secure those that would silence doubt are filled with fear their houses are built on shifting sands but those who fear use are founded on rock they shall walk in the light of growing knowledge the work of their hands shall endure therefore let us not feared out but let us rejoice and it's help it is to the wise of the staff to the blind doubt is the attendant of truth it was a hot summer day the meaning of sacred texts about where we. Religion religion is not even about god it is about humans about making ourselves better i create that which i speak abracadabra let us say abracadabra.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-01-27-Worship_A-Holy-Triangle_11_15_ED.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome. It is so wonderful to look out and see folks greeting one another. We come to this sanctuary. To celebrate the beauty of the earth. Ntb in community. This congregation comforts us. When we know loss. And celebrates our best dreams. We bring our differences. Together we offer a fuller truth. Then anyone point of view. This in the place of challenge. And compassion. The holy is experienced here in many ways. And is given many names. People of all sexual orientations and gender identities are celebrated here. And we welcome all races and classes and physical abilities. We have so much to learn from one another. This is a place. I'm learning and hope. Together we can accomplish more than you could ever do alone. Better because of the touch of a friend. The words and the music. Or moment of silence. May you feel more alive this morning. Justices worship team dismiss. And quartet brings us to our second principle justice equity and compassion. Human relations. That's too hard for me to talk about justice equity and compassion in hockey relations to play hockey. Start hockey son from other sports one from tearing down it still shows up on my wrist x-rayed. And the doctor was world war i. Play hockey. I was whippin with huge injustice. Play hockey. The referee gets to decide if he behaved badly. And consensual pencil box. And some strange reason i seem to spend a lot of time was the referee just completely boring this year nfl. Give me a break the other guy to hit me first so where's the justice in that wasn't he in the penalty box instead of me. It isn't so much restraint. I'm not kidding myself hard it is isn't that compassion i mean go to bible reference r2 in this service. Old testament. Best buy on i-49. And a tooth for a tooth for a lot of pain understand all too well. Address but also the old testament early on. Genesis exodus leviticus in leviticus. What's the golden rule. Treat others as you would like. Fathers to treat me and that's not an exact translation. But that's okay because virtually all religions have a version of this worded differently and leviticus is not the first place that this shows up. Justice equity and compassion. Actually our god. His golden rule that requires. Compassion. But exactly what does justice look like. And how do you know. When you've achieved it. Good morning. I'm virginia thigpen. I had the honor and joy of working most of last year assisting the church and our butte building task force. With the construction of the sanctuary improvements in the new social hall. And i spent much of july and august coordinating repairs to the bridge house after the flooding accident. By being so closely involved on a day-to-day basis i became familiar with the complexity of all the new systems. As well as they need to do timely repairs. All of our buildings. I believe that all you share my warm sense of ownership and appreciation of our buildings. From the lowly cottage to the state-of-the-art social hall. And just as we invest in upkeep of the homes where we live. We must also care for and maintain our spiritual home. Here's how it currently works. Someone contacts mandy dawn when they discover something not working. Orb leaking or making funny noises. If she doesn't have the solution herself she contacts a member of the building's committee. These are volunteers with full lives who don't always respond immediately. Depending on the nature of the problem one or several building committee members show up to troubleshoot. If it's beyond our skills knowledge or available time we advise mandy dawn to call in an expert. We have a new building and several older buildings. They need regular maintenance ideally done by someone who is employed by the church to care for these hard-earned assets. We employ people to do shared ministry in many areas of the church. Cake coordinates programs religious exploration in life span learning best guides the religious life of worship and the congregation. Nancy and mora court collaborate to provider music laney leads are used in annie shepherds arkansas students. Mandy dawn and jennifer expertly handled administration in bookkeeping. The staff of most churches include someone who is responsible for minor repairs and building maintenance. This person will keep the roofs free of leaves. And the rain gutters cleared. This personal check for damages after a rental event. This person will conduct the required weekly test of the fire pump system. Change the furnace filters replace burned-out light bulbs unclog drains check out incorrect safety and accessibility issues and more. This person will magically get these and other tasks done in a part-time position. The generosity committee is asking each of us to increase our pledge by 10% or to move up a level on the giving chart. We do this we will be able to fund this essential new position and by doing so protect our collective investment. Make mandy john's job simpler and tread more lightly honor volunteers. Increasing your pledge at this level is still another opportunity. For each of us to enhance the vitality of this community. And help us care for each other and our staff. Here's where i come clean. What's the operating budget last year was $5,250. Up 5% from the previous year. I considered not increasing it this year as that's already well over 10% of my income. My shrinking income. But when i received a positive response from the board to the suggestion that we hire some reliable help. I decided to find a way to increase my pledge. Not my 5% but by 10%. Please join me at the revels it's possible for your situation. And helping to make this important improvement to our operations and are caring for each other. Thank you so much. Good morning. Find barbara ashby and i have the honor of speaking about this church's pastoral caregiving. Of which i was a grateful beneficiary last year during my journey with breast cancer. Cards and call. Meals. Rides. Hugs. Keep listening alba powerful healing. Having been embraced. Chauffeured. Embarrassed by this congregation. It was an easy decision to step up and to serve as co-coordinator of the pastoral care network aurora share with valerie olson with gratitude for her willingness to accept my invitation to join me and chair of the pastoral care council. Having been president of the board of trustees in 2008 when the human resources team first. Presented the case for additional staff to support a congregational needs. Reading this year's letter from the generosity committee brought back memories memories of budget discussions and prioritize choices and good decisions thanks to this congregations perseverance and committed to the capital campaign. We expanded our space to welcome each and all cultivating spirit and serving others in our quest for justice. Now it is time for us to revisit the need to expand our staff. Virginia has spoken of the role of the sexton and i invite you to join us to be able to hire a pastoral care professional to coordinate and support volunteers like me and valerie and partnership the senior minister banks. The demand for pastoral care in our congregation is increasing as many of us age. Others take ale. I'm really new members who i've called by the outreach made possible by these wonderful facilities. There are many people willing to play parks. Manchester orchestra depends upon its conductor. So to volunteer groups like the pastoral associate at the neighborhood network. Need a leader to perform their best. A password care professional will provide. Training and resources. Connectivity and consistency. Team building. Communication. Follow up and much-needed follow through. Imagine. Onstaff professional who can do from a stroke a g what director kate raymond has done for religious exploration and lifespan learning. State my reduction in salary due to being able only to work halftime post cancer. John and i were committed and we found a way to maintain this year's giving a $6,000. And we are joining virginia and increasing our pledge. Now by 10%. Dubai 11%. As you can imagine. John. Finds great humor in the net amount. 6660 spirit of intergenerational chalice lighting. I say. This is the church. This is the steeple please step up your pledge. To care for our people thank you. Baltimore to denver. What is the first in order in the bible it's actually the second gospel written didn't answer. It differs from the other three gospels and focusing with the story of jesus in matthew was specifically written. Prospectors with jesus appearing as the fulfillment of jewish prophecies. Willy senior judaism israel and israel in genesis the proof of that is his long-awaited jewish messiah. Jesus parables are celebrated. Disgust. Sometimes horses are great aggravation because they can lead to very different conclusions. Depending on how you approach it sometimes people take them literally sometimes people take them figuratively sometimes people take them spiritually. Ambien running a little bit about this rating sometimes people get meaning from this terrible in particular that i think had to be completely randomly develop. Today's reading jesus is wanting to explain what heaven is like not that this is heaven. What heaven is like. 9020 versus 1:16. The kingdom of heaven is like. A landowner who went out early in the morning to hang labels for dinner. Evergreen with the labels for the usual daily wage per second into his vineyard. When will the other standing idly in the marketplace and he said to them. You also go into the vineyard and i will pay you whenever what's right. Navigate about whom. At about 3 to get the string. Cubanelle. Spinning around and he said to them why are you standing idle all day. They said one because no one's retired us. Also going to the vineyard. With manager. Call the laborers and giving them pay. The last one going to the first. The most high road about 5. Daily wage. But each of them also received the usual daily wage and when we received it they grumbled against the landowner saying these last worked only one hour with made them equal to us who have borne the burden of the day in the scorching heat. Bunny replied to one of them you know wrong. Did you not agree with me for the usual daily wage. Liquid belongs to you by twos to give to this last the same as i give to you and i'm not allowed to do what i choose with what belongs to me. Or are you envious. Because i'm generous. So the last will be first and the first will be last. I was taking a bath. When i first run this parable in seminary. And that's actually the point. Jesus was always telling stories that. Flip things on their heads. For example. People in his time said that the empire of caesar would like a mighty oak. It was big and magnificence and full grown. And jesus said that the kingdom of heaven the kingdom of heaven that john referred to was like a mustard seed. Miniscule. Mundane. But with potential. For huge growth. The expectation was an oak. And he said. A mustard seed. So it's very much in character that jesus tells us the story about the workers. The expectation is that each worker would be a paid according to how much work they did. The one who got the wrath. Will not get as much. Nope. The first will be last and they'll all be paid the same. What. I was thinking that's not fair. And i was thinking about the times in my life. When i'd been that grumbling worker. Like when i was in school and we had to do a group project. And i did more work than the other people in my group but yet we all got the same credit. Or when i lived in a dorm and we'd have community cleaning days and i'd show up and i'd work hard cleaning all day and. Somebody else will just come for the free breakfast and wipe off the counter and call it a day. I know that you can think of times. When you've been that grumbling worker to. Times movies showed up early. Put in the extra effort. Work really hard. Hindu frustrated when others who did last got the same recognition or reward. So i was thinking. Wow this is not a very fair story. But then i started to think about that worker who came last. Who was that worker. Any have a family to support. We have hungry children at home that he was thinking about as he stood idle in the marketplace. Hoping to be hired. I began to think about his needs and his wife. And not just my sense of fairness. Of course. Isn't that what our second principle calls us to do. Unitarian universalist affirm and promote. Justice acne and compassion in human relations. And we have to consider each element. Justice the fairness. Equity. Equality. And care. So we might read the story and thinking is justice to pay each worker according to their amount of work. And then if we spend some time thinking about equity. And compassion. We might start to see what the vineyard owner saw. Goodnight grumbling worker ask why are you paying them the same when i did more work. He says friend. I am doing no wrong. She's saying. How does it hurt you if i pay them equally. Aren't you getting your needs met. Why do you begrudge someone else something that you already have. And when i thought about the vineyards owners response that way. It began to seem different to me this parable. Because i have wondered that same question before. Why would you begrudge. Something that you already have. I wondered about it when i thought about things like marriage equality. I'm wondering. Why would straight people. Begrudge queer folks rights that they already have. It won't hurt them if other couples get married. What i thought about comprehensive immigration reform. I thought. Why when citizens. Begrudge the rights of immigrants. To have rights. The citizens already have those rights it won't hurt them for others to gain them. So i guess in some ways i was already on board with this parable and its surprise ending. And you might have been on board with those ideas too and you might be thinking yes i'm with you i can see where that vineyard owner is coming from. But i know. But despite my good you you are bringing. Full of critical thinking skills. Injustice messages. There were some other stories. But i still need to flip over. Just like jesus was doing with his parable. And here's one story that i encountered recently. It says that criminals. Don't deserve the same benefits as law-abiding citizens. Story of a deeply ingrained in our society. And it kind of made sense to me. But then. I read a book that flipped that story on its head. A book called the new jim crow by michelle alexander. And it is the common reading book that is being promoted by the unitarian universalist association for this year. And in this book. I really got thinking about our second principle. I was thinking about justice and equity. An alexander stirred in me my compassion. For those who have to face life with a criminal record. I started to become more aware of the assumptions i had held. Little assumptions things i hadn't questioned. For example criminal background checks. We seemed like a good idea. It's important to know if someone has a criminal record if you're going to hire them or offered them housing. I didn't think about it as prejudiced because it seems like those people had done something wrong. I was buying into a small piece of a narrative. A narrative that says that drugs are bad. And criminals do drugs. And criminals are dangerous and must be locked up. This story is promoted by politicians. By the media. I'm by the prison industry. Those who have a vested interest in. Appearing tough-on-crime or selling a sensational story or building and feeling more prisons. And i didn't really second-guess this story. Because i didn't have to. I didn't personally know anyone who had been in prison. The white girl from a middle-class background. I hadn't feared arrest or incarceration. Unless i was intentionally risking arrest at a protest. Because despite statistics. But say that people of all races use drugs about equally. And despite statistics that say that white youth are more likely. Can be engaging in illegal drug sales than their peers of color. Police just don't target people who look like me. When they're looking for someone to arrest. This is sickening speaking. Police target young black males. These folks are more likely to be stopped for no apparent reason. More likely to be frisked wednesday or stopped. More likely to be arrested. More likely to be sentenced to longer prison in jail terms. There is racism built into the system all along the way. And michelle alexander the great job of explaining the history and the policy that drive this behavior. So i recommend the book if you want to learn more about that. But on top of all the disparities about who is going into the criminal justice system. The punchline to her work. What about what happens after they get released. Alexander rights. Today. A criminal freed from prison. Scarcely more rides. Marginally less respect. Then a freed slave or a black person living in mississippi at the height of jim crow. That's quite a statement. She goes on to explain all the ways that those with criminal records. Particularly felonies. Discriminated against. So this person. This person who. Might have accepted their drug felony as part of a plea bargain. Might have done something. Relatively harmless like selling marijuana to a friend. This person. Now has some serious obstacles to overcome. This person may be ineligible for. Various kinds of government assistance from food stamps to public housing to student loans. May not qualify for certain kinds of employment. Driver's license can be suspended automatically. You cannot join the military or own a firearm. And in some states though fortunately not california. The right to vote can be taken away forever. Galveston an island from sinking. Wow of course someone who has committed a crime doesn't deserve the same rights as me. You thinking. How in the world would this person get by. They spent years in prison and now they have no resources with which to rebuild their life. I am gone from thinking like the grumbling worker. Understanding the story from the perspective of that worker who was recruited last. I can see his needs and her life. How could i begrudge something. The i already had. There are never easy solutions to our thoroughly institutionalize problems. Such as are racist and broken criminal justice system. There are many pieces to the puzzle. And i do not have the answers. I know that we cannot deny those with criminal records. The resources they need to rebuild their lives. And i also know we cannot simply ignore criminal backgrounds or scrap the system completely. I do not know what the solutions will be. But i know they must be guided by considering justice. Equity. And compassion. I know. I have stories to share with others that can flip the dominant narrative on its head that can act like parables. And that's the wonderful thing about parables. They can be retold and shared. And they have so many layers of meaning. That story of the workers in the vineyard. Remind me that i always have more to learn. It reminds me that there are stories i have not yet flipped around in my head. And it reminds me to pay attention when i think. That's not fair. It reminds me to judge in justices. Based on who is hurting. I'm not necessarily on who is benefiting. Remind me to ask. If i'm begrudging someone. For something i already have. Alabaster reminds me to have patience and compassion. For myself. As we struggle with these justice issues. The very complex reaction i had to this parable reminds me of the complexity. I'm justice and equity. And that necessity for compassion. Because sometimes each of us. Wendy that worker who arrived earliest in the day. And wonders about the fairness. I'm a situation. And sometimes we will be that worker who arrived last. And it's really benefiting from equity and is grateful. And sometimes. We maybe that vineyard owner. Carefully weighing justice and equity. Considering the needs of all people. Enacting. With compassion. May it be so. Please join hands for a benediction. Maelove indeed guide us. As we go out into the world. And deal with all its complexities. All that happens in our own lives and in our greater world. And may love guide us. As we do our best. To live with justice. Equity. And compassion. Maybe so.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-01-13-Worship_Knock-on-Your-Heart-Whos-There_ED-11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website at w.w. org for further information. This is a special service francisco the full sundays format for sunday but don't try to get your mind around it just accept that this is the first monday night nfl sunday. I just want to say is everybody all the way back in the corner. All the way over the left and right welcome. Welcome. Because it is sanctuary. To celebrate the beauty of this earth. Aberdeen community. This congregation comforts us when we know why and it celebrates our very best dreams. Ubi differences. And together we offer a fuller truth the 81 point of view. This is a place indeed a challenge under the place of compassion. The holy is experiencing many ways and is given many different names. The people of all sexual orientations gender identities are celebrated here not just honoring they are celebrated here. We welcome all races and classes on physical abilities we have so much to learn from each other. The touch of a friend. The words the music or movie just made you feel more alive. After your our here together. These words of our lives. And just listen to the web of life that is drunk. Beautiful and everlasting movie acting role that help all people be equal believe you're part of healthy and will be loved. Season when we start to talk about our generosity. Fred generosity campaign. Keyboard is really our first speaker. What does church mean to her. And how we has supported something that is very important to her and to many people around the world. Hear that passion. And how i am so glad that you are here. To witness it. And she also has a message at the very end of what she's saying. Harasses a congregation. I invite you to open your ears and open your heart. Finger children started in 1995. Tyler whisman kids have to work in factories. Workshops. I'm getting visitations. A turtle that turnover in sweatshops. 3 of a kitchen table eating breakfast. Spider-man listen to the radio. What was so gross what caliber was. Listen to sell things cheaper in order to make money. I thought more and more about child labor and was better day when it's two something about it so i see my mom and i are concerned and that i should find a nonprofit organization to support after some resort a child through the children. I would however the difference i had this feeling of eagerness. I just couldn't wait to get started. Begin researching stuff about tyler and david powerpoint presentation to my husband class. Dinosaur surprises golden reaction. I'll ask my classmates if they had any questions. How to craft booster hands. Happiest person in the world because so many pokemon quest even existed. Best western. Prince wrote about the newspaper. Pakistan private practitioner. American slavery. Crazy little red articles with class. She's been crazy slow that to end child labor people need clean water education. Different ways to make money. Little children with the boosters to communities all over the world. Reading about crazy experiences realize how good he must feel and how good it does feel to help others. This experience has movies. So when i'm sick my parents can take me to the doctor. Locate temp jobs so they can support each other and me. Unthinkable clean water. Education. I don't have the chance to become a doctor or later. Church. Multiple calling from kids like me. Every transformer congregation choose one organization to give into every sunday. Gather ideas of causes that are important to us and teach each other about the organizations we believe in. What time does everyone get the same luxury they would like to support. Everyone from the first coast roofing jordan also countries support this great charity. Is my soul asleep by antonio machado. Is my soul asleep. Have those beehives that work in the night. .. In the water wheel of thought. Is it going around now cups empty. Carrying only shadows. No. My heart. My soul is not asleep. It is awake wide awake. It neither sleeps. Your dreams. But watches. Its eyes wide open far-off things. And listens at the shores of great silence. Please read when i minister prepare is assuming sometimes they share with your colleagues. Made with her colleagues know what they're going to be sharing. Andy story. Is wine that my colleagues said. Okay. They love this story. Some people take gifts and they multiply them. Some people take tragedies and they reshape them. Become the building blocks for a new. And different life. They take notice when they feel powerless and. Has come to all of us the more i talk with people i find out that everybody. Has time like that. Potatoes lose when we feel powerless and be stronger world starting with themselves. We can't control life. Because it just won't be controlled. For safe world. Where we and our loved ones will never be hurt. Especially if parents. How many parents wish. They could bargain with life. So that our child would never be hurt. There will be losses. And gas and everything isn't unexpected detour that will take us in directions that we have never ever intended to go. If we are brave. We will choose to love. Choose a path of love. Even though we are at risk. Every time. We offer up our heart. Here if you need me kate braestrup describes her life with her husband and her four children. Example of someone who takes used andrew supplies them takes tragedy. Beautiful life. Who discovers that what she do can actually benefit those around her older i'm sure it was not her intention at first. We cannot anticipate. How i life example will change the lives of others others are always watching. Kate brewster place open nearby her great love for her husband drew. Remind me to the university he is a photography student then she says he's kind of scruffy. But he also keeps himself in perfect physical condition. Rather than finding this attractive it works quite the opposite for him concerning. Kate. A self-described intellectual who's above all this. 6 steps is interesting art. How she does her very bastard just slid his focus on physical strength and and. Perfection as just simply shallow narcissism. Whatever time she comes to love it. Kind of wonder if you wonder where i'm going with a sermon. As much as she would admire the beauty that she finds through a camera lens through art. Switching rooms is this very particular person everything about this person. Who becomes a state trooper in maine for the state of maine. 7 becomes a state trooper. Who then becomes something else so we are so complex. How many levels of being a type can fit any of us. Become a state trooper. Indian chief speaks with great pride about his body which becomes a tool of his trade. His strength is used to hold people. Report about the death of a loved one ever collapse against him because of their grief. And then scene string. Russell's a violent man to the ground searching him for weapons. And then kratos his head as the moon slipped into the back seat of the cruiser. She also sees how his strength is needed to gently take the hand of a. Abused child the child leading him to the scene of the crime. I said feels the outline of that small hand in his palm 4 weeks. An artist to state trooper. 15 more years in the forest he is already planning for his next career to become a unitarian universalist minister. Bathroom shelf in a small named parish. Herbicide focuses a lot enforcement chaplain and i'm trying to imagine myself in that role and i just can't go there i also can't imagine going to need be going to a conference once in the winter and they reminded me that winter remains in maine until early june. He plans to give sermon to do weddings and bury those who died. And respond to crime scene. There would be no one like drew. I could be with the police force. He would be serving people in a way that takes a different kind of strength but that very same tenderness. How to say within a via stool ice challenges not one person. Even those two always seem to land on their feet. Will heal broken sometimes. They just have this admirable resiliency and that's what we see. But there's always more behind the scene. The movie the deep trustco that they will heal. Sometimes we will be anxious and they'll be afraid. But love is stronger than fear. Within an. Babysitting justices around us just like what we heard this morning with free the children. They believe that by our efforts our efforts. We will come ever closer to our ideas and that is what i think we offer our children when we support them. We show them that that is true. These people who can lose this way i'm not carrying buckets of shadows like what we heard in the poem they're not carrying buckets of shadows but they are awake. They're wide awake. They are not awake watching far-off things but wait to what is right here in this present moment. The people who live this way and maybe you are one of them. Step into life with a deep trust that they can make something of worth. Matter what life has given. Decatur. Graystripe. She remembers every detail about one particular morning the ceremony starts their day the alarm clock rings and just like many of us it rings again after the snooze button the children are off to school cereal bowl is in a sink. Define for an ambulance crews and the distance and she says a prayer. As she always does when she hears a siren because this is such a small town in maine. Ed sheeran no. Who is receiving that ambulance. Prayers for strength for the family that is experience some trauma and when drew comes home she will learn from him needed that ambulance. But it is her phone that rang. Animal comes to her door. And she's the one who will improve your children. That drew's cruiser was hit broadside by a box truck. Interview kate said i was. Just thinking about how much i love drew. I'm only supposed to still be in love with him after 8 after 11 years of marriage. And that was actually when he died. The ambulance was for him. 40 minutes after she received the news she's sitting with a good friend on the floor which is where she said that's the best place to be when you're in greece because there's no place left to fall. He's on the floor with a friend when the doorbell rings. Unfortunate young man stands in the door frame wearing a dark suit. And holding his hand slipped. Reaction have you heard the good news. And the doorbell rings again. I do wonder if they should go to the door. When does the neighbor. The neighbor with a plate of warm brownies in her hand and tears. On her face. She's the first of many. To offer food and all kinds of gestures of hell. Drywalling the. Playroom and mowing the lawns and. Building bookshelves in cleaning the house. David rico. Author of daring to trust. Explain that if we have the ability and desire to build deep community. That is one assurance that we will land on our feet because there are others with us. When we fall. Building friendships is a spiritual discipline of being with others. End is not something that we learn naturally in our society today. I wish i could say it was otherwise. We have to show up. On a doorstep with a casserole for celebrations and for the everyday work that needs to be done when it's not a special day at all. Wider and deeper the share experiences we have two people overtime or we can draw on that rich rich resource for support for celebration like a bank account. Did we invest in every time your present really present. Not just in passing. What are the other skills. That david rico's pizza. The people are able to. Notarized. Multiply good fortune and reshape tragedies. Accepting what is right now. And i kind of nation is not so large. But i don't know. What is in the lives of many of you here. You dealing with some things. And your wives sitar. Right in front of you. He said don't get so caught up in your name for the pastor and mashing the future. What is it to work with right now. What's in planet earth right now. I noticed standing on a gold mine and i may not see it. Kate braestrup learns that she can reshape her life. Love isn't available to her. Move itself. That did love love it still has not abandoned her. It is present in all that the people bring to her home and her family. Until what time that happens in the present. The others bring. To her. And i look her in the eye when they sit with her on the floor when they do the deeds. That i mentioned. Is abundance of love around here just isn't packaged in the same way. Injuries forum. Everglades tour to imagine what else. Might be right in front of her if she allows life betrayal. Life betrayal to be a wake-up call. She chooses. To step into the dream that was once throughs. Enrolled in seminary monday after why are you here which they asked you that a lot in seminary why are you here. She tells him at first because drew isn't. And that. Heather richard truth than even one sermon can unpack. Kate become the chaplain to the game wardens in maine for her work is not much different somehow drew imagine his future profession if anyone needs proof that god has a sense of humor. Curious. I'm a middle-aged mother of four who primarily works with young very fit men. My preferred habitat is a warm well-stocked library. But i work in the outdoors with outdoorsman. But the crowning irony she continues. Abstemiously loquacious person. Better job that mostly requires me to just show up. Nd. She is the person who walks with the wardens. And they search for daughter lost. In the woods. Assistance with the family as they wait for the news if this young child. Katie's the one who knocks on the door. Beautiful lakeside home to give the news. The ice skating tracks lead to a hole. In newborn dies. In the pond. She makes sure that the husband is nestled in a blanket on the ice for appearance sake. She accompanies the widow the next morning. Who sings cole porter. Ice skating husband and she says there is god. There is god in the song of cole porter. Enchant race trip comforts the game wardens but sometimes become weary and discouraged. And she brings hope to the man whose elderly mother wanders. Into the maine woods. Eventually returns home. We can't protect ourselves from life's betrayals. But we can live in a trustworthy way. Building relationships present. For others. Indiana way to what is right in front of us. What kind of creative license do we can make from whatever it is that we have been given for kate. Baby connection and respect. The wardens that grows over time you can imagine it first they're like oh yeah right. But they grew to respect her. She's invited to give a prayer at a ceremony at the national law enforcement memorial in washington dc. Family happens for the families of those who died in the line of duty the previous year. State of maine has so many budget cuts as so many states have. Anyways no money to send the representatives from the game warden department. Yes. She discovers that they quietly arranged to travel with her. What time she's not there is a widow. But isn't registered as a chaplain. Chickasaw and she is not going to look at drew's name on that wall until she is done with her official capacities. Chop't. Incase. The candlelight vigil happen through prayer. She casually mentions to the game wardens hoping that they will overlook her mention that she's going to see drew's name it would be nice to have a little private moments.. They come to. She's determined to show no emotion because. She turned it to be controlled around the wardens. She described herself as a helper and they are the help ease. She figures she should be fine she reasons it's been over a decade. But you know. What happened. They hold her. When she falls down in her grief. Her mind has been recreated it has. But there are moments when it's new again. And we need someone. To be there with us. When we fall again. When is the royals located in needed. But then i think it's from the start of the day. They take her out to what they call a cup bar. There could not be a stranger place for her to be. Mother goes to bars. She's wearing a clerical collar. And she's not surrounded with crewcuts. And badges to wear drinking miller lite. Singing sweet home alabama. They're still holding her up and away. Is she singing to sweet home alabama. Is community the she's so sure will hold her. Whenever she from. She said feels as if everyone marries her cousin but she has yet to meet. They are in some way a family. Close with how she understands god. God is that for it that drives us to really. Ruby speech other. To really be holding each other and care for each other and respond. To each other. Is she right that is actually enough. The cultivating it and thinking about it we're shipping it and working toward it taken care of it and we're truly didn't myself and in other people. Where is rui. Wife's work. Right there. And it doesn't ever have to get bigger than that. In. I'm going to play with antonio mercado a little bit. No. I saw is not asleep. It is awake. Wide awake never sleeps more dreams but watches. If eyes wide open. Ready to make a life of strength and beauty from whatever. Has been given to us and with this gathering 4 a.m..

uudavispodcast_org

2016-08-14-Periodic-Table-of-Character_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california at www.dav.org for further information. Political views we are people of diverse sexual orientations and gender identities are ethnic and cultural roots come from the four directions on this living earth together. Morgan mclain to like the chalice this morning and then she will tell us a little bit about herself thank you good morning it's such a pleasure to be here with you and i'm looking forward to getting to know you all so much more as the year goes on next week thanks and i will lead the worship service together and sundays after that and so you'll get to know me more but briefly i was born and raised the unitarian universalist in racine wisconsin at the olympia brown unitarian universalist church and the woman ordained as a minister in the united states in 1863 by the universalist convention. A person will worship something have no doubt about that we may think our tribute is paid in secret in the dark recesses of our hearts but it will out that which dominates our imaginations our thoughts will determine our lives are character therefore it behooves us to be careful what we worship for what we are worshiping we are becoming ralph waldo emerson. Are we in this morning is from angela herrera a unitarian universalist assistant minister in albuquerque new mexico don't leave your broken heart at the door bring it to the altar of life don't leave your anger behind it has high standards and the world needs vision bring them with you your joy and your passion bring your loving and your courage and your conviction bring your need for healing and your power to heal there is work to do and you have all that you need to do it right here in this room i am a fan of the olympics women's gymnastics team training facility courage and the ability to deal with the women's team and then two of the team members took all-around gold and silver as competitors their time at the ranch is crucial to developing other characteristics that help them succeed in these very enrolls what if we had to.. I invited to take hands around the room beans for the miles across the aisles everywhere people are connected and to remember that there's a big party next week at 3274 morgan and her husband daniel and then you can come with us.

uudavispodcast_org

2015-11-22_Expressing-Our-Care-for-Each-Other__11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Good morning i'm chill pickets and i'm honored to be your worship leader today with alex lee job as a worship associate senior minister the reverend beth banks is off today and she's spending precious time. Caring for with her family. Expressing her love for them. Welcome to the unitarian universalist church of davis. A place of caring and compassion encouragement and challenge. We welcome you with a this is your first time if you've been attending for a while or if you're really longtime members. Here we come together to create a unique community for this one hour. The issues that surround us us sometimes overwhelming. But in this space. We sent her ourselves. And we come to know again but we are not alone. What might have been a burden. Becomes lights. The theme for november is grace at all topic today is expressing out care for each other. We will look at some of the ways we take care of each other. And explorer slight philosophical shift. In the way that we can view caring for each other. And i think you will be very moved by the service by the music and by the sharing that happens. When we come here on sunday morning. We bring the gifts and imperfections. Of who we are. This is a community where we challenge each other. Encourage each other. Support each other. I work is to keep our sights on being our best selves. In this beloved community we are surrounded by diversity. Of religious beliefs. God her phone or whatever it is that we call sacred. Is different for each of us. And comes from our life experience. We celebrate those of all sexual orientations and gender identities. People of different races. Classes and political parties. And we continue to work to build a world we dream about. And cherish the living earth as our sacred home. I'm speaking this morning on behalf of my whole family. I know that we all go through hard times and i've been describing to friends 2015 is the year that ate my life. Artist this year was caring for my mother as she moves her and stage alzheimer's. My mom was mentally ill with borderline personality disorder so it was a hard task going into it and made much harder. And it came hard on the heels of my father's sudden death a year prior. It also occurred at the same time our eldest daughter was leaving for college and our fifteen-year-old twins were entering to high school's so we survived but i'll admit to exhaustion and i'm in what i call hermit mode right now so if i say no to things you will understand we've been blessed with a lot of help along the way. And also like many of you i suspect i have a hard time asking for help and a hard time accepting it even when it's willingly offered. Our whole family is involved here are kids in the youth programs worship associate my husband on the grounds committee were used to doing and giving and it's really hard to be vulnerable to be needy and too. Not being control. I had to get over that. A lot. And i want to say what a pivotal role this congregation and many of you have played in that and i'm really coming from a place of deep gratitude here. You brought meals you sent cards you drop by with flowers and every week when we showed out the message was i see you i hear you i witnessed your pain. We appreciate it the stories you told of the path you had traveled with aging parents with alzheimer's with mental illness we appreciate it the hugs and the way that you held all of us. And there were even gifts of generosity my parents had incredibly. Extraordinarily difficult lights in the end they really had little in the way of resources so craig and i learned what it means to step up and care and anna for preparing some that way. And the aftermath is. Paying for assisted living and hospital bills and to cremations and celebrations of life and we're still on burying but we also received gifts of generosity along the way and that helped. Truly no one can take away the pain of loss and grief. Time as i say heels. And i knew i knew before this year that intellectually this is where i belong spiritually this is where i belong but i know it in my bones now it's been drummed in and i'm really truly grateful so thank you. 4 years ago this month i found myself in a vulnerable place. Just weeks prior i had heard the words. You have breast cancer. Surgery quickly ensued and left me at the trailhead of seven months of chemotherapy. This church. Yoohoo make up my spiritual community embraced john. Our daughters and me. Cards. Physics trips to kaiser roseville and food. Oh so much food all delivered with love support and continuous encouragement. I found strength. In the interdependent web of relationships that had been spun over the years as my family's time and participation in this church group. Most importantly you taught me to receive. To gracefully and graciously accept the gifts given so freely without question or sense of obligation. To be buoyed by genuine concern and filled with the loving-kindness that flows through this congregational community of care. Receiving was not easy for me. I'm comfortable with giving. I know how to do it. That's how i was raised. It has been the bedrock of my career in child and family services and my current pursuits in the practice of reiki. Your caregiving. Your love your dedication. Helped me appreciate the opposite side of the equation. Now. When i presented with opportunities to give. There is a deeper richness to those relationships that comes from having learn to receive. In preparing this reflection i looked back at my closing post on the lots of helping hands website. These were my words. July 5th. 2012. This journey has given me the time and space to reflect. And better except the ever-changing state of things. I particularly like a passage from a book i've read. You and ivan's book. The snow child. Quote. We never know what is going to happen do we. Life is always throwing us this way in that. That's where the adventurous. Not knowing where you'll end up. Or how you'll fare. It's all a mystery. And quote. I went on to say my sincerest thanks and gratitude to all of you for the groundswell of loving-kindness and care that sustained me and our family since october. Hopefully it won't. But should have time of need arise for you. Please know that i will be there. During the past four years those times have arisen for some among us. And i have been able to fulfill my promise. Ever grateful to pay it forward. As we approach thanksgiving i am so thankful to be part of this congregation. I've been a member for 18 years. And a member of our larger you you face community 434. During that time i've come to know many people. And have felt so welcomed. I've also witnessed a great deal of caring that happens in our congregation. And we've heard about some of it this morning. I'm here today because i am so excited to be involved in the whoop this congregation continues to do in deepening our ties to each other. In my career as a professional counselor and therapist i trained primarily in adlerian psychology. Alfred adler was a psychiatrist who believed that fundamentally all human beings have a need to belong. And when they belong they function well. Enable individual psychology by guy master and raymond cozzini they wrote. A feeling of human connectedness. And a willingness to develop oneself fully. And to contribute to the welfare of others. All the main criteria of mental health. In other words. Every time one of you reaches out to connect with another and to respond to another's needs. You strengthen your own mental health. And the mental health of our community. Toddler would describe this as having social interest. Coming to a chess can be a powerful way to find one's place in the community. And all of us who express caring for each other while demonstrating social interest. We want to belong we want to connect. To care and to feel cared about by others. Thanks ramones about. The groups that you belong to in the church. Or if you knew or a visitor. Consider what interests and concerns might draw you to others. Some of you may belong to many groups. Some too few or none. You may feel lonely or is that. Or perhaps just attend services or religious exploration and not really feel connected with any group. So how can we as a congregation of caring participants ensure that we are aware of who needs support. And who can support them. The other side of the coin is. How can we be comfortable with receiving care by the minister or fellow congregants if we reserved or lonely or don't feel connected. To give unto receive on necessary elements of a caring congregation. Every self-compassionate interaction cultivates belonging and welcome and can also change us. Minneapolis remember cody saunders funk fondly. I'm seeing some knobs about that. In addition to responding to a pastor needs cody took the time to meet with us individually and in groups. Carefully gathering input. He sought to understand the ways in which we have provided pastoral care in the past. And also explored what our current needs might be. He created a paper cultivating a community of care in which he developed an outline listing the components of a congregational care network. Cody catalog do springs. Celebrations of life. We do a great job with those. Caring companions. All caring corner in the weekly bulletin. And the gift of quilts and baby naming services. Please look at some of these lovely ornaments if you don't have. I could for you now come and see them oscar. Because i'll close his have a new project and they've actually cold at expressing all care for each other. And it focuses on creating these lovely pieces. This winter our church members who've been members for 35 years or more will receive a costa and an appreciation card. We think julie sailor and all the quilters for descending and need and working many hours to fill it. Having recognized many of our strengths cody olson made some suggestions as to how we could grow our carrying capacity. Building on the work already in place on the best leadership. He described a formal congregational care network. With a number of components. You can see on the screen above i just did the order little from his outline i put the essential ministerial presents first. The minister's provide a deep spiritual presence needed to lead the congregation. And the lay leaders and provide pastacaffe of congregants is needed. They set the tone for care. And they remind us periodically that our principles call us to create the beloved community first within these walls and then in the larger world. The second is the congregational care council. This is a team of lako donatus who assessed the candy needs within the community. This team coordinate components of the network and provides vision. The fed is apostille associates. Lay persons who receive specialized training as i receive with peggy. To address specific postal needs in the church. We have had pustule associates in the past and have lots of wisdom in our community that can help us build this again. The 4th is the caring corner. House of worship fullerton. This is a dedicated space in our weekly bulletin which list concerns within the congregation that members wish to share. This sharing invites us to share joy like weddings and births and. You jobson. And all of those joyful things as well as. Prayer for acts of kindness and generosity. For those who may be sad or lonely or going through a difficult time. Volunteers write cards provide meals and transportation and in some cases of close companionship. The 5th is the celebration of life team whose leaders match. Sorry this very dedicated team provides compassionate care for a. Memorial services. The six is tearing companionships whose leaders match those members eager to provide friendly compassionate companionship to others who are in need. An example is to visit those who are unable to attend church. And we have amazing coordination has of caring companionships. The seventh is collective wisdom circles each comprising members with first-hand experience in the area of concern. Examples are alzheimer's. Long-term care. Children with special needs. And hospice care these circles provide a wonderful resource for members. The 8th is programs events and support groups. During the last year we had book discussion groups off to service workshops. Film screenings guest speakers and new special event called the death cafe and we have another death death cafe coming up soon. Phimosis. We have narrowed down to four substantial areas that continue to need strengthening. These are the possible associates. The cat caring companions. The celebration of life. And the caring corner. Because no matter what dedicated leaders we have. We always need more people to respond. To their leadership. One important additional elements have cody's proposal is his outline of an ethic of congregational care. I'm very impressed with this idea. Which may be seen as a slight shift in our overall philosophy of care. In addition to our. I did our organizational structure. We would have the expectation that were all responsible to and for each other. This is in line with audley's social interest that i mentioned earlier. And it's the belief that care is the work of the entire community. We do not need to be part of any identified group. To have an ethic of care for all members. We just need to listen. To learn from each other. And to reach out and connect more deeply with all this supposed to help them and to be willing to accept support. I've been a recipient of such such support a number of times i'm with such empathy that it has moved me deeply. I received comments about positive and joyful events in my life. And support through my anxieties and fears. When my son tim. Who sang with one of our class for a number of years. He developed stage 4 lymphoma. And i was very afraid that he would die. And so many of you often about him. And many brought meals for him. Some shared personal experiences of successful treatment which helped me get through that time. Just wanting soundpool barb ashby. Who you had earlier had her own bout with cancer. Came to my house and sat and comforted me. Gave me some suggestions. My son has not been apart of this church for many years he lives in the bay area but he knew how you held him during the history comment and he knew how you helped me. Tim is now in recovery. And he's in recovery for 2 years now. And i now feel so much more connected to this congregation so much more than that when my time if need arises again that will be people here who will support me through it. In part because of this care i have received. I'm planning to work called with the postural care components of this system. Alex lora and i will be around afterwards in the social hall. If you would like to talk. About any ideas what you have or you would like to support. The program. Because i believe this congregation can be a place that supports people in their deepest time of need. A place that can bind up the broken. That's one of our great uu hymn says. I'm asking you to be a part of it. The caribbean trailer takes all of us. And many of you out there today have gifts that will lend themselves particularly to this work. Many of you are already doing so much. And you don't need to feel that you are being asked to do one more thing. But if you feel you would like to contribute in any area that i've mentioned. Please consider joining one of those components of congregational care to assist those in need. And i remind you. That all of the gifts of this cut this congregation of good people have to offer. Cannot be shared. Unless you willing to ask for support when you need it. And do not hesitate to express your desire for support at that time. Let us continue building the beloved community of belonging that we also deeply need. And to this i say. Amen. With. Heard stories this morning about. Our friends. Members here who. In a time of need struggled when they had to reach out for help and i wanted to share a little bit of what i've. Observed about reaching out for help. I worked as a chaplain last year in a hospital. And. Spent my days with people who needed help. So many people struggle with. Reaching out to others when they need help. I don't know if this is resonates with anybody. We're all really good and we say i'm a giver. What atlanta what does that. Mean. We kind of have this thing we're giving is here and receiving is here but that's not really true they're more in relationship and there's a dance that has to be done there's not one that is valued more than the other. And so i would be with these people and they would say all you know i'm but i'ma give her i'm the one who takes care of everybody i don't know how to be. Taking care of i don't like being the one that's taken care of. And i just want to invite you to think about that and a slightly. Different way. I talked to a lot of them about i used to the jesus's commandments the love commandments a lot i used to salat. My chaplaincy work and i asked people if they know this they know of this and i sit also love one another issue are loved and everybody gets the love one another part down pretty good. But it's the as you are loved part that we struggle with. But see if we're just. Putting love out and nobody is receiving it then we've got a supply-and-demand issue. You need to let people know because there is all this love there and when you're in need because we all know what it feels like to give love right we do that and we feel so good about ourselves we feel like we're our best selves right. When we do something for somebody else so when we let other people do that for us were actually inviting them to be their best selves or actually doing them a favor. By inviting them to their fullest humanity so when you are in time of need i'm using my ministerial presence that you spoke of earlier hammer this home please let people know because it's not about you being in need just you being in need it's about us being together that's about that relationship between giving and receiving it's about inviting people to be their best selves. So please. Now my password share instructor and seminary reverend bob albers he used to remind us all the time that we're human beings and not human doings. He reminded us of that a lot which was important cuz we were having a lot to do at the time but we really caught up in our doings and we forget about. What it is to just be in our beings and so we take this time each week for centering. For prayer for little meditative moments because this is focused on. Being right these prayers aren't meant. They don't change the world out here but maybe they just resonate with us in our being and so with that in mind i invite you to join me in the spirit of meditation and prayer. Beloved source of life. And love. Essence of our being. Breath of our breath. Let us rest in our belonging to you. And let us rest and are belonging to one another. And this time of changing seasons let this community be a place. Of warm. And light. During cold. And darkening days. In this time of thanksgiving let us find. Grace. Ingratitude. May we forgive ourselves with our shortcomings are some wings our mistakes. May we find the grace to forgive others as well. May we find. Beauty in the birds of the morning who greet us. With songs of their call to community. May we find wonder in the evenings pink blue skies. What's change the days greenery. The inky silhouettes. And may we find peace in the echoed. Silence. Of whatever lengthening dark nights. We pray this week for those who are suffering across the globe. For victims of terrorism and war for refugees and immigrants. May they find safety. May they find healing may they find hope in a world that has taken so much from them. We pray this week for those. In our own country who are consumed by fear fear of terror fear of other nest fear of change may we have the strength to face our own fears. The confrontation to engage in dialogue with them in hopes of confronting and healing fear we pray for those who live in harm's way due to racism due to gender identity and sexual orientation due to economics addiction abuse and illness may they be safe and may we worked to build better systems and communities that we are all apart of. We pray for those among us who are challenged by illness we pray for those among us who feel lost to feel confused who are lonely and grief-stricken may this community be a community of caring companionship and finally we pray for ourselves may we not only reach out to others with love but may we reach out ourselves for love my love not be justin are doing but in our being blessed be and amin. Please join hands. May the love which overcomes all differences. Which heals all wounds. Which puts to flight all fears. Which reconciles all those who are separated. Be in and among us now and always and let the congregation say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2015-02-22_A-UNIQUE-Perspective-on-Gender_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov or further information. Good morning everybody so a bit of a forewarning the order of service today is a bit in janky and out-of-place so please only use it as a guideline and kind of there with us my name is alex and gender stereotypes in today's society. Good morning i was born smack in the middle of the 20th century early 1951 today that between my legs is a boy my sibling born five years later did not have one and was identified as a girl life was simpler back then then at least on the surface. They were expected to become wives and mothers after dabbling in secretarial work teaching for nursing all over to the old ways and then times they are a-changin they ever since we've had a feminism and women's liberation they have female doctors and professors astronauta. Professional team players are race car drivers and much more we even have women as front-line combat soldiers their choice not mine but a tangential subject our state and nearly half of our country and we have i believe we've come a long way baby i have noticed over the years and more and more of our roles. It is no longer about boys and girls men and women. This morning we will experience a couple of older examples of the older binary distinctions before exploring finer distinctions along and off. Back to june of 1970 almost 45 years. Good morning i'm going to ask the entire congregation a couple of questions and feel free to share whenever you would like things do you see a stereotypically masculine. Hi familia.. I would like to invite everybody now to join me in the spirit of meditation relax got comfortable close your eyes if you would like take a couple of minutes to be in this place exactly as you are right now you are welcome in this place exactly as you are. Now the spirit of today's service i would like to ask you to think about yourself what kind of person do you consider yourself to be. What adjectives do you think describe you. How does your career define your identity. What hobbies do you have. What do you like to do for fun. What's today's things to say about who you are. How would you describe the people you choose to spend time with your partner or the people you call friends. What does choosing these people to be close to you say about who you are. I think about what kind of clothes you tell most comfortable and what do you wear everyday and what do you wear when you dress up what halloween costume when you were young. What makes you choose how to express who you are. What is your gender and what does it feel like to you to be that janitor. Notice this trash but follow me i like you imagine that you're the exact person you are today and trust in style same passions and clothing preferences same career same hobbies team partner. But you were born a different sex. Can you imagine it. How did she do. How was your childhood have been different. Could you have had the same opportunities that you had would you have made the same friends just made the same choices would you dress and act the same as you do know. What would society exact differently from you. Most importantly would you try to conform with the sex you were assigned at birth or would you be willing to go with your true and gender identity. As you're comfortable open your eyes return to this space just think about how gender affects all of our lives sometimes in positive ways and sometimes and very negative place society has a lot of expectations about sex gender and how the two relate to shape our lives and how we live. Gender is very prominent in our culture and one of the ways it is perpetuated as to the use of gendered marketing and red and blue and the action figures and nerf swords in fact recently released a more feminine and has actually increased legos revenue by 25% globally is not just for children by separating products graphics in the words for example. Expectations free everyone identifies as either male or female well there are many people like me who don't fit a boxes of man or woman. Some people feel like they are neither male nor female balls a little bit of one a little bit of the other a different gender entirely none-of-the-above etc etc gender can be fluid and they can change over time but this doesn't mean you can intentionally change it. The metaphor is at genders are stars and we are genders are constellations and we are all stars they're all shifting and nebulous have theoretically infinite without judgment the us. People overlook his rights because they only represent about 1% of the population that is a group of people only represents 1% of the population that we can ignore them this what means we can also ignore everybody in a wheelchair disease everyone in the u.s. named robert everyone or redheads cuz nobody does that to you. Don't ask about somebody's name before transition or ask to see pictures i don't ask if somebody has gotten surgery so don't ask about anything down there it's awkward i'm instead of saying he or she had to use a more neutral terms of day because that includes all genders and likewise instead of saying people of both genders or people of both sexes try to say people of all genders. Finally use the term cisgender when referring to somebody who is not trans instead of him like normal because that implies that trans people are normal are no that's difficult i can talk about it for days so feel free to ask me questions after the service. 0. The doctor says congratulations mr. and mrs. mills kiss the girl. One i begin to speak to i wear dresses and pigtails to daycare i want to be a princess and i grow up like cinderella teacher. 9i absent-minded lee catch myself imagining my future as a man and then remind myself to snap out of it 10 i want to fit in so i hang out with the girls and we talked about boys and clothes and have melodramatic a spice just like girls do on tv being a girl was all i was ever trying to do 11 i shaved my legs for the first time cuz i want to be pretty and from all i know feminine and self-conscious are two sides of the same coin 12 i wonder if something went wrong something different there is nothing else for me and i can't change that i can only learn to accept it. 13 people think it's weird that i wear bow ties to school as if a girl showing any form of masculinity is her way of submitting to the patriarchies idea that masculinity is innately better i know it isn't but i can't explain why for some reason i prefer it 14 i feel like i fall between the cracks like i can clearly read the label girl and here to my check but i feel like it was a rule i was born to play the play. 50 and i asked my mom if i can buy a suit. Insubuy address because it fits my body better but i never stopped wondering whether or not it fits me 16 i don't feel like a girl but removing yourself in the context of your existence and everything you were expected and conditioned to be is a little more difficult than you might expect 16 i come i come out as non-binary neither male nor female i change my name i change my pronouns and i stop trying to fit in the box with the castles crumble i can build my own place 69a identity 17 same thing over and over again and i really wish that was true but it clearly isn't because no matter how many times around me is telling me you're a girl you're a girl you're a girl meaning 17 i am not even a poet. But they say the best way to learn something new as soon as essity and if this is the only way i can tell the world that gender is a social construct and should not be adhered to then so be it. I'm not asking for attention i am asking to be hurt. 17112 transgendered individuals is murdered don't tell me i'm a danger to myself 17 cisnormativity is so deeply rooted into our mainstream that the only people who avoided are considered canisters or super liberals or social justice warriors going through a phase. Gay marriage was illegal in this state schools were segregated segregated on the basis of race and the idea that women could vote was considered inconceivable tell me which of us is really going through a phase 17 you cannot change who someone is. Could only learn to accept that. Thank you. Spider-man. But the congregation say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-04-07_Worship_Breaking-Open-the-Treasure-Chest_ED_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website www.org for further information. Exactly as you are and that is also not true because i changed. If you want to tell me by email. Or in person how it is that you want to be here i'm going to add in some different words. It is welcome in the future so think about. What it is that you want to do and you're here than how you want to be changed. Because i suspect that you don't want. To be exactly. The same. But this is what in my script that will change over time because you're going to help me do that. Perhaps. Is maybe less lonely. Maybe you want to feel more courageous. Like to accept the leadership of others are to be leader yourself. And maybe you want to make change happen. It is beautiful and is hurting world. I hope that this is a place of comfort and a challenge to you. So that you grow to be the person that you hoped. You would always be. And there are companions. With you on this journey. There are people with a diversity of beliefs. I love hearing these voices. God or whatever that is in which you place your ultimate trust is different for each person here according to our life experience. And honesty ernie are people of different sexual orientations and gender identities. Different classes race. Physical abilities. We have much to learn from each other. So come and let us search together to become our best again and again every week we have one more opportunity. Every morning. We have another chance to live what is possible. Is unitarian universalist freedom is important us. We care about freedom of religion freedom to vote freedom from violence freedom to be who we are. To live and work and love who we love we struggle to make sure that all people can be free and this is important work. But sometimes we forget that we can also free ourselves. Sometimes we need freedom from our own worries or jealousy or fear. This is the kind of freedom that no one else can give us. It must come from within. It will come when we realize that what we have is enough. Knowing that what we need is inside us can set us free. I reading today is from the indian poet i didn't throw not to go or he's actually the first non-western or to receive a nobel prize in literature he was a contemporary and friend of gandhi's. I lived on the shade side of the road and watched my neighbor's gardens across the way reveling in the sunshine. I felt i was poor. And from door-to-door went with my hunger. The more they gave me from their careless abundance the more i became aware of my bakers.. 21 morning i awoke from my sleep at the sudden opening of my door and you came and ask for alms. And despair i broke the lid of my chest open and was startled. Into finding my own well. Lindquist is the founder of the hunger project. A nonprofit that works to. To end world hunger. There's one day that stands out for her in the years that she worked in the stone prophet. She's learning to raise funds it's just the beginning. Of this importance organization. A big-name food company invites her to come to chicago. The hunger project is a possible recipient of a very large financial donation. The company is located in the wealthiest part of downtown she takes one elevator after another each one taking her higher into the skyscraper. And finally she sits. In the very top of the skyscraper and she says the air feels. A little thin there. Just sitting across from the ceo. Looking out on the spectacular view of the city. And this is what she knows. The company has an image problem with the public. And they believe that giving a donation to help stop world hunger. Will improve their image. They will be helping her. To do really good work. All around the world. And they will let everyone know. That they're doing this. The ceo says that they have 15 minutes together. Assoc launches into her story quickly 15 minutes about the project finishes speaking people. And the power of partnerships. Before she could even make her request. He produces a check. Already made out for $50,000 and this was a 1970 60-in 1976 $50,000 with a whole lot of money. It's a lot now but it was really a lot then. She really have no desire to connect with her. Barton know about the need of hungry people this is us. She has never received a donation this large. Adesa takes the check and places it in her briefcase. She feels the weight. Of guilt. Of the company slipped into her life. A 10-2. / nonprofit. If guilt money. And yet what is she to do. How many lives. Will this money say. Do you turn away. From that kind of gift. How many staff salaries will this pay. What would you do with the money. If you were in her position. Don't think about just the ideal. Imagine the reality of the lives you would touch with that money. Everyone at the hunger project she knows will be very happy. She catches her flight to new york city which is the next stop on her day. The second appointment. And the surrounding couldn't be more different. From that corner office. Up in the skyscraper. In chicago. She descends into the basement of an old church. A black congregation in harlem. 96 with 75 people. The sound of rain coming down the stairwell is constant. The urban church. British group she speaks about the work project is done in africa. And when she finishes the room is completely silent. Even a dripping. Rain. Hitting. The plastic. Buckets. Sounds. Huge. And she wonders what am i doing here. Steven wright. To ask these people in a congregation what is so clear that they need the money. This church right here. Need some money. And you are asking for something that's really important to you. You're asking a lot. Of someone else. And you don't know. If they have it to give. And you don't know if they're going to give it to you. But you asked the question. And then there is the silence. Like that silence is alive. Not dead silence. It's a lie. And that's what was sitting between. Man. And. The people she was facing. And finally one woman whose name is gertrude. She's in her late sixties she's proud. The gray hair pulled back in a bun. And she looks at she says i like what you said. And i like you. I'm hoping atlanta was able to exhale at that point. I ain't got no checkbook i ain't got no credit cards it says. Money is a lot like water. For some folks it rushes through their life like a raging river money comes through my life. Like a little trickle. But i want to pass it on in a way it does the most good for the most folks i see that as my right. I see that as my responsibilities and it is also my joy. I have $50 in my purse. Earned it from doing a white. Woman's wash. And land has been aware this whole time that she's the only white face. In that room and i am aware. But i'm a white woman telling this story. But. Gertrude said i want to give this $50 to you. Fsu handlin the money in $5 $10 $1 bills. And then others follow her down the aisle. And soon there's so much. Money. You know in little bill's that lynn has to open the briefcase you didn't bring anything else so she opens the briefcase and people fill it with your bill if it just put it in there. And maybe it comes to $500. And under all those bills is the $50,000 check. From the corporation. The power of the money given in that gathering. Was in its intention. And not and it's amount. I want to say as as we're in a small nonprofit. Get large amounts of money can be just as blessed as small amounts of money so i'm not going all romantic on this since they only small gifts are really worthy of our heart. But the power of that money given. Within its intention. And not it's a math. Analyn. Felpa guild slipping into her briefcase earlier in the day and that night. At that gathering she felt the joy and affirmation. And the meaning. I've kidding. The spirit of giving feeds a person's life. And the organization. As much. As the money funds a cause. Later that week lynn mail for $50,000 check back to the ceo. At the corporate food company. When she sends a letter business skating but filled with respect. And she asked him to make a gift to an organization that he truly believes in because she could tell. He didn't really believe in what. She was doing. I don't know if i. Would have sent that check back i just want to be honest for that deficit. But i don't know. If i could imagine the faces of my steps. If i could imagine the lives of the people. I don't know. Because. That ceo would just give that money to somebody else. And maybe i could do something with it. If he wouldn't. Orcutt. Booty i would even act in defiance. Adare manor of giving. Is lots of ways i could use that money. But then sends the money back. So i've been thinking about the people in tagore's poem that jen read this morning. We could imagine the life of the person whose garden is filled with sunlight. Honestly we don't really know what happens in the lives of those people who live behind that garden gate. I suppose. Tagore weapons to think that. That person is trouble-free. But that's just what we see on the surface we don't know they could be suffering. And there's the person who knocks on the door asking for help and that life. From all we can see is probably filled with tragedy. But there might also be times of joy great joy in their past and in their present that we are just. Not able to see. 42 here. I hope so. But the one who's spiritual life. Is in the balance. Is the person who is filled with envy of that more fortunate neighbor. The one who doesn't see what is in his possession until something forces him to open the chest that he owns. And suddenly. He sees the forgotten. Worthy ignored treasure. Something that caused him to remember is the need of another person. I have done that before myself i have. Thought i don't have that much going on in my life and then i. I do a memorial service for someone. And i think. How much i have. I'm given opportunities to make that comparison all the time. When this person sees the need of another suddenly he is present to the moment. And not living in some world of imagination yearning for what he doesn't have. When he compares his wife to the life of others. Two things happen. His envy. Cakes. The best of his life away from him. He's so busy. Looking at that yard across the street. That he allows his own wealth. To be unseen. But the second thing is that his salvation is tied to the one who needs his help. He can only see what he possesses. When he sees what others don't have. Well sand. I'm not talking about being able to care for our most basic needs that's very different wealth is being present to the fullness. And the richness of the moment. Exclusive of others. And living what is most important to us. And sharing sharing that with others. It is one last piece. Believing that we share will make a difference. Lindquist explains that the word wealthy. Headed to roots in well. Which speaks of a rich and a satisfying life. Usher money has something to do with that but it doesn't to i've known plenty of people who have wealthy lies like in monetarily wealthy live and they are not living rich and meaningful lives. They don't necessarily go together. Because tagore is writing about ohms. We imagine money is in the chest that he opens. But it could also represent other treasures the chest could be the place that houses his heart this chest. In despair. I broke the lid of my chest open. And was startled to find my own wealth. And there he might find treasure that can't be held in your hand. My family is a family of busy people. Those banks's are busy busy people. Their generations of us to accept added. We speak of the state-of-art busyness. Heather ritualize part of our greeting. I don't know just what i mean when i launch into this because maybe you do it yourself and maybe you hear it elsewhere how are you. And the response is. I am so busy you would not believe how busy i am and then we list all the activities of all the things that would doing it keep us busy day and night. And then sometimes i've noticed there's a counter list so the person who hears it has yeah oh yeah. That's how i am and then they tell you how busy they are. Each person needs recognition for how. Field. Their lives are. But i've also noticed the other thing is that my family is not unusual. And it seemed ritualize greetings happened everywhere that teens read each other with a litany list of their activities that young mothers and fathers and middle-aged people who are at the height of their working lives. I hear it most often. Most often from those who are retired. And initially think oh my god there's all of his free time and then they realize all the many things that they could do to fill that time that are. Wonderful thing. With that. Sometimes comes. An echo of resentment. Resentment at others at home ask so much of us. But the place that where we work is impossibly demanding. At the organization's where we volunteer have a never-ending source of need. And all those things are probably true. So much is asked. And there are so many important things. Preston give our time. I also think. But that resentment bills because of how we frame our life experience. What if we gave our time away. The way gertrude inland story gives her money. So hear this. Timmy time is a lot like water. Sometimes there's a lot and sometimes not so much. I want to pass it on in a way that does the most good for the most folks i see that as my right. I see that as my responsibility i see that as my joy. There are times in our lives when we will have a great deal of time to give. And then times when there's not much to spare. But whatever amount we have to give if we understand the gift of our time is our right and responsibility are actually different. That. Feels. And i try now to avoid answering the question how are you with i'm so busy so if i ever do that i want you to stop me in my chair. I can do some backsliding sometimes. They're more interesting responses that welcome people. Into my life. And remind me of my well-being. So i can say it differently and they accurate back to me in a different way. Maybe i say life is rich. And full. Or i say. I have to read between the lines for this one. There are adventures and challenges these days or just. Life is good. Life is good. And i choose phrases that speak to the treasures that are available to me everyday. And every morning is a new opportunity. For a different answer think of the creative possibilities. Of what you could say. Gertrude's response to lynn's request for financial donations works for so much this found in the treasure chest of our lives. Money and time and love and affection and forgiveness all of these things are in the treasure chest of life. Jimmy love is a lot like water. For some folks that rushes through their lies like a raging river. Sometimes love. To my life comes like a little trickle. But i want to pass it on the way that does the most good for the most folks. I see that as my. I see that as my responsibility i know that as my joy. Give me forgiveness it's a lot like water. Pass it on. Who does the most good my right my responsibility my joy. If we are tuned to that treasures. That we have the neighbor is sunlit yard is less likely. To produce envy. I can't guarantee that it won't produce and we may have a spectacular yard. But less likely. Or resentment. Perhaps it brings admiration or curiosity or wonder. We can give to those in need who are all around us. And we don't need to see another's pain to know our own well-being. To return to the beginning story. Years later the ceo of the food company in chicago sent a letter to lynn twist. He retired and was living a very very comfortable life. Play never been able to forget the letter that. She sent and especially the check. It accompanied it. I couldn't believe that she returned that money. He thought about the meaningful moments in his career and this was one. But he couldn't. Forget. And so in his letter to her. He included a check. From his personal account. Because he. Wanted to do something about world hunger. The check was many times more than the company's original $50,000 remember he was a man of great means who desire to give with great generosity. For him it was the completion of an incomplete circle in his life. Linfield the joy and the affirmation at the meaning of giving as much as she did. And that harlem basement with gertrude. Marge gif. Can bring this and small gifts and in between gifts can bring this. Maybe we have a few dollars to offer and maybe we have thousands. End time. Maybe a gift that you can give. With a meaningful plan. Or maybe a full day. Baby we have. A little love to offer the world and perhaps this is a time when our heart is bursting open. There can be times when forgiveness is like squeezing water from a stone. And we can force only a little out. Or maybe we are grace. Field. And the old hurts melt. Away. Anta just forgiving. The treasure is always there. Put your hand on the lid. And open it. To that i say. Join with me. In prayer. Meditation. And to invite the spirit of life into your heart. Spirit of life allow us to rest here in this community. A friend. And those who wait to become known as friends. Rest here with us. X rebirth together. I asked you is people in this room to consider what you find in your treasure chest. The gifts that are in your life. Right now. This place is made sacred by our presence. As we gather there is something mysterious that happens that is larger than any one of us. I invite you to. Speak. His treasures into the space imagining that. We are giving them to each other and this is known as the people's prayer. The prayer of the minister by the people. People speaking within their hearts so what are some treasures that are cherished by you may be forgotten for a while but you remember them because of what you heard today to space is for you. Offer those things to each other. Those among us. His family members struggle with addiction and depression. Those two can be woven together. May they find strength from those who surround them. Those who understand their sorrow. And may we offer non-judgment. A family is to find that the death of a loved one brings conflict and heartache in their family. And not just simple morning. Mayday find unexpected healing and let us offer tenderness for all those lost when loved ones die. In some moments are uncomplicated and pure with joy. Any gonzales received the highest score at her evaluation before the ministerial fellowship committee. And she has been given their blessing to proceed toward ordination. What's your name. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships when one of us celebrates a joy or grieves the loss. The web of life moves to a new shape we are apart of the turn of the earth and the shift of the stars and the pull of the sea and all change. And so staying together. Pecans and if you can stand will be joined with a choir next week and the vocal art ensemble and the choir the week following. May your lives be filled with gratefulness. And love. Enjoy. And may your treasures be spread throughout this world and may you know. But your lies make a difference. But this gathering say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-03-30_Behind-the-Kitchen-Door_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov or further information. So we may have some visitors here today and i neglected to have them raise their hands before i'm do we have people here from the sierra nevada foothills congregation and the sacramento congregations if you are here raise your hand okay they're here is visitors and we do hope that you will meet and greet with them now they're going to be deluge with people rushing to meet them but i hope some people did bring picnic lunches to stay afterwards and if you did i'll be great to share your fair i have food for poor and i can divided into 8 or 16 is according to how many bytes we get you know it's like a lowe's and fishes anyways. Celebration of life in due time is congregation also we also celebrate our very best dreams here together. We bring our differences and together we offer a fuller truth than anyone pointer view. This is a place of hope. The holy is experienced here in many different ways and given many name people of all sexual orientations and gender identities are celebrated here not just welcomed and we welcome all classes and races and physical abilities we have so much to learn from each other. And this is a place of compassion. And it's a place of learning. Weather because of the touch of a friend the words and music or a moment of silence may you feel more alive. Because of your time spent here. Today's service is about the unitarian universalist common book read behind the kitchen door and monday is cesar chavez his birthday and a state holiday in his honor he organized farm workers and fought for them and now we know there is also a need for justice a little bit further down the food chain and this is in the ordinary experience of dining out. Oda al plateau plateau before i go. Corona el alto dia plateau operation sobre las mesas en el mundo a tus estrellas. Las plato rica's constelaciones dc universe ofala tierra de francia. Youth reverse el comedor resume bakugan.com. Suave puerto basico manantial una piedra. Legoland mano-a-mano rapton waco puerto rico polf alfarero sufre scooter. Para que el tiempo consuelo. Jobu sierra definitiva mente andre l aveda. Play plateau el plateau el plateau ceramica esperanza. Coinco santo. Exacta los lunares en su arriola. Aeromoza redonda. World's most vital disc planets and planetarium. At noon when the sun itself a plate of fire. Crowns the height of day you're stars appear plates upon the tables of the world. Constellations in abundance and the world fills with food and the universe fills with fragrance. Until work reclaims the workers and once again the dining car is empty. Well the place return to the debts of the kitchen. Smooth perfect vessel you were spawned by a string on a spring on a stone. Then the human hand duplicated that perfect hollow and the potter copied its freshness so that time with its thread could inserted forever between every man in his life one plate two plates three. Ceramic home. Sacred bull. Moonlight precise with its halo. Rounded beauty of a diadem. And why was one woman standing to the front and why was one woman standing to the bath all will be revealed. Goodbye unwillingly to some of our oldest members is a joyful occasion to welcome new members into our congregation so i'm delighted to leave this short service and welcome the new member ceremony we enter into this and this into this sunday recognizes a new relationship between the unitarian universalist church of davis members and those who have decided to make a formal commitment of membership. The people who come before us today have attended a pass to membership class made a commitment of time and the financial support to the church. This morning they signed the book in the presence of our minister and welcoming members of the board. Sonic. As i say the new members names would you please come forward light a candle signifying the life you bring to our congregation. And if you have a family with you today your children parents or anyone else they are invited to stand with you so first i would like to welcome nancy leroy. Welcome nancy next i would like to welcome gina and simon murphy with their daughter athena. And last i would like to welcome tracy mccarthy and her son declan. And now reverend that has a few words i had to come around so i can really look at all the excuse my back behind me. But you've been among us and you come to know us you've been here for a while and you decided that the ideals of unitarian universalism and how they are expressed ring true for you. This is fa in tradition that embodies the priesthood of all believers minivan each one of us searches for meaning and for beauty that sustains us and we believe in the prophet hood of all believers that we've the power of me the responsibility to make a difference in the world and the world needs more people who believe that we can mend what is damaged and what is broken as a minister and spiritual leader of the congregation i welcome you and i wish for you all love in this. Now steve reynolds from the committee on ministry. Play choosing to join this church you're in a unique relationship with all those remember. With them. You can find comfort. When you're in need. Challenge when it times you grow complacent. We're always striving to live the ideals that help us to be more than we believed possible as a representative of the committee on ministry and the committee to attends to the covenant or relationships among members i will mu. The act of joining this church is a decision that only to become active in voting in the business transactions it is a decision of the heart that one is ready to make a commitment to unitarian universalism and this church is a legal decision and a spiritual one simultaneously as chair of the board of trustees. Now i invite those congregation members who have formally signed the book of membership to share the reading with me that's in your program the new members will read the words that are theirs and then at the end the longtime members new members and friends are invited to read the final section of the ceremony. So members as members of the unitarian universalist church of davis we welcome you into membership you remind us to deepen our relationships and our search for truth together we will accept challenges and grow into. and for the earth and covenants to live according to the principles of unitarian universalism. Our drink special today is mamma chia hibiscus blackberry flavor is full of ingredients that are certified organic non-gmo. Gluten free and vegan and is sweetened only with agave nectar and fruit juices the chia seeds that are in this drink are considered a superfood because they're packed with omega-3 fatty acids fiber and protein and the company mamma chia donate to 1% for the planet. Supporting. Stainable food systems worldwide. We were selling chocolate cake hoping that you will save a room for dessert and now you know the possible beverages that are available to us and i hope you will have a wonderful wonderful meal with us as we sing we're going to sit at the welcome table number 407. So i've left this chocolate k-cup here that some of you saw earlier today as we were trying to entice you with delicious dessert. Joe. Laura thank you i'm tempted amazingly i'll share with you we can share is behind the kitchen door. And at the beginning of the book the authors how to write to many of our restaurant meals are brought to our table by the misery of others and my heart sank when i read those words because i hope you really enjoy reading eating out in restaurants i mean it's something i did as a special treat with my parents to go to the diner. At the corner in chelmsford. Massachusetts. And have the fish fry. On friday night even though we weren't catholic but saturday's not really talking about dining out she's not talking about that at all far from it she assures us that restaurants are where culture happens. The restaurants are where culture happens. When sarah was a child her immigrant parents wanted her to wanted to only eat their traditional indian food and rarely if ever even when traveling to other countries with a eat-in restaurants. Wherever they went they would bring their own indian food she was always disappointed. Cuz soon as sarah was on her own as a young adult she's satisfied her love of ethnic food and frequent addressed durant with enthusiasm her life's work as an advocate for restaurant workers led her to write behind the kitchen door because of her research she always looked to see who is working in the kitchen she sees the restaurant employee as a human being with a family with stories with dreams. With desires. And i know the story of restaurant workers and their love. Of the work. There's the adrenaline rush when the restaurant is full but feeling of being a part of the team and belonging and there is simply the pleasure of hospitality. And i know because i have worked the gamut from ice cream scooping at friendly's as an 18 and i can tell you that it he was didn't feel like a very friendly place to being an evening dinner server in a very trendy restaurant in my 30s. It has been the main employment several times in my life. Restaurants in the united states employed 10 million people are one of the largest private-sector workforces in the country the restaurant business is one of the few industries they continued to grow even during the recent recession. Despite the growth of the industry as a whole. Includes seven of the 10 lowest paying occupations in america. Only 20% of the restaurant jobs. Pay a living wage. I can tell you that the people that you see at your table. I typically. Scientifically the people who are making. The living wage. But there are many people behind them. Who are not. That you don't see. The impetus for writing behind the kitchen door began with his feathers advocacy work for restaurant workers after the tragedy of 9-11 a few weeks after the twin towers fell she received a phone call from a union leader representing the workers of windows on the world exclusive restaurant that perched on the top of the world trade tower. The cuisine was distinctly international the status represented countries from around the world and the union worker wanted to create an organization to support the restaurant staff who survived after the towers fell. He also wanted to advocate for the 13,000 other restaurant workers in york city who lost their jobs as a result of 9/11 the owners of the windows on the world attended. Memorial services lots of them. And promised new jobs to workers who had not been in the restaurant when the towers crumbled. But when the news celebrated restaurant opened again in times square relocation they were not rehired. The owners told the press they my previous staff. I don't have enough experience. The restaurant workers were grieving for the 73 lost friends and family who died while setting up for a banquet in the restaurant on the morning of september 11th. Emily added this injustice to their grief the result was incredible rage. Shattered teamed up with mom do. Moroccan immigrant with 17 years of experience in restaurants and with their guidance the workers and their families staged a protest on the opening night of the new restaurant celebrities arrived and the press covered the grand opening. Celebrities were photographed but so were the now unemployed former windows on the world. Dinner servers. Dishwashers. Two chefs. After extensive newspaper the new york times and tv coverage the owner of the windows arrange for every employee to be brought back to staff. Amazing. After that publicity suddenly positions open and were created. He was such an easy fix stash that emboldened both sorrow and mom do the workers began calling them from all over new york city. Oliver new york city thousands of workers started calling them when they heard about this and it was the beginning of an organization called restaurant opportunities centers united and for our purposes here today i'll refer to the next roc. In the months after 9/11 saturday met with 250 displaced workers she found issues of large income disparities. Am i remember there was one person speaking spanish when person speaking english will get into that there was a reason for why they were standing where they were. Horatius of race discrimination and unfair or dangerous employment practices in so many people's lives one person interviewed for the book said when god created humanity god said here are the restaurant workers they have a different mentality they are trained in hospitality. And show people a good time. And that may be true. But they need fair treatment by their employers. And an increased awareness of their employment circumstances by us. When i put myself through seminary i looked for the highest-paying job that gave me the most schedule flexibility and i applied to one of the most popular restaurants in berkeley. I will say that it was. Excellent employment for me. One of the managers knew me from a restaurant i had in spokane why i'd worked in spokane washington and i was hired and and i'm just going to go off-script and tell you a little bit about those kind of glad he didn't know my full experience in the spokane restaurant because i was apart this is all he knew was that i was apart of. Suddenly their turnover. Decreasing. Dramatically. And the way i did that was that i had a party in my home and i invited all of the cooks who felt as if nobody understood them and i organized the wait staff to cook for the kooks. So there they were this great party with the wait staff giving them food and i invited the bartenders and i can't remember how i did it but i got some donation of some really nice alcohol and so on so that was a part of this great party and everyone became great friends and they had a softball team and pretty soon it was in the middle of all this are in coffee cups back to the. And taking crab meat sandwiches from the chefs and kind of putting them in our pockets and walking them over to the bartenders and we were having the best time all together and i think that i remember the management wondering where their margaritas were going and kind of wondering about their supply of crabmeat but. People were having such a wonderful time and the the turnover in the restaurant just just about disappeared and they attributed that to me and that party but they had no idea about the rest of it so that's when i learned i really like to get people to work together. So yeah the manager hired me and i can tell you i was way over my head with a different kind of restaurant. And some rigorous training we learned the ingredients of all the dishes just like laura knew about everything in that drink. And we learned how to introduce the most expensive menu items and that's what you wanted to do cuz. You you are your tip. Your income. Depended on moving that bill as high as you possibly could. And the people who worked with you they depended on you too. So we learned how to describe the most expensive things on the resting in the restaurant menu we tasted every recipe we learned what wine would be paired with which entree and the desserts. We had accurate. Language for every desert if you could get a table to buy a bottle of wine. And some very lovely desserts it was as if two more people were sitting at that table. And the people who worked with me as a team would walk home with more money. Please very calculated and it was also. Done with. You know the scent of wine to create hospitality it was all of that. But i'll tell you one thing is i looked around at the other dinner servers i realize that we all had a certain look. We were in our twenties or thirties we were slender all of us. We were sunkist from the california sun. And it was not one person of color. And this is what's a true and mom do sound. And working on restaurant labor practices. Often the lightest skinned employees work in the front server position and the people with brown or black skin wash dishes and prepped food the people who spoke english as their first language worked with a customer in the front of the restaurant and the people who spoke spanish as their first language worked in the back. On the restaurant. Roc interviewed 4,000 restaurant workers and found a $4 wage gap between white workers and those of color. And the stories they gathered repeatedly showed even went black and brown skinned employees had the experience necessary for promotion even when they had the experience necessary for promotion that they were passed over. And another person was brought in from the outside of the restaurant. I defeat outward appearance of the restaurant experience was relaxed and relaxed evening for the customer the pace behind the kitchen door was quite the opposite every item at a certain number of seconds or minutes before i'll be waiting for us in the kitchen. So if i received an order for a salad. I remember distinctly had 120 seconds. Before it was up on the counter. Multiply that times four tables and you have many numbers running through your head as to whether salad or entrees or dessert or bottles of wine or whatever are ready for you to present so there was a lot of running behind the scenes i lost 10 lb in that first year just because it was like constant sprinting behind the door and walking out like i have all the time in the world as soon as you get beyond the door. Of the kitchen. They were injuries collisions falls. But the most common health issue that endangered everyone with at the restaurant staff often came to work sick. Neither the company nor the employees considered sick leave and it wasn't a part of the culture. And if they called in sick they worried about losing their job and this is actually an excellent restaurant i just want to say that. And the research shows this is true in just about every restaurant. Imagine all the hands that chop and cook and played and deliver the food to us and restaurants. Couple of years ago really just a couple of years ago i think it was 2012 when sarah's research was completed if it 90% of the workers roc interviewed reported that they did not receive sick days or health insurance. 90%. This really isn't about stopping you from going to eat in restaurants by the way life behind the kitchen door with vastly different from the customer's experience and it was our job to keep those two worlds separate. Many of us loved the work of hospitality but i was increasingly aware of the disparity between my present tableside. My tableside presentation and the workers who laboured over the grill. And. With a dishwasher. I'll see if now run 11 campaigns against some very high-profile restaurants and chains and it one more than 6 million in with called stolen tips when the employer takes the tips and wages. Fairforest policy changes in restaurant chains and improve the lives of thousands really thousands of employees they are particularly proud of educating employers about fair labor practices and working with as many restaurants as possible and cooperation. And they are doing that it's not always at there are four things sometimes restaurants are coming forward and wanting to learn more and cooperating and one example is the good girl dinette in la owned and run by def a vietnamese refugee who came to this country as a child the family went from being established doctors and lawyers and vietnam and then became entrepreneurs here together and started a restaurant and you have contributed contributed her labor just like everyone else first. She gave herself 10 years to save research and plan. As a bonus the experience of being a social worker. Made her consider issues of inequity and injustice as she built her business. She wanted to offer what people told her she could not do she wanted to offer good. An affordable food. Pay a living wage. And make a profit. Going to the farmers market every weekend she said was like going to church. She studied about sustainable agriculture at the university of california at santa cruz she established a relationship with a local farm run by mom among refugee family because as i worked with vietnamese coming out of the vietnamese, vietnam conflict and mom the two groups usually did not mix. Until this is rather amazing. Voluntarily. Vietnamese immigrant reaching out and working with among. Farmer. But working with a farmer she served local food. And she chose reasonable portions. She trained her workers to be frugal and to keep costs down and she said my prep cooks are all environmentalist. She was a really tough boss. People in her restaurant and she is the first to admit it. Are job is not to be easy. To be africa. The wage gap offers is not much higher than the minimum and in california it is $8 an hour around most of the country is setting $2.13 for tipped those who received his $2.13 from most most. A couple of months ago i read it is i'm $10.55 in san francisco so we do have it somewhat better in this part of the country. She does she does not offer health insurance yet but she will and sick leave is in the future for her employees as her income increases that is her next step and her food is more expensive. So her sandwiches cost $8 where is a neighboring restaurant only charges about 250. But she said my customers know exactly why. They're charged $8. And they are willing to do it. She said the word sustainable in restaurants applies to more than food without pesticides and livestock raised humanely without hormones it is also sustainable labor practices it is as yet says where the business grows and the people grow with it and she has very little turnover and she has a promotion policy. And what can we do. What can we do now that i've thoroughly convinced you to never eat out ever again we can advocate for a higher minimum wage and cluding. Let's just say a living wage. For all. Imported workers as well. And we can vote with our forks. The d.o.c. created a diners guide website and a cell phone app and i can put that in next week's bulletin where we can read up on restaurants practices i have it on my cell phone and has had quite the time looking for any restaurant. It offers benefits for its employees. Do they offer health care. Advancement opportunities all these things are answered on this little website and where there without an application on your phone it's simple really talk to people when we ask is this grass-fed beef. Organic lettuce. Consider asking the staff about their wages. Consider asking the managers if they have a policy to offer sick days. Opportunities to advance within the business if 20 people in this congregation would ask these questions in our communities i mean in dixon. I mean in woodland. I mean west sac. I mean in davis. Can you imagine the surprise. Of the managers. And they want to please. They're not bad people. They want to do what is right. But no one has been raising the question. So what did we. Started to raise the questions. Fairness is. Nourishing for everyone. So besides voting with your fork. You can vote with your wallet. Since we know that the majority of those who receive tips. In the restaurant business make very low wages. The cash tips that we leave them can make a major difference. And if you are one of the people who. I've never worked. Panda restaurant. The money that we leave on the table. Does not go home. With that. Waiter waitress dinner server. Is divided. With people that you never see. The hostess. The people who clear the table that goes on and on according to how large the restaurant is. So your tip. Goes home with a whole line of people. To change their lives. Restaurants are where culture happens it's where we celebrate our times together our friendship our family's pleasure nourishment we can also list of. The values of dignity and fairness. Ingratitude. For all those who labor to bring food and the flavor. Into our lives. And to that i say amen. If you want to know about that app. I will tell you. I invite you to join with me in the spirit of prayer. And meditation. Spirit of life. And love that it surrounds us for the brokenness made whole for our awareness of how airlines are connected with every meal. How we are not alone. But in a community we sometimes do not see. Who asked are we not our brother's keeper. Living in love. Is being holy present to our family of humankind. Spirit of life. And love that surrounds us. For the brokenness made whole. When a teen graduates from high school having traveled a different road towards graduation. What is ben forbidden fruit. All that comes after that degree is now waiting for him. Empowerment. Parts of his life. That were once in peace there were once in pieces coming hole. With every death we are brought into the life of the person who has passed love holds us both the living and the one who is gone and the memory the spirit of the one who has passed moves even more solidly into our being because we are the container to hold the memories the dreams they dreamed and all change. And you're welcome to join me at my table even if we each get a slice and that cake will be there youtube. Celebrate the joy i grieve the loss the web of life moves to a new shape. We are apart of the turn of the earth and the shift of the stars and the pull of the sea. And all the change in this world. But this gathering say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

Worship-2012_07_29-10a_ED-1.mp3

Look up to sunday sermons another recording from unitarian universalist church of davis california www.org for further information. Welcome to our unitarian universalist church of davis. If you read the weekly church bulletin on the worship associate to be determined otherwise known as to be to my friend some of you may know me. If john ashby today is the guest reverend rodger jones. From the midwest like me native of indianapolis graduate of meadville lombard theological seminary he's currently. What do you use society sacramento having recently been called as settled associate minister. And we're all invited to the celebration of new his new position on saturday afternoon. September 29th at the u.s. usf in sacramento. Prior to his association with the uuss he's been many things has been an interim minister in minnesota. For ten years before that was a minister for the uu fellowship of sunnyvale. He's been involved in many denominational leadership roles including the pacific central district do you legislative ministry and national uu ministers association and as if that's not enough. He's currently a doctor of ministry student at the pacific school of religion in berkeley. Focusing on the uu church of the philippines. His interest in global partner church relationships is particularly meaningful us our special collection today is for the benefit of our partners shirt church in transylvania. And we do welcome rodger who leads us in worship today and looking at happy and not so happy endings and how we can better understand and then. Better live our unitarian universalist principles welcome reverend rodger jones. It's so easy to be grateful. Somebody gives me a great present i say thanks done gratitude. Easy so why not. Well as long as it's so easy i might as well try to be grateful more often. Example. Small example last week i was going away and addressed already stamped. Envelope mailed to me. What is the ballot voting for board of directors it's actually for the organic trade association some of that work with a lot. That's about to throw it away. It seems well this is a wasted opportunity simple little notes saying thank you. When the official. Numbered envelope will be expecting just more work. Record some votes. Wasn't hard. Easy. Again something happens. Little gratitude. Everybody's better off things happen gratitude better off again. My wife gets cancer and i say. Well what i say now. I'm grateful for. Penalties not always obvious. So what. Then don't be grateful. That is an option. Not being grateful. Yes. Meister eckhart was a german theologian mystic. And general pain in the neck to the catholic church during the 13th century catholic church had enough trouble at the time without having to deal with eckhart. Who was preaching and his preaching was being received. That god was within and the mystic part of that card. You can experience this yourself without necessarily requiring the catholic church. Catholic church tried to stop this but eckert outsmarted them by dying before he could be excommunicated never left much of his writings exist today. One thing that he wrote. If the only prayer you said your whole life was thank you. That would suffice. Challenging. Gratitude can be challenging in the face of enough unhappiness to go around. Not gymnastics or of course gnostics believe they have the explanation for all the unhappiness in the world that significant group before during and after the time of christ. What they knew. What their belief was that the real god the good god. I've been asleep at the wheel when was the miss universe was created. Anyone the wrong god the bad god. Create this world. And so this world is completely hopeless. Sort of like original sin for the entire universe not just for people it cannot be fixed. But another part of their belief system was that if they could possess the right knowledge than asif this right knowledge would allow them to pass from this flawed world. Into the correct world. But the good god had prepared for them and it would only let you in if you had this special knowledge. They really didn't spend much time with explanations. But a happy ending that we have in this world. They just wanted out. Is virtually no place for improving this world from their theological. Perspective this is the opposite of unitarian-universalism what we do for this world is so important. I'm not interested in the gnostic answer of giving up on this world. Gratitude is one of the ways that i can find strength when i have the wisdom. To address situations with gratitude. And i need to work on this i don't know the reasons. For the unhappiness has that do exempt i just have to live with that mystery. Tomorrow. Today especially today. We all do. Gathered here in the mystery of our our. Good morning it's good to be back it's good to see you again good to be in this beautiful new space again. And the last time. I spoke here. From his pulpit was the cape kennedy's ordination which was i think on a winter evening. And the store was open. And it was blowing and i was freezing and i didn't. Like. Stopping close the door and. And it was a really hot day and i went with my heaviest suit on saying well it's davis i was in the bay area and at the time. And surely it's air-conditioned there it wasn't so we have a. Lovely day and it's lovely to see all of you. July. It almost over. Time rushes on and to me that rush of time is all the more cause to give thanks for this new day and to appreciate these moments and this time together with all of these people people of all ages and stages of life. And i would like to invite you for a time of. Silence for your personal meditations your private prayers. And as we prepare. For a little bit of silence. Let us give thanks for every breath we take. And every pulse of life through our blood vessels. Let us notice our bodies in our seats. Notice our breathing. Our neighbors breathing. Are common breath. Which is the breath of life. And with the sounds of our community around us. Let us take some moments of silence. The silence which is more than the absence of sound but which is the source from which we all emerged. And to which we all eventually returned. Our moments of silence will be ended by my voice and then followed my some music. And may peace be in our hearts. Peace be in our lives. Peace be in our world. One of our most influential writers ray bradbury died last month at age 91. Including science fiction and other genres bradbury road stories novels. Poems. Plays and scripts for movies and television programs. A discipline creator he advised young riders. To write a story. A day. Everyday. He was born in 1920 and the northern illinois city of waukegan. His family moved to los angeles in 1934 when he was 14. And that's where he was living when he passed away. Early in his career a series of his magazine stories. Was about human colonists on the planet mars and. This series of stories was collected and published as the martian chronicles in 1950. The conflict of human resilience and our propensity to destroy one another is a theme of many of his writings including his most famous book fahrenheit 451. Publisher 1953 the title. Purportedly. Is the temperature at which books will catch fire. It's an unsettling picture of a country where books are banned. In an effort to suppress freedom of imagination and expression. It's about the human tendency tendency to let others control our thoughts and our lives. True fear but also. Through entertainment. Inconvenience. The futuristic bradbury was not. Optimistic about what kind of future. We would allow to happen. He was a curmudgeonly visionary. Espousing doubts about the benefits of the internet. Automobiles and other technological advances. Not long ago he gave a talk to a group of college students in the los angeles area and he told them. If they wanted to save the world he would meet them after. The talk at the door as they exited and he would receive all of their driver's licenses from them. Yet his work blends the dangerous and scary with a sense of joy and wonder at life. He celebrates human community and the worth of every person. In his books. In his writings i'd like to close with this passage from fahrenheit 451. Everyone must leave something behind when he died my grandfather said. A child or a book. Pour painting. For a house or a wall built. Or a pair of shoes made. Beauregard implanted. Something your hand touched some way so your soul has somewhere to go when you die. And when people look at that tree or that flower you planted. You're there. I'm always happy to come here because of the music. That you offer and because of. The joy of singing with you this is. The great congregation and it's great to be back. I'd like you to go with me back to the summer of 1928. In greentown illinois. Population 26,000 349. A neighborhood's children. Enjoy life. Explore their city. And come face-to-face with change loss and grief. The book's title is dandelion wine. It is based on bradbury's memories of childhood in the northern illinois town of waukegan. In a novel tom spaulding is 10 and his brother douglas is 12. At the start of the summer dog takes out his yellow pad and ticonderoga pencil. And he begins making two lists on it side-by-side. The first category. Include the traditions of summertime in the midwest such as taking the wooden swing out of storage and hanging it up on the front porch. After supper the family sits out on the porch in the warm air. Other ritual pleasures. Of the season are swimming fishing and staying out until late sunset. There's eating the first eskimo pie of the season. Another tradition is making homemade wine out of dandelion greens from the yard. Dandelion i've not made it to make it from the flowers. On the pantry shelves adults lineup bottles of fresh golden green liquid. Capturing a bit of the summer for enjoyment in the other seasons. The kids might even enjoy a tiny exciting stip of this tingly juice. Douglas headlines this list rites and ceremonies. His most important ceremony is getting a new pair of sneakers for the summer. But this year he's a dollar short of the price. On a warm afternoon he goes to old mr. sanderson shoe store. He stacks nickels dimes and quarters on the countertop. The man dressed in a business suit is gruff. I see you every afternoon at my window you think i don't see you're wrong. You want the royal crown cream sponge para lightfoot tennis shoes. Like menthol on your feet. And you want credit he barks. The boy says i got something better than credit. First he asked the man when was the last time that he wore a pair of sneakers. It's been decades. Mister sanderson don't you think you owe it to your customers serve to at least try the tennis shoes yourself or just one minute. So you know how they feel. How you going to sell sneakers unless you can rave about them and how you going to rave about them unless you know them. The man resist the b. Before putting up the sneakers on. Doug says now. Could you just kind of rock back and forth a little sponge around bounce kind of. Well i tell you the rest. He proposes the deal. If the man will sell the shoes to him. He will work off the dollar heos. By running errands. Feel those shoes mister sanderson feel how fast they take me. All those springs inside. Feel how they kind of grab hold and can't let you alone and don't like you just standing there. Mr. sanderson stinks down into the shoes. And rock back and forth. The twelve-year-old spins. His tempting offer to do the man's unwanted chores out in the afternoon sun. He give dog a list of errands for the day and send him a lot. Thanks mr. sanderson. And the boy is off. The second column on doug's writing pad is a list of things that happened for the first time in that summer of 1928. And lessons learned. This list bears the title discoveries and revelations. Some revelations. Are not easy to accept. The kids learned that life changes. And not always the way you want it to. They take a last ride on the town's electric trolley before the train is put out of service. To be replaced by buses. Including school buses. The boys mourn the end of an era. The change for them is not only sentimental it has practical implications. 1boy grumbles. School buses won't even give us a chance to be late to school. Come get you at the front door. Never be late again it all our lives think of that nightmare doug just think it all over. They learned that people disappoint us. Doug doesn't get the. Book of magic tricks he wanted for his birthday. His brother says he got a pair of pants and a shirt instead. That's enough to ruin the summer right there. The kids begin to learn. Disable age. One day several boys and girls greet an elderly woman on her porch and she invites them in for lemonade. They noticed a picture of a little girl sitting in a frame on a table. Who is that. When asked. Why that's me when i was your age. First they don't understand her. Then they don't believe her. They cannot accept that she was ever a child or young woman. Really they insist you always been told. You stole that picture desperate she goes around grabbing other pictures from her life to show them. The clash of two opposing realities only escalate and. She throws the kids out back home doug right on his yellow pad. Old people never were children. His brother called this revelation. Brilliance. But also kind of sad. When i was a child and i would see people who are sick. Old frail or weak. I did not imagine that such conditions could happen to me. It was as if they inhabited a different world from the one i was in. Aging physical pain and health problems happen to other people i thought. Fortunately i was never so rude as to say what i was thinking. In any case this mindset did not long endure. My perspective on physical health began to shift. With foot problems in my twenties. Chronic neck and shoulder pain in my 30s. A recommended colonoscopy in my 40s due to family history. And now back. Hip and elbow pains and gray hair and wrinkles taking over my body so much to look forward to. In the book. After the kids leave the old woman's house. She has a good cry. On reflection she decides they were right she's been holding onto much to images of who she was and not been opened who she's becoming now. So she throws out her pictures. Days later in a reconciling gesture she invites the kids back in she's much more forgiving to them than i could be. Timidly they enter and she and they talk again. Before they depart the invite each one of them to choose an item in the house. The day would like to own. She's downsizing. The kids discover that the world is a dangerous place. For example someone has stolen dogs catcher's mitt would cost them a dollar 95. Much worse a serial killer is on the loose in greentown strangling women at night. The townspeople refer to the man as the lonely one. They urge one another not to go out alone or stay out late. The boys joke and scare one another about the lonely one until a dead body is found in the nearby ravine. Did they walk through. No more joking. The kids wearing the people you love will leave. Doug admires his friend john. Considers him a god-like human being he's an athlete who knows all the wildflowers and the times when the moon will rise and set. John is kind as well as talented and fun. The one day he tells the boys his family is moving out of town. No it can't be true. The kids learned that people die. The boy's great-grandma is full of energy and creativity and international teas. So strong she even repairs the roof. This is how bradbury puts it. Every april for as far back as there were calendars. You thought you heard woodpeckers tapping on the housetop. No it was great grandma somehow transported singing pounding nails replacing shingles in the sky. But even she slows down. Weekends. Her body shrinks. One day she decides she's tired. She's not well and she's done. And that same day should goes upstairs nestle's herself under the covers over bed. And ways to fall asleep. And pass away. At her bedside doug tries to talk her into living longer. She assures him it's okay. And it's really her time. She gives him farewell advice. The kids learned that love stories don't always turn out the way you want them to. Tom dog and their pal charlie. We're talking about miss loomis. Who just passed away at age 95. Not long before miss loomis is death man who she had known earlier in life tractor down. Hopeless romantic this man had carried miss loomis his picture around for years. He imagined that as he aged he was catching up with her. And if she was still the age of the young woman in the picture. He found her in greentown and he called on her. He reminded her of their past friendship. I confessed. He's continuing love. At age 95 miss loomis was philosophical. About the opportunities they had missed over the years. And she was accepting of her life. Put on hearing the story about her young charlie is disillusioned. And he asked his friends for advice. Charlie says tom answer me true now. Whatever happened to happy endings. Tom says you can see happy endings in the movie. Sure charlie says but what about life. Somebody in heaven must not be watching. Somebody up there slipped. He says. The spaulding. Boys. Are not allowed to stay up late. And they're forbidden to have flashlights in that room because they would use them to read after hours. So doug brings an invention. To the bedroom. A big glass jar full of three dozen fireflies. Takes out his pencil and yellow pad and begins to write in the flickering light. He makes two columns. 1 list reasons why you can't count on things. The other column. Reasons why you can't count on people. Danny rite aid. Stunning realization. So if trolleys. And friends can go away for a while or go away forever or rot or fall apart or die. And if people can be murdered. And if someone like great-grandma who was going to live forever. And i. If all of this is true. Then. I. Douglas spaulding. Someday. Must. He doesn't finish writing his thought. Has the fireflies have turned off their flashing. So he lets them loose and he. Turns in. The summertime discoveries of these kids are part of growing up. Part of the struggle of spiritual awareness. Some of us face hard revelations. Early in life. Some later. How do we live with such unwelcome facts. It's easy to get lulled into thinking that. Change is avoidable. But nobody else is leaving or dying. It's easy to believe that since life is going well. For me right now that life really is fair. And life is not. Always fair is not guaranteed to be fair. Get life. He's worth it. Life is a gift. The characters in this book the residence of greentown. Show a joy in ordinary life. In the book our lovely scenes of big dinners around great grandma's table. One of the rights of summer. In greentown is going on a picnic to enjoy sandwiches by a river. Or in the woods. When child says when you eat a sandwich out of doors. It's more than a sandwich. An old man in town by the name of colonel freely has become an invalid. His adventurous days are gone and now he's stuck in his bedroom. Upstairs. With an in-house nurse. The kids had heard that colonel freely. Had a time machine. But on their first visit. They. Learned that he is a time machine. Through his word he transports himself and the kids to great ear has a world history and great. Places around the globe. He really enjoys their visits to hear his stories but. One day the nurse won't let them come back. All that excitement can't be good for someone in his condition. He says he doesn't mind dying. But when the kids visit he knows he's alive. Another joy for him is to telephone a friend. In mexico city. And he asked the man to hold the telephone receiver out the window so he can hear the sounds of the streets in the city. A little escape. So it likely comes with a large long-distance bill back in 1928. Tom acknowledges that the story of miss loomis lost love. Was a hard one to hear. But he accepted as part of life. The last few days. When i finally put it together boy did i blow my head off. I don't even know why. Tom is a ten-year-old sage. With hardship happens his prescription is to let it all out. And then to rejoin the parade of life. He says. You cry just so long and everything's fine. And there's your happy ending. And you're ready to go back out and walk around with folks again. And it's the start of gosh knows what-all. The adults and use of this novel are blessed with relationships across the generations. Not only in the same family but in their neighborhood. Elders invite kids in for a visit even if they get unfriendly questions about their age. Adults watch out for one another kid helping to keep them in line by keeping them in sight. Of course this neighborly ideal didn't exist for everyone who grew up in the 20th century and it's almost non-existent these days. It's a rare thing today for people in the local community to reach out across the generations. But it remains important for us to build connections among all age groups. When we are young we need to develop identities and routes. As adults we need to think of the legacy we are handing on to those who come after us. I believe that religious congregation serve as one of the last places where connections. To take place across the generations especially beyondfamily lines. What does this. Bridging of generations look like. It can be as basic as introducing one another to gardens parks and rivers. It can be helping someone learn to read whether an adult is tutoring a child or a child is helping an adult learner. It can be inviting others to share in the joys of serving and helping out in the kitchen. Colorado shelter plano parkway restoration project. You can be as generous as asking someone questions. And then waiting to listen to their answers. Cuz i thought about ray bradbury characters i realized that we have characters. In our congregations. The novelist could put in a book. You can probably think of some of those characters. But actually you could draw a book out of anyone of our lives. No matter our age. His great-grandma lies on her deathbed. With dog next to her. He asks who's going to repair the roof. She whispers. Don't let anyone do the shingles unless it's fun for them. Come next april. Ask who'd like to fix the roof. And whichever face lights up. Is the face you want. Because up there on that roof you can see the whole town going toward the country going toward the edge of the earth and the river shining and the morning lake and birds on trees down under you. And the best of the wind all around above. Tom's advice for disappointment and loss is practical. A good night sleep. Or a 10-minute ball. For a pint of chocolate ice cream. Or all three together is good medicine. For him a happy ending is going to bed at night. Knowing he's alive. Appreciating the simple joys of life. And giving thanks for a time of rest and the promise of a new day. Ray bradbury write. One day you discover. You are alive. Explosion illumination. The right. You laugh you dance around you shout. The hardships of life do not prove this discovery false. They only calling us to affirm it. Over and over. For the gift of life and the gift of every new day. Let us be thankful. So maybe. Recipe. Invite you to join hands for the benediction. Invite you to linger for fellowship and then to depart in peace. May you experience beauty and joy in the world around you. And may you know that you bring beauty and joy into the world. For all who see god may god go with you. For all who embrace life my life return your affection. For all who seek a right path. May away be found and the courage to take it. Step-by-step. Go in peace amen. Baymax.

uudavispodcast_org

2018-01-14-Messages-of-Prophets-New-Voices.mp3?_=3

Welcome to sunday sermons another recording from unitarian universalist church of davis california. org for further information. Internet campus minister. Universalist we believe people have inherent worth and dignity. You are welcome here. No matter the color of your skin no matter your political affiliation is big question. You are welcome into this community of curious listeners learners and compassionate listeners you are welcome here. We light candles this morning our first. Is knowledge in this room the first one for the sorrows of the world. I s candle for the joys of the world the moment. Anna moments of celebration today. We life is palace as a symbol of unitarian universalism. Opening words come from the reverend martin luther king jr.. If the church and fearlessly and insistently in terms of justice and peace. The imagination of humankind. Inspire the soul of people. Imbuing them with a glowing and ardent love for truth justice and peace. People far and near will know the church as a great fellowship. As love. Information is in your order of. And the power of the civil rights song in protest. Today. Representative john lewis is a democrat from georgia and he led a civil rights era sitting in june 2016. With the help of passing more strict gun legislation. Representative john lewis is one of the last surviving civil rights leaders. What's a rev dr martin luther king jr.. Original freedom riders. Freedom riders were groups of white and african-american civil rights activists. Bus trips to the americans to protest segregation. Nashville in 1960 in washington. During the protest in 2016. John lewis led the protesters in civil rights era songs including. We shall overcome someday. Around the campfire. Qled kumbaya. As it was originally written as a cry for help. That spirit that. Whatever you needed in that moment that it would be with you. Break. The protesters were ready to sit in night until their message was heard. And they did they sat in night. The next morning when the protest was over lewis told the group. We got in trouble. We got in the way. Good trouble trouble. Really standing. John lewis was able to get people's attention. What they were doing was important could make a difference. Music is powerful. It can influence and inspire people to make change happen. When people. You tried everything you can think of. You need help. And you are morning. And you are earning. You need help and you don't know where it's coming from. Each according to your own. Were you just couldn't do it. And how much you needed help from others. That is what i would. Everything. Every eighth person who is in this room. .. Be with me. Be with me. Because i believe we nowadays. Do it. The reading today is a poem by clint smith. What does cicada said to the brown boy. I've seen what they make of you how they render you a multiplicity of mistakes. Claimed it was for their survival. And they wonder why i don't show my face only every 17 years. You. You're lucky if they let you leave live that long. I could teach you some things you know have been playing this game since before you knew what breath was. This year is prehistoric. Why you think we fly. Why you think we roll in packs. You think these forms are for the fun of it. I would tell you you don't roll. But every time you swarm. Play shoot. Get you some wings. Get you some wings. When i first heard clint smith poem i cried. My son is a brown boy. My husband. It's with kelly's permission that i share these stories with you. I do not know firsthand what kelly's experiences with racism was. When he was a young boy but i know what i experienced with him early in our relationship. East sacramento the fabulous forties to be exact. My shop at the same grocery store with my mom and then again as a young woman for probably about 15 years. Some of the course even knew my name. When kelly and i walked through the doors of that very same store we were immediately followed. I've never been followed before. I can only deduce that it was because kelly was with me and they mistakenly made a judgment call based on his skin color. I did not confront them then because i was and i was so very embarrassed. Today it would have been a much different story. On another occasion kelly and i were out together. We had just had a great time with friends by where we lived in downtown sacramento. I wasn't sober driver that night we were young. In early 20s. I neglected to make a complete stop at a stop sign and i was pulled over. Is there first came around to me and asked me for the usual items of identification. But right away upon seeing kelly in the passenger side of the car. Hey i was driving. Immediately. Kelly very quickly at the obliged. Ms officer came over and they were both confronting him with their tremendous amount of intimidation. They kept asking him what game he was in. Cellini please said no sir no games. I'm the one that is in trouble. He hasn't done anything wrong. After what seemed like forever. They finally let him get back into the car and they gave me a ticket. The anger that i felt that night. Grace on several occasions. If she has felt the sting of racism. Recognize. Family's experiences. Maybe different than other families. I feel like my children are sheltered davis. On one hand is comforting to know that as kids they will hopefully not experienced prejudice. Or feel like they have to choose a black clip or a white clip. I'm not naive though. How do i prepare them. When they leave what i have experienced as an island of safety. Why in this day and age do i have to prepare my children for racism. 67. And martin luther king jr. is in the birmingham jail. Again. Years earlier. In 1963. 4 years later. He devotes his time in prison to pondering the tension in the country. And pondering his own effectiveness. We are fighting wars he said. But there are many wars in the country. American people are in the street. San francisco. What becomes known as the california revolution. Florists. 1960s. In june the supreme court strikes down. Did criminalize interracial marriage. And in august the senate confirms thurgood marshall who becomes the first black justice to the supreme court. Race riots erupt in 109 cities. Our nation is moving toward to societies one black. Unequal. White racism. They continued. Which has been accumulating in our cities. Devastated. Buy this report. Identify issues of hopelessness. Police brutality. Unemployment. Social service. Low rates of homeownership. Ultimately. President americans. And this summer. The american people. Vietnam. Is not likely. Does happen. It is also a time when the numbers of casualties are. 200000 deaths. Including 1269. 74000. 818. A growing number of americans doubt. People are in the street. A 1967. It's also a summer. The poor. And ask for a 10%. Income tax increase. Is devastating. Television. And poverty. To the living room many families across our country with an immediacy that we have never known. And the women's movement. Which has not into the streets by name. Everywhere. In our country. For human rights he said. He sits in the birmingham jail we have a photo of him. Another companion who smuggles. A camera in. His next and his final as we know it. His final campaign. September of 1967. Everyone had a difference. What the conference to do. Er. Not in agreement. Remember. To ask for a campaign that looked up the poor. Receive the idea from robert. If someone made it to uncomfortable. For them to ignore it. He remembers her, the birmingham jail and by the end of november. Announce. An effort to force the government to support or urban. Casey's poverty as being larger than the issue of embracing the issue of race. He wrote a riot is the language of the unheard. That america has failed to hear. It is fail to hear the plight of the poor and how it has worsened. For the years. Christian leadership conference. The fbi is undermining their credibility. Nonviolence. Just when it seems that the organization will completely. Martin luther king. Is certainly unraveling. Custodians of hope. But not the hope. Magic. That has an inspite of quality. For something that. He publicly announced it will start. Trained in non-violence. He described a wave of disinherited who will descend on washington. Patina migrant workers appalachian farmers coal miners. Dishwasher. Impoverished americans of every color. And religion. Marching marching arm-in-arm to protest. Economic inequality. His plan is for them to camp on the grounds of the capitol. And stay until the legislators except. The protesters demands. To create a coalition. Shaky followers. He gathers 78 non-black. Minority leaders to a summit of collaboration. Is possible. Iroquois confederation from new york state. Plains tribes from north dakota lakota leaders. He was asked did he want. Promised land speech. Whenever cero. of slavery. He kept the slaves fighting amongst themselves. Discover. What can end their alienation. From each other and bring them together. There is. From the white appalachians to the first nation confederation. Imagine. Their isolation. Could not be ignored by washington. Areas to recruit people to give testimonies. Listen to the stories of the poor. He weeps openly. Every meal. Convection roast. He crosses the country speaking to a diversity of groups inviting them. He works harder. To gain the commitment of the staff of the southern christian leadership conference. Increasingly convinced that members of congress. When they feel they have and they are. Only then he believes. His commitment is accompanied by exhaustion. Not many. New obsessed at the time but his biographers make it clear. Deeply discouraged by the division. Worn down by threats to his life. He speaks. He speaks. His message. And hebrew scriptures. And referring to the conflict within our country. Used to hate. In our group. I read it. In hate. He flies to memphis where he will give a speech that foretells the end of his life. She says we won't let anything turn us around i don't know what will happen now. It doesn't matter. The promised land. But mine eyes have seen the glory. The next evening. The age of 39. Martin luther king jr.. Assassin. Shoes. Prophetic life. I wonder. You're lucky. They let you live that long. Get you some wings. When is the first letter to the editor is published. Maybe that's what clint smith. National narrative. Hope for the future. People who. Power alone. Bring them together. Nearly impossible at heart. 50000 people responded to king's poor people's march on washington even after his death. 5. Have passed. And the demands of king's campaign has not. There is. A chance. For change. Sometimes when you're so far down. There's a chance. For change. Years after king unveiled his poor people's campaign. The reverend dr. william barber. Like a poor people's march for people's campaign in 1968. Weeks later. The summer. Columbia. And if you wish to hear him in person he will be one of the main speakers at the pacific regional assembly in portland oregon at the end of april. The president of the reverend frederick gray is in support of his message. We are supporting his work. And he will have a challenge for us in portland idea of what that might be. But i don't know exactly. Barbers message pics at the point where king's voice was silent. And what happened when he brought this message forward. It's not ready. Todai. He speaks with a familiar. Everyone must come together to address systemic racism. Ecological devastation. The distorted moral narrative that is coming. From washington dc. As i wrote those words in this manuscript. What is it going to mean. Dislocate the functioning of our system could be asked of us. To do that. Realizing that there is a fine line between. We have important work. To do. Economic equality. Labor rights. Environmental protection immigration healthcare. Charge them later and only do a partial job. Learned nonviolent protest. To converge at state capitol across our country. For the same 6 weeks. That people camped in washington dc in 1968. He hopes for a simultaneous show. A pre-planned civil disobedience. This i know. The details. Maybe port. Willpower. Barbara. Can be the building blocks for the new. Just a few days ago. As well as stabled those who are transgender. Disparaged. We can identify them as those who are a part of making our country our society greater. Can't wait. People. Of every gender and race and sexual orientation and class and physical ability. Building blocks to create the new. Athena people. An hour time. To hate evil. Lovegood. Maintain. If we can do. Liar. Capital l life. Are there. The remainder of those people. To show resistance. For what you know. Show that love. In whatever way you can. Whatever is in your. Uncomfortable. And frightened. Because we don't know. About to change when you start it. Discomfort is the place of transformation. Because that's the place of learning and i have to tell myself. Over and over again personalized. Or are prosthetic. There are more people all the time with every tweets. Define themselves. To represent stones that the others. Have rejected. It's time for us to build something new. And to that i say amen. Spirit of life. .. We hear the voices of great people. Can move mountains with their passion. How we live our everyday lives. What makes. Change happen. We are people who only. Connection to this fate of our earth. If we steal it for our dearest. Human family. For those. Who are homeless. Even as we care for our closest. Neighbor. And as we serve the hungry. As much as. Pitbulls for dinner. An expanding love. The candy shown in 1,000. Where is martin luther king jr said we are tied together. We are together. In a single garment of destiny.. In an inescapable network of mutuality. Whatever affects one. Effects. Indirect. Shipping. I told you you are what you ought to be. The universe universe. Is named. Vista way. Come by here. Facebook. In the world. Soulful. Our loving care. This morning so that by may our board can develop. So this is the time of year we come together to support. Receive a letter in the mail from us. This letter will set forth your current plan and ask you to consider. Consider a 5% increase in their flag. Members of our stewardship. Except platforms and to answer your questions. We will also have an extra copy of your punch form in case you forget to bring it with you. And sharon hale will also be helping us with a pledge forms. So. Your generals pledge serves as the foundation of our church committee community. You provide financial support. Wonderful. Ministerial. Ferrari programs. Find dedicated and chris are facilities manager. And for all our other part-time staff everyone who keeps us going and maintains our beautiful buildings and grounds. And increasing your pledge will help us meet increasing costs and retain our current levels. It will also help support our increasing social justice ministry. And then. As we go out into the world bringing our message of love entering. We invite both members and friends to make a pledge for the coming year. If you have not yet pledged this year please stop by and pick up a platform. Rachel that are uucd board of trustees decided. Better in the mail this coming week. And then and demonstrating our love for each other. As we sustain our beloved community. One day we must come to see that peace is not merely a distant that we seek. We must pursue peace peaceful.

uudavispodcast_org

2016-05-22-Everyday-Transcendence_11_15.mp3?_=2

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Good morning welcome to the unitarian universalist church of davis my name is laura thompson and the ministerial interned here. In your order of service it says that my worship associate is donna sacs that donna is sick. And so she's not here today but bob hathaway has graciously agreed to step in for her and so he will be reading the the reading selections that she chose and he's also reading her reflection which you did have time to write before she became ill so thank you bob. We welcome you whether you come hurting or celebrating. Welcome this morning if you are a long-term member or if this is your first time here. May every time we come to this place be a time of discovery. When we are chosen to heed the call of wisdom that comes from around us and within us. Come let us search together and become our best selves once again. Every week one more opportunity to remember what is possible that may be new to you. We like the chalice this morning in honor of the warmth and light it sheds as it reminds us of the warmth and light of our community. And our faith tradition. Opening words it's morning come from mary oliver's poem yes no. Unnecessary it is to have opinions. I think the spotted trout lilies are satisfied. Standing a few inches above the earth. I think serenity is not something you just find in the world. I think so. Like a plum tree holding up its white petals. The violence along the river are opening their blue faces. Like small dark lanterns. The green moss has being so many. Are as good as bronny. How important it is to walk along not in haste but slowly. Looking at everything and calling out. Yes. No. The swan for all its pump. His robes of brass and pedals. Wants only to be allowed to live on the nameless pond. The catbriar is without fault. The water thrush's down among the sloppy rocks. Are going crazy with happiness. Imagination is better than a sharp instrument. To pay attention. This is our endless and proper work. I reading today is from the book emily of new moon by lucy maud montgomery. It always had always seemed to emily. Ever since she could remember. That she was very very near to a world of wonderful beauty. Between it and herself hung only a thin curtain. She could never draw the curtain aside but sometimes just for a moment. A wind fluttered it. And then it was as if she caught a glimpse of the enchanting realm beyond only a glimpse. And heard a note of unearthly music. This moment came rarely went swiftly leaving her breathless with the inexpressible delight of it. She could never recall it never summon it never pretend it. But the wonder of it stayed with her for days. It never came twice. With the same thing. Tonight the dark bowser against that far-off sky had given it. Headed come with a high wild note of wind in the night. With a shadow wave over right field. With a gray bird lighting on her windowsill in a storm. With the singing of holy holy holy in church. With a glimpse of the kitchen fire when she had come home on a dark autumn night. With the spirit light blue of ice palms on a twilight plane. With the fossil felicitous new word when she was riding down a description of something. And always when the flash came to her emily felt. That life. Was a wonderful mysterious thing. A persistent beauty. And i'll be reading donna sacs reflection my bike reflection. In the reading. Emily is a child's 12. Like many of us as children she has perceptions of a world of transcendent beauty and sacredness. When i've asked people in this church about their spiritual practices their answers have to do with a search for such experiences. For me. The practices that i have pursued teach me that the most precious spiritual reality of all. Is life. As we are in it. In daily life. What we might call the mundane and the sacred merge into each other. Anything i do can become an expression of my sacred connection. How i wash dishes. How i write a letter. How i bathe my granddaughter. How i grieve my mother. How i ride a bike. Which brings me to today. H b blessing day. I've been doing a certain bike riding meditation that started years ago. I had read a report about an anthropologist who was meeting with first peoples in australia studying their myths and their stories. One day he was driving in the outback with a guide who was telling him stories of the dreamtime specifically a story that involve the landscape they were traveling through. The guide kept talking faster and faster. Finally our anthropologist asks why are you telling the story so fast. The man response because we are driving so fast the stories are for walking. The stories are meant to be walked. The lesson was. Slow down. And then there was a ryan magazine one of my favorite periodicals. One feature they have in each issue was called the place where i live. Readers are invited to send in short essays about where they live. Back when i worked at the university i would often commute by bike from where i live. 1/2 mi out. To the west of us. Down the bike path along russell to my office in the central campus. It occurred to me that i could tell the story of the place where i live in the time it would take me to make my commute. This spring. I have resurrected that project. And now i have technology that i did not have then. A voice recorder app on my iphone. So i can read you a sample. My starting point is on russell boulevard on the bike path across from where i live. I push off. Android leisurely along the avenue of the walnuts. I see the dead trees. The dying trees the gone trees. Some stamps are four feet across. Back in the 80s the trees arched over the road my daughter and i called it the tunnel. For the dragon's mouth. The dragon's mouth is now wide open to the sky. On the right is a fence that looks out over university land. I see the lines of crops and orchards and the signs of careful research being done. Someone's dissertation is out there. A yellow-billed magpie looks up at me from where he is pecking the earth. Next to the asphalt. The wild mustard is taller than my head this year. Are winter rains were good for the mustard and good for the rest of us. I'll pass patwin road on the right. Groves of spindly trees have been removed and all it's a neat agricultural area. Back in the 90s when those trees still existed. Teenagers have built up hills for riding their dirt bikes. I ride on past the baptist church to cactus corners. Where the cacti have grown up taller than my head. Twice in the years i have lived here. This cactus patch has frozen to the ground. First in 1972 the first time i ever saw snow here in davis. The 2nd. In the bitter bitter winter of 1989. Now resurrected. The place where i live is holy ground. The place where we all live. Is holy ground. Transcendence. That's our theme this month. So i went looking for the definition. The usual suspects on google says that. Transcendence is an experience that's beyond ordinary. They used words to describe transcendence. Like surpassed. Above and otherworldly. And the antonyms included words like. Earthly. Mundane and natural. And this troubled me. How do we experience transcendence outside of the natural world when that's the only place in which we exist. Is ultimate reality experience through transcendence something which is beyond us or is. It's something that is among and within us. French philosopher gol de luz states. Although it is always possible to invoke a transcendent that falls outside of the plane eminence or attributes to eminence itself. Transcendence. Is constituted solely in the flow of eminent consciousness that belongs in this plane. Delivers maintained that everything that exists is a modification of the one substance. That we might call god or nature. Or all. And he posited that this one substance could be understood only as an all differentiating process. An origami cosmos. Always folding and unfolding and refolding. This is the cornerstone of process philosophy. In this line of thought we shift away from examination of the nature of our being and instead engage with the examination of our becoming. Reality cannot be understood in concrete terms because reality is always changing. Reality is unbecoming and becoming in each new moments. And so it is. Cheer that we may put forward the idea that transcendence and eminence are not opposite understandings. But they are unnecessary relationship which helps us to know the nature of existence which is not found. Just in being but in becoming. Transcendent moments occur when we catch a glimpse through that thin veil described in today's reading of a deeper knowing of truth. A deeper knowing of beauty a taper knowing of justice as they relates to the nature of our becoming. We see and feel in these moments. Not what is out there beyond us. But we see and hear and feel and taste and those moments a deeper knowing. Of the will of our own be coming within the relationship to the becoming of all. Our placement of becoming. Rather than being at the centre of understanding me so we can experience both eminence and transcendence. In our everyday lives. For the very notion that we are becoming places are reality. Both here and beyond. Most say that again. So the very notion that we are becoming means that we are both here. And we are beyond. Transcendence is therefore not beyond the ordinary in the mundane but it is within it. Which brings me to what i really want to talk to you about stay and that's spiritual practice. Because the two are related. We engage and spiritual practice in order to experience. Moments of transcendence. Fertile practices are those activities. That are meant to be a guide to the wrecked and align our thoughts and actions in our daily lives with her in her beliefs and convictions. The sounds like it might be related to the notion of are becoming and it is. When we engage and spiritual spiritual practice were engaging with the will and the possibility of our becoming. And we can think of this as though we are exercising our spirit our spirituality. And this is just as important as exercising our bodies and our minds for good health. Right so it's healthy that we exercise we are mind body and spirit. So it's healthy for us to exercise our spirit as well and yet. That's the part that we forget the most. I mean we're all over our physical and mental health. Billions of dollars are spent on these industries countless hours. At the gym. And in therapy. And in groups. And our spiritual house. Well. We may go to church on sunday. Sometimes. And there's yoga. Let's not forget yoga. Best spiritual right. Maybe it is but it's often done for physical and mental. Benefits rather than the spiritual ones so sometimes the spiritual benefit of yoga gets a little. Lost in our. Consumption of it. Spiritual practice is often described as a way of getting in touch with your inner self. Okay but what's that. And is there really a self that's just an er. Because despite our thinking or desire we are not independent beings. Quite the contrary we rely on our relationships with everything outside of us for our mere existence. We need lumber and concrete. Made from sand and gravel and rocks. To give us shelter we need rain and sun and plant and animal and food to give us. Sustenance. We need air to breathe. We have to engage with the universe outside of us just to exist that's not very independent. Alcohol. Incidentally the word spirit comes from the latin spiritus. Which means breast. I take in the great spirit the great breath that is all. And we release it. We cannot exist for one single moment without that. The creation myth in genesis paints a picture of god the sculptor leaning into creation and breathing life into it so in each breath we are reminded that we must be in relationship with something outside of ourselves. To survive. Army spiritual practice that is not the exploration in tending to the needs of my inner self. But it is the exploration attending to the needs of my all. South. That is the self of me that is in the all and in relation to all. Spiritual practice within the abrahamic faith. Has been traditionally expressed. Abrahamic faiths i should say there are three of them. Practice within the abrahamic faiths has been traditionally expressed through contemplative practices such as prayer and meditation chanting and fasting. Diet and physical appearance may also be part of one's spiritual practice and the idea behind these practices is to empty oneself in order to make more room for god. For nature for all. The sufi poet rumi rights. There's hidden sweetness. In the stomach's empty nest. We are lutz no more no less. If the sound box is stuffed full of anything. No music. If the brain and belly are burning clean with fasting every moment a new song comes out of the fire. The fog clears and new energy makes you run up the steps in front of you. Eastern traditions also engaged in spiritual practice again the focus is on letting go of the idea of self existence in order to access a higher. Idea of being. It does not bring us into higher being but rather it brings us to a higher idea. And this is where those moments of transcendence lie. Spiritual practice brings us into those moments where we reveal what is extraordinary about the ordinary we reveal that which is at the innermost nurturing spot of becoming. In those moments we see our own becoming in the becoming of our all nests. We are not transformed for nothing has changed rather we are aware of our reality and a deeper place of knowing. Truth is revealed. So. How many prints does that take. How many hours on the mats. How many sunday mornings of paying attention to the sermon fully and not letting your attention wander off for even one moment. The answer is not that simple. Nor is it that complex. Spiritual practice does not need to be a disciplined activity which holds no joy. Quite the opposite really spiritual practice can be something you're already doing in fact that's the best spiritual practice of all because it involves your authentic self. So. Years ago i was a bit of a religious tabler. That is a dabbled in several states trying to find one that would speak. Truth to my spiritual needs and. Inner beliefs. I dabbled in buddhism i revisited my christian roots. I took a peek at the doll. And i made a brief pit stop in wicca and paganism. Tell my partner at the time really took. Tuaca. And because of her interest i gave it a good shots. Although an antinode could not claim it for myself. But there was something there i took away from it that changed the way i thought about spiritual practice because he satan wicca they do a lot of spiritual practice i mean a lot of spiritual practice. They call it practicing the craft or witchcraft. And it's a lot like praying but with props. Your intention is to give good energy to where it is needed and you do this by using different elements that contain the attributes that you're looking for. Many practitioners focus their crafts on certain kinds of witchcraft. Some of the witches use candles or herbs or crystal and there are many different names from many different kinds of witches greenwich's fairy witches hedge witches and elemental witches. Until i search through all of these practices looking for something that called to me. And there it was. Kitchen witch. Affleck. That's me. Egyptian which is not only one who spiritual practices cooking. But one who is able to find the sacred in any mundane everyday tasks. Alright. The wicca didn't stick with me and i didn't stick with it but the idea of understanding things i was already doing a spiritual practice while that did stick with me. And i carry it with me to this day and i merged it with some of that buddhism and some of that taoism and some of my old christian roots in manama uuism and it's all blended together. And now i understand my cooking am i eating and ways the transcend. The everyday tasks that they are. Zen master tick not han says. If you truly get in touch with a piece of carrots. You get in touch with the soil. The rain. The sunshine. You get in touch with mother earth and eating in such a way you feel in touch with your true life your roots. And that is meditation. If we chew every morsel of our food in that way we become grateful and when you are grateful. You are happy. This is what happens when we engage in every day activities. And engage them as spiritual practice we feel connected to life. So the elements to the universe so the will of becoming. Intern where field were filled with a sense of completeness. Ingratitude follows. Our response is not merely feeling pleasure the tweeting. But a response has a deep happiness that remains. I cooked now with the understanding that i'm engaged with all life. With all intention of becoming. Every time i do it. I take the same approach to riding my bike. And to going for a walk. The result is. I'm deeply content. Now this doesn't mean that i don't have challenges. And hard times and stressful moments in my life. I'm facing unemployment very soon here folks. And this doesn't mean that i don't feel sometimes sad or lonely i'm a thousand miles from home those days come. But i'm centered and grounded in something and it helps me to get through those days. When challenges come now i know i won't be. Consumed by them. Because i know that there is also beauty and wonder. For me. My spiritual practices my everyday spiritual practices have revealed this higher truth and i'm filled with gratitude. Lni gratitude i wanted to share that with you and so i guess this is another form of spiritual practice i created this altar. Today. For you. Filled with everyday spiritual practices. Of the possibilities. What calls to you where are you most alive where are you most engaged already. There's the straight book. Call everyday spiritual practices by scott alexander he's the editor it's actually many essays in here written by different folks. And they've all adopted their hobbies and their everyday tasks into spiritual practices. And imagine what some of these things might look like if you engage them as spiritual practice. Exercise. Marriage. Parenting. Grief. Social justice work. Anti-racism work. Recycling vegetarianism. Giving. Quilting gardening cooking. Art. Carpentry the list goes. On and on. These are not simple tasks and hobbies that we do. For utilitarian purposes they're so much more their spiritual practice and they. Are the breast that gives creation life. Transcendence is not beyond us or above us. It's not on earthly unnatural or even supernatural it's here everyday. In every taste every stitch. And every seed planted in every turn of the wheel in every brush stroke and every step. And in every breath. Maybe so. I would invite you now into a time of. Meditation and prayer. Let's begin with a moment of silence. Great spirit. The resides. Within among & beyond us. We open ourselves to you. We lift our hearts to you. We open our senses to you that we may experience the beauty in this and every day. But the flowers along our path bring cheer to our journey. But the voices of friendship. Br song. But the magic of endless skies call us into our own endlessness. Great spirit we open our hearts to you. Let us seek healing for our pain. May we find this in the other renewing life that surrounds us. As the bud is to flour as dusk is to dawn as life is to death and death is to life. Free spirits. We offer ourselves to you our whole selves. May we serve one another and comforts. Injustice seeking and injustice making. Reveal the transcendent alness. The transcendent oneness that we are an unending part of. Each of us is a part of that intricate web of relationships and when one of us celebrate to joy or grieve the loss. The web of life moves to a new shape. We are part of the turn of the earth. The shift of the stars. The pull of the sea and all change. Becomes of the. We rest in the. Grace. come and rest in us that's a b and a man. I invite you all to join hands. And i leave you with these final words. May we go forth finding the extraordinary in the ordinary. Finding magic in the mundane. Transcending what lie. By opening up that which lies within us. May those gathered say amen. Amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-09-01_Worship_Hosting-the-Stranger_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons another recording from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.ge.com for further information. Thank you ray and lauren. Welcome this morning to our unitarian universalist church of davis. Our senior minister beth banks is not here today she will be back with us next week when we return. 2r to service schedule on sunday at 9:30 and 11:15. The service on the 8th is our annual gathering of the water spring water from the place that nourished your spirit the summer. Whether that's davis or from far away. How are you changed. This will also be our first service with our new intern and campus minister kaitlynn carter. Nfm second service at 12:15 will have a reception to give us all a chance to meet caitlin. I am john ashby and i'm joined today by our guest speaker jessica castaneda. Bring music to us for nancy lower ray frank and laura sandidge. Bring the service to us as the entire team sunday from greeting and ushering decorations. Tell important coffee and of course our sound team. Today. Celebrating labor day we explore with jessica's contribution how our faith calls us to serve the stranger. Debatable reflection on labor issues civil rights. The anniversary of the march on washington. There will be some. Quotes in the service that will be modified slightly from the historical accuracy. I don't need to point it out it'll be pretty clear where i've modified it a bit in fact our theme for the month is go keishin. Maybe not a coincidence that that coincides with the month when we celebrate labor day. The word vocation has the most words do a lot of meanings ranging from. The sort of hollow modern version of just simply a job. The original definition which has its roots in christianity meaning of a call from god. To an individual to serve god. Initially this was in the vocation of clergy. Somewhere in the middle of these two definitions. Is probably. The most meaningful for austin inner today's lives. And now enjoy greeting each other especially seek out those who have not met yet. When nancy starts playing. The piano gently that means it's time for us to settle back in. When nancy starts playing the piano really loud then that means she's not kidding enjoy meeting each other. And we do welcome you here to our unitarian universalist church of davis. It's warm safehaven of liberal faith where we come to celebrate. Essential woven web of our existence to find comfort in the familiar joy in the new. The growing friendship. And wisdom. And perhaps what is not expected sharing our joys helping our sorrows. Building our beloved community in enlarging our circle of caring to the world beyond. We are certified drink sanctuary caring for the earth we are a welcoming congregation that celebrates diversity is differences of sexual orientation ethnicities different ways of naming that which we find sacred here we value these differences as part of what makes you unique. And you are welcome here. Our chalice was first developed in world war ii as a symbol for unitarian group forerunner to the unitarian universalist service committee. Dumbest secretly smuggling jews out of germany during world war ii. Dangerous work but justice demanded it. Working for civil rights and labor rights in our country and the world has been and is still dangerous work as well yet justice demands it. The attempts to scare people away from this important progress although sometimes formidable. Ultimately don't succeed it's too important. Today as we celebrate labor day. And serving the stranger. I'll be asking our guest jessica castaneda to light the chalice. Jessica was born in sacramento california raised in sonoma county. Graduated from uc davis with a degree in sociology and global international studies. She's currently applying to graduate schools to continue with their studies and. Fight for social justice. Jessica ellis please. I like the sweet home and for workers. This is labor day. 2013. This is also the 72nd. Anniversary of the march on washington. The one that did not happen. 1941 was the year that a philip randolph. The leader of the brotherhood of sleeping car porters. Call by many the dean of the civil rights movement who had been planning for the march to happen in 1941. Va philip randolph who was the person 22 years later to introduce martin luther king jr.. And the other speakers on august 28th. 19634 what has become to be known as the i have a dream speech. Va philip randolph who called off the march on washington in 1941. Threat of this march was alarming. The elites of washington. At least enough so that president roosevelt on july 1st 1941 offered executive order number 8802. In exchange a philip did not hold the march. At least not for another 22 years. Executive order 8802 at least reported to do a couple of things. Desegregated the nation's war industries. Kind of difficult to not draw the parallel of the civil war where. Lincoln welcomes slaves defecting from the south. Who were then freed if they came up and fought for the north. Joining the union army. Executive order 8802 also setup. The fair employment practices. Commission. Suffice it to say that this didn't exactly completely cure discrimination. Unemployment. Executive order 8802 might seem too little. To give up on the march 8802 did not cure much it didn't finish much. It did start something in motion. This may have been the nudge that led to the day in 1963 of the march that led to the signing of the civil rights act. That led to johnson speech to congress. After the 600 peaceful demonstrators in selma alabama were club shot. Attacked by dogs in a tv spectacle. Where johnson said to a joint session of congress bringing tears. Martin luther king's eyes and probably mine too. Quoting not exactly historically accurately. Johnson's words. What happened in selma is part of a far larger movement which reaches into every section and state of america. Is the effort of african-americans to secure for themselves the full blessings of american life their cause must be our cause to. Because it is not just african-americans but really it is all of us who must overcome the crippling legacy of bigotry and injustice and we shall overcome. Although some have thought that we shall overcome was inspired by the song i'll overcome someday. Copyrighted in 1901 by reverend charles albert tindley. Recently academics are beginning to think that the original source might have been a gospel hymn entitled if my jesus wills. Which was composed erling early thirties published 42 copyrighted in 1954 by african american baptist choir director. Name louise shropshire. Pete seeger generally credited with popularizing the song as himself not at all sure what the origin maybe whatever the origin. We shall overcome after joan baez sang at the march on washington for jobs and freedom. All of america new the song. Lauren ray will now lead us in we shall overcome. So i'm going to start. Talking a little bit about myself and why i got involved in the labor movement so my mom is an immigrant from mexico. Who like most came to achieve the american dream. Sushi realize that dream will not be realized easily but through hard work. As a single mom she struggled to put food on the table while giving my sister and i are roof over our heads. Since i can remember my mom has been a housekeeper. I witnessed firsthand the grueling work it is to clean homes. Long hours leave your back arm and legs tired. Watching her undergo such difficult work while sometimes not being appreciated made me value all she was sacrificing for my sister and me. Due to this i have been committed and i have committed myself to the labor movement to empower workers and to achieve social justice. With this in mind i found out about the obb internship three nights here. And thought it would be a great learning opportunity and a way to get involved in the labor movement in sacramento. The summer internship is called organizing beyond barriers it exposes participants. Two organizing workers in the hospitality industry. It is meant for people from all walks of life were committed to the labor movement. During the internship i was exposed to contract negotiations. The process of identifying and organizing committee members of various hotels in downtown sacramento. Also organising rallies for hotel workers. For example on july 31st over 200 hotel workers marched through downtown sacramento. Fighting for all workers rights. The participants and i also attended various northern california trainings with the other unite here local. One of the trainings was andres it exposed the effects race continues to have in the workplace and in society as a whole. We also had training on immigration which specifically examine the connection immigration has with many of the workers that are part of our union. After learning about the internship program many baby asking what the union actually does for workers and what the specific benefits that come with a with having a union. Some of these include. Mcleod. The hyatt which is a non-union hotel has their housekeepers clean 25 to 30 rooms a day. Versus the sheraton a union hotel which only has its housekeepers clean 15 rooms a day. Still a lot considering the manual labor but the work is more manageable. Additionally with our contract the housekeeper's have some discretion when they encounter an extra dirty room they will have fewer rooms to clean for the day or a given extra help for those dirty rooms. Wages are another important factor many non-union hotel workers are paid minimum wage which we know is not a livable wage. Workers from our union usually make three to four more dollars an hour. Perhaps most importantly is health insurance. As many of you know health insurance is an expensive luxury in this country. If your employer offers it to you you are lucky. Workers in our union have free health insurance. This is something that is extremely important for workers workers fight for their health insurance every time contracts are negotiated. Last me the union. What do union workers feel they have a voice. Feeling respected on the job is some something that may be taken for granted. The union is there to give workers a tools to demand respect and to prevent the bosses from taking advantage of them. These important benefits for workers make a crucial to have a high percentage of union hotels in sacramento. When most of the hotels are union in a city standards are high. Which makes it hard for hotels to deny workers many of these important benefits for example san francisco has about 90% union density in the hospitality industry. As a result workers are able to fight for better contract and a better standard of living. It is clear union fight alongside workers for their rights and respect but ultimately unions are part of a larger labor movement to achieve economic justice for all workers regardless of the job they are performing. Ultimately the main goal is to move all workers into the middle class. This would ensure workers i have enough money for retirement. Are able to own their own home and accumulate wealth for their families. And have the ability to save and not live paycheck-to-paycheck as many of them do right now. Many workers who come to this country hope to put their kids. Through college and we just standard of living that was not possible in their home countries. By moving its workers into the middle-class we can ensure this. They will be able to achieve all of these goals for themselves and their families i know that was one of the main goals for my mom when she came here. This is why we should keep in mind of a hotel's we support. Adina sarah union hotel and shows you workers are paid more than the average. Have health insurance and their workload is more manageable so keep this in mind while thinking about the next hotel you stay at. Thank you so much for your time. Thank you jessica. Okay. I have a confession. I don't know everything. But it's okay because that hasn't always been the case as recently as two decades ago i knew so much more. The 90 now. I was in allegra's our allegra silverstein's backyard. Anna wedding. In fact it was my daughter's kindergarten through third-grade teacher. And she was getting married to this. Fascinating guy. No it's literally scores of languages he's one of those people who. Could do anywhere even into the african. Group with the clicking language that one took a little longer for him to learn. And he was describing during the service as best man. As the despicable jack. Professor of english at the university of washington i'm not exactly sure i say i don't know everything anymore. Not only that but his specialty was beat poetry the despicable jack. Beat poetry. Professor. This was going to be fun. Because i was going to take this professor to school. And teach him something he didn't know. Brings to mind the phrase what does it have fried goeth before a victory is that the way it always something i'm not i'm not sure so i tell him the following story. Put over 20 years ago i was flying back from florida. But working united airlines at stranded me yet again. In the dallas airport. 20 years ago airports were really bleak places there wasn't much there are no long-distance trip. Hyatt read everything i had. And now needed something from what passed as the newsstand. Decades ago. And i basically had two choices. Mercy the romance novels. Always texas you know after all westerns by louis l'amour. There was no way. I even wanted anybody to ever think that i might want to read a romance novel so i had no choice. Play picked up the shortest one i could find the shortest novel it's called chauncey. By louis l'amour. Prepared to finally know from experience what a lousy writer he was. I read the first half page on the bucky open it and starts halfway down the page. I flip the page i'm not even i'm i'm barely even halfway down. The next page and it is a scaffolding. In roughly one page the writing was so brilliant that i was at the fire. In the dark of night without a moon. With the group of man as the stranger wanders into the fire line i read another couple lines and i actually broke out laughing from surprise from joy this is. Incredible chantelle injectors. I'm ready to start telling the despicable jack that he's wrong and i'll be flailing more as a brilliant writer and he cuts me off for the ass you remember the lines that stopped you. I'm okay so far yes i did. I recited them to him. You at son. I got no kind of job for you but no man ever walked away from noah gates fire without he'd get if he was a mind to do i need to define at that's eve in western talk. I'm fully prepared to defend this. Money says to me in the car. Absolutely certain. English professor oriel voice. Well you realize this is the essence of all fiction don't you. You at son. I got no kind of job for you but no man ever walked away from noah gates fire without heat at if he was a mind to. Okay so i don't know everything. What followed was a really long conversation where he was telling me. How warm or was one of the most respected writers amongst writers. And academics. Remember growing up seeing all these encyclopedia movies in school that we had cyclopedia britannica movies about things they were always introduced by clifton fadiman was ahead of the library of congress who fought that louis l'amour was the most intelligent and erudite human being he had ever met. Okay so i'm more wrong. Might have been a reason that he wrote almost 100 novels still in print hundreds of short stories still in print. I've read almost all of it. The essence of all fiction. That's despicable jack that's the perspective of a poet. But this line is more. Just seen this line is awfully close to being the essence of all religions. No matter how dire the situation. No matter how dire his resources noah gates would feed any stranger who came to him. This is of course a simplistic expression of the golden rule some form of which. Is apart of all religions. Treating others as you would be treated. Serving. The stranger no matter what. These issues these civil rights issues. These work equity issues all are serving the stranger. And serving the stranger is more complicated than just how you treat the person in front of you at that moment. There are as we know many many people. Who service on a daily basis who we never see when we think about jessica's presentation. Easier to see how we are responsible. For more much more than just how we treat the person in front of us at this moment. This was her mom that faced such marginal conditions and jessica is committed to making the world better. For other strangers who like her mom couldn't. Camp. Improve the situation by herself. And this is not easy. It takes the kind of commitment the plans of march for 1941 and it does not happen until 19. 63. I'm not even alive for 12 of those years and then i'm alive for 10 more before it finally happens. A tragedy that it happened so late perhaps a victory that it happened at all. Perhaps. This could not happen in a moment. This did not happen without massive effort that did not happen without massive planning. This did not happen without faith. This cannot happen without. Faith. One little point just to show you how detailed. The planning was. Bayard rustin the gay civil rights activist who was mostly responsible for planning the mechanics. Of the march for jobs and freedom. Who is so precise that it was a rule is a rule that everyone knew a rule that got repeated all the time that the only sandwiches allowed would be peanut butter and jelly. .. It was hot people were traveling from far away. He didn't want people getting sick. For mayonnaise and meat was the only meeting that was the only way to avoid it but she's peanut butter. And jelly sandwiches and this was emphasized again and again. At the highest level of meetings and just as this is just the simplest. Almost not quite almost silly example of the lengths that were gone to to make sure that nothing could go wrong. You can look up if you want. What it means all the toilet letters they received. But they received so many that the planners had tons of porta potties all around the mall. Patois. All of them. Almost. All of them. More pre-written. By committee vetted by teams. There was again no room to do anything. That certain segments of american society could use to delegitimize the march. To destroy the momentum of the movement. This had been 22 years. The hundred years 1,000 years in the making. It had to work now now. For example. The dream part of the speech. Had been discussed in advance. And rejected as insufficiently precise. And was not part of martin luther king's. Written work it had not been pre-written. But it had been three rejected. All. Words. Had to be checked. To make sure no adverse reactions could occur. Like the peanut butter sandwiches everything had to be. Perfect. How many of us remember this quote. From rev dr martin luther king's. Speech. And so today let us go back to our communities. As members of the international association. For the advancement of creative dissatisfaction. Thank god it's none of us remember this line that had been pre-written. Because before could be honored mahalia jackson the great gospel singer standing by a friend of dr. martin luther king jr. standing behind him in the middle of a speech before he could up utter those. Epic. Banality is yelled up the king tell him about the dream martin. And can set his pre-written speech aside and history. Was made. Notice said history. Was changed. By 1. Person. A woman. Any situation that was almost completely devoid from any women. Speaking can you spell irony. Now 1963 and immediately thereafter was not a perfect. Time. A quote from one of the very last writings of dr. king before he was assassinated quote. I must confess to you today that not long after talking about that dream i started to see it turned into a nightmare. The speech was 1963. Wallace. Was elected governor. Basically on the strength of this slogan segregation today segregation tomorrow segregation forever. Bombing for little african american girls in birmingham alabama later. Selma alabama. We're on tv for all to see guns dogs club peaceful. Protesters two days after the march on washington. The number to person at the fbi. Roach in the summer he was writing for j edgar hoover. The head of the fbi. The doctor king was quote. The most dangerous fill-in-the-blank in america. I purposefully didn't look up that fbi guys name. Some of you have probably seen the cover of time magazine with dr. king and the name founding father on it. We can overcome some things sometime. Things really can change. I understand why i see why i know less now than i did decades ago. That's almost everything differently than i did decades ago. What does the march on washington for jobs and freedom. The critical part. Observing the stranger. It's important to see how this was a movement for freeing all not just african-americans this was of course a big part of it. But this was not. Erase only thing. Quoting again from dr. king. Last writings before he was assassinated in memphis where he had gone and support of striking sanitation workers. Quote. Now let me suggest first that if we are to have peace on earth. Our loyalties must become ecumenical rather than sectional our loyalties must transcend our race our tribe our class and our nation and this means we must. Develop a world perspective. No individual can live alone and as long as we try. The more we are going to have war in this world. Now the judgment of god is upon us and we must either learn to live together as brothers. Or we are all going to paris together as fool's it really boils down to this. That all life is interrelated. We are all caught in an inescapable network of mutuality. Tied into a single garment of destiny whatever affects one. Directly affects all. Indirectly we are made to live together. Because of the interrelated structure of reality. You at son. I got no kind of job for you. But no man ever walked away from noah gates fire. Without a debt if you don't mind to. So getting to the level of noah gates. Serving those who come. To you. Is great. It is of course not enough. The words i wrote about this service that you saw in the weekly bulletins. In almost every moment we are either the host or the strangers sometimes both. Are incorrect. We are always both. The host. And the stranger. The provider and the receiver the source and the dependent. We have to serve those who don't come to us who we don't see because there are so many because we are one because we are interconnected. Because we are inseparable. And these labor issues are one major step towards this because there are so many who serve us who make our lives possible. And we need to make sure when we are at the receivers of their gifts. That they are the receivers of our gift. Amongst the last words of dr. king are these. I still have a dream. I still have a dream that with this face. We will be able to adjourn the council's of despair and bring new light into the dark chambers of pessimism. With this faith. We will be able to speed up the day when there will be peace on earth and goodwill toward men it will be a glorious day the morning stars will sing together. And the sons of god will shout for joy. And bring it forward 50 years. The daughters of goddesses will shout for joy as well. His words were inspired by personal interest from milestone tables and chalices. Any ongoing life of our congregation join me now. Mascara. prayer. And meditation. We honor each other as we experienced sickness and pain. Rihanna love. We're grateful for the decision of the federal government this week that same-sex married couples canal file federal tax returns jointly regardless of the marriage laws of the state they happen to reside in and we look forward. The more decisions recognizing the right to marriage. Rihanna lawson partake deep relationships of commitment that a broken thumb will heal some what time can be left behind. Some can lead to the unexpected opening of doors to new pathways. We honor celebrations today we're celebrating the 50th anniversary of the march on washington we celebrate the progress that has been made as we celebrate labor day today we know that we have much farther to go. Each of us in this sanctuary is a part. Of the improv intricate web of relationships with dr. king spoke of when one of us celebrates. We all have reason for joy and the joy grows when one of us grieves the loss the web of life moves to a new shape and we share the loss we were part of the tone of the earth the shift of the stars. Pull of the sea. Of all change. Amen and blessed be. I like. Challenge. I still have a dream. The witness faith we will be able to adjourn the councils of despair. And bring new light into the dark chambers of pessimism. Amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-08-14-Lessons-from-Turtle-Crush_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Good morning and welcome you are welcome here if you are filled with joy or lost in the depths of your being you are welcome here if you have a message to share or need to be quiet and listen you are welcome and all your fullness. Your race and culture. Your sexual orientation. Gender identity. Religious views. Or political party. Come. , connect with community. Come. Come to honor the yours. Come. Come to claim your spirituality. Come to build the world that we dream is possible. Come to transform your life. Our speaker this morning. Ascertain. Who will be our campus minister for the 2014-15 year. She's a seminary student king school for the ministry. Enercal puts closer towards social justice. Wyoming seminary. She hopes to join the military chaplain candidate program. Exploring what it means to serve as a chaplain in the military. Dinner time. Outside of the school she enjoys dancing. And practicing brazilian jiu jitsu. Sarah is excited to merge all of her interests and talents. Into a unique form of ministry. With the uu church of davis and the youths uc-davis students. These words come from the 18th century german writer. And statesmen johann wolfgang von goethe. Concerning all acts of initiative. The moment one definitely commits oneself. 10 providence move to. All sorts of things occurred to help one. That would never otherwise have occurred. A whole stream of events comes your way. Or my life i've made some good decisions. Often for questionable reasons. But it's predicted all sorts of things have come. My way to help me. I grew up in hardscrabble hot dusty arizona mining towns. When i was ten i could not wait. To grow up and move somewhere cool and wet. Perhaps san francisco. Mostly because the college offered me is biggest scholarship. I went into geology because i couldn't fathom spending the rest of my life tied to an indoor laboratory. When i graduated i received the most support. From princeton for my phd. So i went there. As i finish up my phd work my advisor. Medicines of finding an area of interesting rocks that would make a graduate degree graduate student thesis project. On the spur of the moment i asked. What about making it a postdoctoral project. And that's how i ended up working a couple of years in northern greece. And learning greek. As i was finishing up the green project. I had to think about finding a real job. One of the possibilities was a junior faculty position at as my new wife asked. You see where. When the job offer came from uc davis i took it. After all close to san francisco. Soon i was swept up into the new and exciting play tectonic revolution to no fault of my own menders many students department chair. Edited an international journal which was called is called geology. For six years eventually i served as the president of the geological society of america. In 1996 and i probably wore this bolo.tie was the first president in the history of the society to wear a bolo type. In night in 2004 i was nominated for vice president of the international union of july jekyll sciences. 121 nation organization working on global earth science issues the election took place at the international geological conference. In florence italy. At the plaza. Administration and therefore americans in general. We're very unpopular at the time. I wore a no war on iraq but. Demonstration reaction to the button was amazing. Cap another story but to my surprise i was election. And i believe i got the votes of many arab countries and iran among others. Kim 2007. The bureau the officers met in beijing. And at the last minute we'd learned that we were to meet in the great hall of the people with premier wen jiabao who had a geologic background i don't think you could see it very well there are labels on these things the you can see everyone sitting around the semicircle on the left the low man on the totem pole is myself with the with this coat on adventure with a aron. And the president from china and it was his relationship with wen jiabao. That got us the meeting and other various ministers on the other side the meeting is in the xinjiang room of the great hall of the people and these huge floral chairs and the painting in the background is i believe of the tien shan mountains which of course in chinese translated would be heavenly mountains mountains. Interesting. Play through an interpreter premier when we fully discuss conservation environment and sustainability. Surreptitiously i took notes with a ballpoint pen on the palm of my hand. 10 days later at home i learned from a phone call that the iugs magazine with entitled episode plan to publish the translation of premier when's remarks and they wanted me to edit them. As we are talking the phial arrive being in the inbox. And over the next 8 hours. Judy and i drastically and semi practically. Headed to his word to convert them from chinglish. And english accessible to the global episode 32 ship. After sending off the attitude remarks i suffered from severe anxiety. As i reflected on the fact i had just re-written the words of the leader. Of 1.3 billion people. Add a laughing later the message arrived saying thank you for the great editing job shoe out two weeks later. Has gunther said if you commit yourself a whole stream events comes your way. And in the end davis is as close as i ever got. To a job in san francisco. Can you do. It's alright. This reading is from the tao te ching. People. True finding something beautiful. Sing something else unbeautiful. True finding one man fit. Judge another onset. Life and death. Both stemming from each other. Seem to conflict as stages of change. Difficult and easy as phases of achievement. Long and short. As measures of contrast. High and low as degrees of relation. But since the varying tones. The varying of tones. Give. Music to voice. And what is. Is the waze. Of what shall be. What is. Is the was. Of what shall be. The sanest man. Satsop no deed. Lays down no law. Text everything that happens as it comes. To earn not to own. To accept naturally. Without self-important. To accept naturally without self-importance. If you never assumed importance. You never lose it. Thank you so much eldridge for putting together the service he did a lot of the work for today. Thank you for welcoming me here. We are going heaven knows where we are going but we know within. I like plans. Don't get me wrong. I like surprises and spontaneity. But. I'm far more likely to feel comfortable with a new scenario situation interaction if i know there's at least an idea. I'm a plan. But somehow. Plans can have this way of. Morphing and transforming into. Their own thing. Continuing to follow. These unknown outcomes. Takes courage. Chase. Strength. It can lead us. 2 amazing places and events we didn't even know where possible. That's how i found myself here preaching today. On the one-year anniversary of my first preaching gig. I followed lots of little nudges and hints at the possible unplanned outcomes. I didn't anticipate coming to davis. But i'm really glad. I followed this unexpected path to ministry and more specific campus ministry. Here in davis. Unanticipated timely occurrences. Might pop up everywhere. At any time. As is their nature. It can be a small interaction. That carries more meaning and wait then a similar scenario might on most days. I've experienced something i might call grace. For transcendence. Wendy's moments happen and i realize. Everything is exactly where it needs to be. Coincidence with a deeper resonance. It's a sunny saturday afternoon. I'm walking up stairs from the downtown berkeley bart. After training boys high and brazilian jiu-jitsu from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.. I'm sore but happy. Anna little. Very hungry. I have a few dollars in my wallet and i co-sign. For $1 scoops of ice cream. Perfect. Have a dollar. I love ice cream. Like it was meant to be usually. On saturdays after training. Nice shuffle up the stairs of the bart i walk myself up the steep hill which always seems deeper pausing. To take in the scenery not to catch my breath or rest my legs. And then i get back to my apartment. And i eat whatever is edible and its current state. There's no time for chopping or cooking nothing after training in the city all morning. But this saturday. I've set an intention with myself. Just stop. To listen. To smell and connect and all that means in the downtown berkeley area. As i walked up those familiar steps. I took out my earbuds. And checked in with downtown berkeley. The ice cream shop didn't have its usual line out the door. What what. So i was able to get my post training snacks in the appropriate amount of time. Now. On my way to get that necessary blood sugar boost i noticed a mandolin player on the sidewalk. As a violinist i tried to pay attention to street musicians. And give a dollar when i can. If they catch my ear. This man had earned his dollar. I sat listening to him sing his acoustic and lilting covers opossum. Enjoy my ice cream under the blue berkeley sky. Content. Other people paused and sat next to me listening for. A song or two and carrying on with their errands and adventures. A woman and a young boy came by young boy was carrying a violin case so automatically i noticed. In the boy was very interested in the mandolin player. So the woman. Let him over to the young man so he could. Sate his curiosity. The mandolin player stopped. And looked at the boy. Started talking about violins and mandolins and how they're tuned to the same but you strum one and yuval the other. Yes the boy how long you been playing. And what kind of music he likes to play. He even offered his mandolin so the boy could inspect it. There was nothing scary or uncomfortable about this confrontation for the conversation rather. It was a representation of humanness. I love. Sing moments like this. I need to see moments like this. In a time when men are often automatically categorized as creepy or suspicious when around children and a time when street musicians are labeled as a nuisances and when guardians frequently shuffle young children from activity. Activity without allowing their natural curiosity in the world around them. And the people who inhabited. I need to see small interactive moments like this. I need to say yes ice cream. And sunshine & buster's. I need to take out my headphones and be in the bustle of a city on a saturday afternoon. Not my usual choice. I didn't know until after that exchange. But that is why i sat down in that spot on that day with that ice cream. Divine guidance or chance or desire to see something meaningful in the mundane. Whatever it was. I received a moment of grace. The peace. Of the translation from the daodejing that eldridge redbreast serendipitously found its way into my notebook one afternoon. My roommate's girlfriend had left her copy of the book out and instead of studying i picked it up and started reading. Still counts right i'm in seminary. The passage is only the second reflection in that book by loud sue. But i didn't get any further. I kept rereading. Something stirred in me. We live in a world of possibilities. In which many of them. Seem correct. And possibly are. I have observed a lot of the world to be an either-or. Ignoring the middle ground and interconnection between apparently. Opposing choices. People through finding something beautiful. Find something else unbeautiful. If a person can label one thing as beautiful there must be something that lasts the characteristic. It's logical and necessary to make these judgment calls. But. We can all get trapped in the comparison headspace not going to that acceptance heart-space. People. Myself included. Can be found clinging so much to an expectation of how the world works or the way something must play out that the glorious myriad of possibilities trying to pull that person or even the world. In a different direction those possibilities are not allowed to bloom. Even that can harrison of headspace versus heart-space is problematic. It separates two pieces of a whole being. In opposition. We are vast we contain multitudes. But since the varying tones give music to voice. And what is is the was. Of what shall be. The sanest man no deed lays down no law. Take everything that happens as it comes. Whether the beatles let it be for the now also popular song from frozen let it go motivates you to take everything that happens as it comes. To let go of the past and expectation. Be mindful of the present scan reveal a wondrous newness about the world. A1 resinous that holds those possibilities and potential. Another time. A my recent life when i felt these lords of the future. But i never even entertained. I. Very suddenly realized i had to be a minister. People often ask me about my call story. So i will tell you. Seems kind of right the first time i'm talking to you to tell you why i'm excited about my school year starting in september and the semester here starting at uc davis. I heard the call as we say in the biz when i was at general assembly in phoenix arizona actually not far away from where i grew up in tucson. Also wanting to get out but now i miss it. I was graduating from a program through the uu justice ministry of california at the time legislative ministry. The spiritual activist leadership training or salt. Which attempted to find a more renewable source for and a deeper meaning behind activism. By connecting it to theological reflection. Dr. rebecca parker was speaking at the convocation. She's c. Outgoing president of starr king we now have reverend rosemary brain mcnatt's very exciting. Dr. parker is known for many great words. The focus of her words to us that day. Quiz. Choosing to bless the world with your gifts. She often speaks on this subject. The gifts are the things that make you come alive. This notion isn't limited to dr. parker but on that day in phoenix. Something snapped into place. I knew i could do the social justice work. That i wanted and needed to do that i dreamt about. With a connection to a community that matter to me. By becoming a minister. As a minister. I would be. Expected last on the joys and sorrows of the world. To look for the possibilities and envision a future that was different. I didn't have to get a degree in environmental science or that degree in economics or urban planning in order to do the work. I could use my moral compass and my wonderful community. The find a way that we could choose to bless the world with argos. And leave all of the scientific facts and numbers up to the experts. Throughout the salt program i struggled with how to make this happen. Do i open a restaurant with community garden and artspace. Okay well how long can i do that before i'm out of money and motivation because it takes so much energy and i'm grateful to those who do that work. I didn't think i belong in the salt program. I just didn't understand the seemingly disjointed social justice trips and plunges into the work with different communities and then sometimes reflecting and what does that mean to be human and unitarian universalist. I didn't get it until dr. parker spoke that afternoon. Ministry was not something i considered before. I grew up uu. But only did church stuff on sundays. And my friends from why are you you the youth group at the time remain some of my closest. But we were never really. Religious. At the time of this personal revelation i was dating an anti-theist. And i wasn't particularly interested in allowing myself to be vulnerable. And in the way that deepen spiritual work often requires us. But something about doctor parker's words wouldn't let go. I went through the rest of that transformative ga repeatedly coming back to. I think i need to be a minister. I'd ask people if that made sense. An overwhelmingly i got of course it does. When i got home i asked my then-boyfriend if you thought it was something i should pursue. He excitedly said. Yes it is. Okay i had the support of theist humanist a witch and an instant anti-theist an atheist. Seems like i should move forward. I applied and got into the master divinity program at starting that fall. For the start date for spring 2013. My call application and acceptance to a school happened in 6 months. Terrifying. And every step of my life since that moment. Customer right. It seems like it gets me closer to something that is more authentically me. There have been relocations. A couple breakups gaps in employment and joyful gatherings of friends. Late night study groups. Time spent with my siblings. And a lot of watching silly things on the internet. Since opening myself to receive the possibilities of seminary. I noticed lessons in. Many parts in my life. Have you been preached a sermon on brazilian jiu-jitsu. Best life wisdom was always there. But i wasn't taking in as much of it. I had to take that plunge that terrifying step forward into the unknown unplanned. I still have those days where i go through the world is my. Earbuds and sunglasses on head down. But i come back to the spiritual practice of. Slowing down. Checking-in. Jumping in and saying yes to the present and to life. Applying for that job in davis even though i was planning on spending another year in the san francisco area. It feels right. This brings me to the title of the sermon. Rip it roll it and punch it. Words of wisdom from the disney movie finding nemo. These words come from a scene in the movie where a very serious and anxious clown fish named marlon. 8 forgetful b lovable looter name dory and a bale of surfer-dude turtles are swimming in the east australian current. Choreic dude. Marlon is trying to find his son nemo. An email has been taken to sydney. Instead he a sea trip. Marlon has met up with dory who is helping him. And they are. Using crushed one of the main turtles to guide them through the ac. The surfer dudes ride the e ac regularly. Is there exit to sydney comes up. This exchange happens. Alright we're here dudes get ready your exit coming up man. I don't see it. That swirling vortex of terror that's it dude. That's what it felt like when i accepted my calls from ministry i was jumping away from the semi organized flow of events. Into a swirling vortex of terror. But i discovered. Much as marlin did. After he made that leap. That was actually thrilling. Marlin was instructed by crushes son a tiny and adorable turtle name squirt. That would marlin and dory we're exiting the eac they had bullet and punches. I choose to interpret those word for today's purposes. 2 min. Enthusiastically embrace the flow of life. See what i did there. It's a courageous ass. That can pay off with a supportive community seeing you through your journey to bless the world. Thank you for being my support of community as i leap into another swirling vortex of terror. May you find your moments of transcendence within the mundane. Deciding to follow the unfamiliar path. However big or small. Buskers. For applying to grad school. Remember to rip it roll it and punch it. Thank you. Blessed be. Please take the hand of your neighbor or someone close in proximity to you take a look into the eyes of someone near you person has so much potential the ability to bless the world and to go forth and do when the spirit says do may you support each other and your own swirling vortexes and go forward to our service our warship has concluded our service has just begun our men and blessed be.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-03-23_Dont-Let-Nothing-Hold-You-Back_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Good morning welcome to the unitarian universalist church of davis. I'm autumn libera know and i'm one of two worship associates helping to coordinate the service we have a special guest today carrie macdonald of young and young adult ministries of the unitarian universalist association and you'll be hearing more from him later but for now welcome carrie and to your wife sarah as well. And all of you you are welcome here to just as you are. You're welcome here whether you're full of joy or moving through some deep sorrow. Whether you need company or the quiet bomb that music and prayer brings. Let this be a place that brings healing to was broken and elevates hearts and minds to see justice and compassion in the world. Good morning many unitarian universalist congregation light a flame inside a chalice every sunday this flaming chalice worship and symbolizes the spirit in our denominations work and let us know we are here together. As a teenager myviewpoint only represent one perspective from the uu continuum through today's service we will be exploring our connections unitarian-universalism from different stages of life. I have identified a few you since the time i could talk which is about when i started memorizing and reciting the chalice lighting i was raised here and this church has become a vital part of my development will i attempt to piece together who i am the past couple of years here have you gone to examine my ties to this community into the space and the relevance in my life. Currently i'm at the juncture of who i'm going to be and how i will represent myself in this world. Last year i realized the usual route for youth at our church wasn't quite the right fit for me i felt slightly out of place so i did the most you using possible and i figured out something else as a child. 7 years later i have a job in the bridgehouse nursery cemented my confidence in leading groups of people and working with children to the point where this summer i'll be one of the leaders of that same camp the quest to find my values has led me through much thinking and many pages of reading some left crumpled under my desk and some spoken aloud here finding my voice amongst other than his congregation has become appealing to me a bit of a challenge that reeled me in. Timmy the holdback spectrum of beliefs and concepts is confusing puzzling even and here i have my own little puzzle piece and i'm attempting to figure out where exactly i fit in preferably with a little wiggle room. Here in there my edges conflict with the bordering margins but one of the most fundamental uu principles that i apply in my life and judgments is the simple fact that changing another in order to align with your personal beliefs and limitations is unjust. Converting edges are no reason to start a war. As i solidify my own beliefs. Ice cold my little puzzle piece smoothing away jagged edges with new and resolved opinions accepting the corners that are still left a bit crooked. It's wonderful if you are cemented in your beliefs and if you will remain that way for the entire life. It's okay if you have absolutely no idea if you're welcome to anything and everything you are hungry for new law knowledge of how did find your face or if you want to melt together different ideas create your own definitions it is beautiful to love no matter if it's a who or what or where it is not acceptable however the intolerance or ignorant of your fellow human beings. My roots here in this space hold me to this list of values and as a you you member with a lot of life still left to go i plan to live accordingly. This fate has given me a hand in developing myself and i intend to maintain a relationship with my religion going forward in my life. My next few years are a bit of a confused blur this point and who knows what new puzzles i want to find a way to fit into but for now i know my roots and unitarian-universalism will help keep me steady. Tolerance and passionate. Invite you to join me in the spirit of prayer and reflection. Spirit of life we've come together this morning and prayer even as we struggle to know what that means. Let this be a prayer for all the things we struggle with. For the conflicts we feel between ourselves. And those we love. We pray for guidance compassion and clarity. There may be those among us today who are engaged with their own struggles. There may be people you love dearly in your own lives engaged with theirs. Let's just take a moment and think of them and hold them with compassion in our hearts. For some the physical emotional and spiritual support they need as daunting. Let us come together to be their community and offer our care and support. And for all the places we are suffering and broken let this be a prayer for wholeness. And let us offer prayers for all that brings us joy renewal and hope. May we savor them be thankful for them honor them and share them. In the words of uu minister krista tata's. For each of us we speak the deepest prayers of our hearts in different ways. Knowing that what it means for them to be answered will look different for every single one of us. Maybe always hold in our hearts gratitude for those things that bless us with their presents forgiveness for the way with we have turned from those blessings. And the willingness to open ourselves a new to this beautiful and hurting world. Amen and blessed be. My reading this morning is adapted from christian de la puerta. We must shine. We must shine now this is the goal toward which we stretch. Step-by-step. In our own time at our own pace. Hazard beauty unfolds and our hearts open. We become simpler and more compassionate. Get brighter more empowered. Fearless. We've been holding on holding back. Playing small hiding or light under a bushel. Enough of that. It is time to let go. We are needed now all of us. All of us together. All those who feel a calling. To be who we are to the fullest. To make a difference. To give it all we got. Good morning it is such a beautiful day and davis california and twice to california in march from the east coast for my colleague annie gonzalez ordination yesterday. Still. Want to try something with you all because you seem like good sports and so for my for my sermon today i wonder if i could get just a little bit of audience participation i'm so meaning if i say something that maybe you agree with say yes or amen or preaching or i know that's right. So most of the churches i know you know that the firm is kind of one direction all but i'm hoping for just a little bit of direction back so thank you that's what i'm talking about so give it a try give it a try. Until this morning i want to talk about. About what this faded means. When did you come to this fate. How old were you. What stage of your life. Jimmy neutron universalism here in davis. Maybe this is your first visit to a uu church right now. If so welcome my first time here too we can chat afterwards maybe you lived around the world meeting unitarian and universalist in london and romania in the philippines. The stories of how we came to the states are so powerful thank you rowan for sharing yours. Let me see a show of hands how many of the folks here were not raised you you didn't grow up in the ocean. Typical typical about. 75% of the folks in our churches grew up in christian churches we have been a religion of converse a religion of choice. The last fifty years as you use we don't deal people to get them to show up on sunday we don't threaten you with damnation if you don't complete your pledge. Saves lives and souls to allow me i grew up you you and this faith has saved my life time and time again. When i was a little kid and a rural southern town searching for the courage to stand up for my own beliefs. Did they save me. Have a misfit teenager uu congregations and youth conferences that you belong here as an adult trying to find my way in the world searching for something to anchor me i found it and you your values and faith communities. And world the screens me-me-me a uu congregation is a laboratory for wii. One that does not check. Yourselves not to check yourself at the front door but says instead we're stronger together stronger when we bring our whole self. Read my brother is facing the delicious in-n-out burger i'm going to have after this service of your lives to i'm big enough and i don't get it to east coast. Going question for you this morning is what is that outreach worth. What would you be willing to risk for this face to bring a city message to more people. Would you be willing to risk. What is someone risk to make sure that you can be here today. I would actually save that given what's going on with religion in america today that the riskiest thing for us as people face might be is. Actually to do nothing at all. And let me tell you what me tell you why. You haven't heard the tide organized religion in the united states is ebbing. Mainline protestant churches like presbyterians have seen in the last 10 years. We use our holding steady treading water against the current and we're lucky to do so. I got a number for you. 33. 33 is the millions of american adults say they have no religious affiliation. From the 1990s. Crichton so this is not do you go to church on sunday this is do you have a faith community or religious identity and people say no not really. 33 is also the percentage of people my age the millennial generation so. Those who are non-religious so 30% of my generation would say that that's a sky-high figure the highest since world war ii. You are these numbers before. They can be shocking. They may be familiar to those of us who spend a lot of time looking at them but you know there's some articles to come up in newspapers and magazines. What survey after survey after survey confirms this and it's a trend we've been seeing on the horizon for a while. That is the world that we're living in i'm sorry to say. Average in ruu congregations the median age across all the time jason's in the country is about 6161. This room i think is probably a little bit lower than that and has really struggled to retain the youth that grow up in their churches that's not universal but that's something that i hear a lot at the association level. So when we question what it's going to take to respond to this new reality this new world. What is going to take for us to be able to continue to reach younger generations. Sometimes often i hear us talk about the need for unitarian universalist become more multicultural and multi-generational. I didn't use those words have you heard those before multicultural multigenerational and that is absolutely true. We do need to evolve in those ways and i'm happy to report that i see i see us making progress i see that at something when we commit ourselves to were able to make progress with. We're also starting to talk about the need to try whole new approaches to religious community new types of ministry you styles of facial expression. I always love to hear these stories cuz they seems like there's more more cropping up all the time. So these two things investing and congregations and beyond congregations congregations and beyond is a twin set of strategies that you may have heard our president and your former intern peter morales. And i wholeheartedly agree that these things are essential they're still essential. And i also think that there's a way to bring these two things together to unite these ideas to see the common thread because congregations themselves ourselves yourself. Can be imaginative animators. Are you realize that. Can you realize that congregation like this one right here great labs for innovation and experimentation ideal places to try out new ways of relating through technology new methods of worship new venues for spiritual exploration. I think in many ways you have. Cuz george is really are like small and flexible nonprofit organizations. Embedded in their communities. And you you congregations right we don't have a bishop who says you have to do it this way who commands our practice we have the freedom and the responsibility. Target is a bank account and legal counsels and their employers they have employer id numbers and real estate assets and governance structures and dedicated volunteers and talented and well-trained leadership. Going on and i know a lot of folks they met i know a lot of folks who consider themselves religious entrepreneurs who would give their left leg to have what you have. Surely we can seize an opportunity here. So. Why innovation why experimentation why am i talking with you about this today why is it so important for congregations. I got three reasons for you today. Acrosses generational divides. It helps us engage the margins and its core to what it means to be unitarian universalist. 2011 study that young christians why are you leaving church. And they said a lot of the things you might expect church seems overprotective antagonistic towards science judgmental simplistic about sexuality to exclusive unfriendly to down. Well if that's all i say have i got a religion for you have you use we believe we are coming of age programs after use of the first macurak negation with their congregation to stand up and deliver their own credo statements. Far from being judgemental about sexuality of hundreds of welcoming congregations and our lifespan sexuality curriculum our whole lives is literally the gold standard among sexuality educators secular-religious. Right but that's awesome but that's not the whole story because he also said that these folks down church shallow. And study. Anna relevance. And that point may apply to us a little bit more because so many of our churches still feel like a protestant church. So that makes us a kind of natural experiment here. Five out of the six points of this study are no problem for us got it in the bag. And that's why our membership is stable and other folks are just seeing folks dream out that i think is what keeps us from growing as much as we can and realizing our potential we're still an institution that is everyday less institution friendly. So experimentation i think is really key here it can help us get outside our institutional all kinds of exciting ways. Second reason reason innovation i think is so important is that it helps us engage the margins by expanding center hours. Folks were at the margins of our covenant communities are so valuable because they we see in words and ours at the same time. What is the youth ran the church what would they do come from. Religious backgrounds that are not today of christian that are very different in their sense of religious practice what have they were designing unitarian-universalism what would they create. Yeah we can listen to what the folks who have these dual set of lenses have the say then it becomes possible to hardest everyone's imagination and we can find our way towards building religious faithful community that are truly diverse and welcoming to people. I'm all kind of background. Imagine released movies that don't have to be one thing to all people that but instead allow for different contours and nodes to emerge from a shared center. How are the margins make space for difference and embrace it as a source of strength. 3rd and finally bonuses. Just who we are. We go where other religious people can't or won't i don't need to convince you of that abolitionists theodore parker and ministerial pioneer olympia brown to general assemblies in the 1970s were we endorsed gay unions and even the fellowship movement of the 1950s. You use we have a tradition of being unafraid we are unafraid no reason to start now. Let this all seem to academic i want to give you a couple of examples of congregations that have been courageously innovative with their financial tangible personal resources who take advantage of their full creative potential. All souls new london in connecticut started growing a few years ago they realize they needed space and decided to move into the used car dealership across the way and wheelchair accessible. All the time. They just calling worship. Please also started a drop-in center for queer and questioning use called outreach ogden in their religiously conservative community talk about saving lives. And they broadcast ministry sermons on a screen and then the central church works with these branches to cultivate faithful community but they're one big church albuquerque. These are inspiring example of trying out new approaches to worship and facilities and small groups and community outreach and social justice. Each of these stories comes from a breakthrough congregation. That means they were highlighted by the uua as an exceptional success story easily told you five other break in story that would have knocked your socks off. So go check them out and you can meet slave stories online of articles nuyu world some of them have videos and if you start to read their stories to listen their stories know what jumps out at you it's how clear their sense of their mission is they know who they are. Their sense of self is so powerful that whatever traditional expectations of what church can be or should be was just. Irrelevant to them. We have you use have an open theology the commitment to diversity of a congregational polity that are really unnatural environment for experimentation and all we need to ignite that is a sense of purpose and possibility strong enough to overcome the status quo. Save more lives to grow into this new religious landscape does not have to reside with us anyway and in fact a can. It's with you. So are you willing to experiment to take risk. Is this faith that important to you. I heard you want the worship team this this mother's broken us and that is eight and pastuch theme for talking about taking faithful risks because we can't wait for the perfect moment or the ideal strategic plan right here where we are right now. We will stumble we will make mistakes we will fall. And we will help each other get right back up keep going. Keep going and you'll need my urgent experiment to reach the groups of people you're already doing it. Jason is pretty well known for its inclusion of young adult ministry and it's warm connection to the uc davis campus you're already out in front of your peer congregations here. You don't have a cool idea like interns doing campus ministry you know how to build and sustain it overtime. I heard stories of your exploding middle school group. Your spiritual practice meetings capital campaigns and i see carnations all over the country. And you should know that you are an exceptional one. Your possibilities are infinite and i wouldn't say that to everybody. I want to close with a story a parable about wisdom and change. 100 years ago. Man goes to see the wise woman. And says i want to change the world i want to fill with love and justice and compassion. And wise woman who in this story is probably the dowager countess of grantham you are exceed in changing the world you must command the loyalties of men. You must build impressive architectural marvels that illustrate your influence and establish constitution and bylaws and committees that demonstrate your seriousness. Today 100 years later. Mango sofia wise woman who now i like to think his maybe michelle obama. Michelle obama and says i want to change the world i want to fill it with love and justice and compassion and the wise woman says. That's what you want to do. Then you must inspire your followers and give them the tools they need. You want a network of committed volunteers spread across the country like a thousand points of light. Show me people who can speak from the heart about their vision for adjust future people who everyone knows will back up their words with deeds. And you need a mission so compelling a cannot be resisted. True power lies with your people your task is to organize them and get them fired up. Unitarian universalist we may have created a religious edifice design for the past but we have inherited everything we need to meet the future with our 1024 action congregation and hundreds of thousands of. Passionate members and friends. We must each tap into our sense of shared purpose to activate it. I can't tell you what it is for the uu church of davis. Or any other faith community find out what's there. It's up to you to find it. Raise it up visited everyday. Maybe you already have. Or you've already started. Until it's a part of the ear that you breathe. The sense of mission the willingness to experiment and take risks these are what will lead us to be able to respond to the shifting religious landscape under our feet and every other way. Group of people because they see the exciting possibilities for faithful leadership that we are creating a purpose so clear and willing to try new approaches to realize it isn't about you. There is nothing standing in our way but our own two feet. So don't let nothing. Hold you back thank you nana. I love churches with playgrounds because church should be a place where we can play and when we are held in love and affirmation and support. Play maybe the only natural response that comes with that so i hope that you continue to enjoy playing together and that the fruits of that may be richer and sweeter than you can ever imagine thank you go in peace.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-08-20-It-Started-In-the-Quiet-of-the-Morning.mp3?_=2

Welcome to sunday sermons another recording from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov org for further information. Change so much. The news. Has its place. For what is ahead of experiencing the hatred for a short time. The world too many to mention here. Danny and matt lindstrom soy candles. I'm reading a written by richard gilbert. Companion. Violent tornado. Spirit. On holy ground. This morning our congregation will recognize the intern campus minister. A great deal. What it means to be a minister. Bright. Right away. Internship. But also her role as a leader and a minister. And we hope our congregation will support. And nurture danny as she grows within her ministries. In your learning. I look forward to a year of learning and growth with all of you i hope that we can be courageous together. Honest feedback you are all of my formation as a minister. On the morning could i just get out of bed. Prepared. Lately it has occurred to me that something else. Two friends family. Writing longhand. Greeting cards and now as so many people i know and i to grow older. Ecards. I was just doing what my mother taught me when i was a child. Spiritual practice. This is what comes to me about it. A spiritual practice for me. Mustard. A practice in which i'm in touch with something in my isolated self. Unknown. This morning we learned another. Mystery. Respond. I'm enlarged expanded and sometimes a piece. So. To try it out. I cleared a space for my writing. I said for some moments of the person i wanted to address. In the quiet moments. What is it i want to say to her this day. I don't know her well but we've had some good conversations recently. I'm searching for words to send you. I hope that will comfort you. And the greatest challenges. As i think you know well as well as i. I said a few more words and then i closed. Writing session notes to people. Let alone people we do know well. Revealing my heart of friendship and concern to another who's not expecting it. And i trusted hers did too. It's about mindfulness. I was fully present to this moment. To this person. So this is what spiritual practice is to me. Being fully here. Name some words. Even speaking to you. Right now. The sermon is given. It's the opening scene. 2013. Married me. And still to this day everyday you make me feel like the girl i was. Happy anniversary my love. I was grateful to have known. Letters. Receptionist. Beautiful handwritten. Letters.. This place industry. 4 right. Message to you. This message is important. Professor thomas personal correspondence. Exactly. Petty complaints. What is. And happiness to the one receiving it. How much it may be examined. Commented on. It may be brats. And published. From a young age i started writing letters. The headlines of my day. The first letter i sent home had my parents in a temporary state of panic. Just the way the professor. Considered. Ashley. Unfortunately yes i still remember it and no i will not. And the song played. So it is true. Has been destroyed. It may be brought forth. Relationships. Listening and speaking from the heart. Research. And gratefulness. Purchasing a sympathy card at a store. We usually. Mystics of the one who is passed. The messages are cherished. Many times. Even those who are famous needed messages of encouragement in the past. He was seeing his outrageous and was ridiculed. He was especially satisfying to whitman when he received a letter from. Had inspired him. I just love the language so i'm giving it all to you. It has the best merits namely fortifying and encouraging. Promoter. Emerson. Consider the importance of messages. Is especially important in this time. Sears. Civil rights movement. He asked his nephew james. Pikachu. On what. This could be your reality society. If you woke up one morning to find the sun shivering. Lastarza flame. Because it is out of the order of nature. Killer. Heaven and earth are shaken in their foundations. 1962. Nephew in this letter. Do not be driven from this country. Written on january 1st 1962. In the progressive magazine. This month. Not literary giants. Years from now. President. Sentence handwritten note on personal cardstock. He gave us messages of encouragement. When i started my first ministry i remembered. In silence. Recognizing. Time i needed. Maybe it was someone who stayed late and put away. Seminary friend. Periodically. My husband. And let them know that he's not. I had no. Encouraging him. He said that the jar filled with gray nice and looked up into the cupola. Appreciation. What started to happen. Overtime people started. Embarrassment. 30 years. Memories that person. In writing. Advice. Which creatures also consider. Say only what is needed. Repeat on a regular basis. Different. Lettering. Happening over the years. To be in community. Geology. Central idea that we are. And we can work with others to create here on earth. There is no doubt. But we as human beings are sometimes cranky. Irrational. Corky. It is irritating. And if you imagine that i have. Frustrated with my own shortcomings. Morning. Curiosity. And my heart. Regular spiritual practice. What is the practice. You must. If you don't have one you must. Find one. It could be. And others will see it. Read it. First i wrote. This week. I've seen you speak from the heart in many circumstances. As a people. The people who are entertainment. Have reason to doubt and worry about. If we can believe. Embrace and sometimes. When he. When he. Marches through our communities and threatens us. Disservice. So we can come together. It's happening all around our country. Place the inference. What i witness. Timer. Prayer. Meditation together. Barbara and john ambrose. Michael. Born on august 10th. Senior in high school this year who attended summer seminary. Even more dedicated to our exchanges to this world. The celebration of wonder. Remember. That remains for heather hair with children charlottesville last saturday james alex fields jr targeted by nazis and white supremacist those people loving straight women and men and all who care about the creation to diversity. Humanity all open why. This morning we met on holy ground and coming together. We honor each other's joy and pain. Play spear we meet on holy ground.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-11-09-Etiquette-of-Freedom_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome to sanctuary we celebrate the beauty of the earth and to be here in community we bring our differences and together we offer a fuller truth than anyone. Veterans day. The reading is from the ladders at. Invited to take cans around the room and he sure that all are connected.

uudavispodcast_org

2016-02-28-Educate-Yourself-UUNIQUE-HS-Group.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please who's it a website at w.w. org for further information. All right come on y'all heard that now everyday things get your seats. I want to hear good thank you must come for trickling in yeah. Don't make me come over there and take it thank you very much camille sit-down please will be time to talk during the passing periods coming later she will remember that. Everyone ready. Wonderful. Alright then. You know just once i would love to get through an announcement without being interrupted by the opening announcements but that day awaits us. So now that we've settled in let's begin as i was saying hello i am professor monheit i will be at your psychology teacher. Today and i hope you all brought your books we're going to open this up an interesting lecture on the types of intelligence. Albion. What's that man. Nice bro that's awesome you really good at math. What. Ac&r b-minus and. Foreign language. Don't worry about that aren't chinese aren't for everyone. The matter is you've all heard those lines before either said to us or someone near us maybe we even said the most elves i know there was a time that i did. Because this is a common sentiment in our schooling and educational institutions in the spectrum of skills and classes available to progress them. Some schools of knowledge. Sunglasses. I'm more important and more necessary than others. And this belief and doing from the youngest days of our school system has carried forward into our curriculum encore building. It's what makes classes like algebra 2 trig and physics honors classes required or recommended by high school counselors for college admissions. When home economics is barely talk at all sex talk incorrectly if at all and any foreign languages considered normally to be a useful class to say you've taken but you can make those credits up easily with something else if you need to gordon college coach that had the privilege. These classes we feel are the most important. But in doing so. We also define for ourselves exactly who we define as the smartest. Because the students would sell in the most important classes must be the cleverest. That was until 1983 when psychologist dr howard gardner proposed the theory of multiple intelligences. Not according to gardner as many as nine different types of intelligence each one addressing a different strengths that exist in our real students body very diverse body of people not a musical intelligence logical mathematical intelligence existential intelligence interpersonal intelligence. Body kinesthetic intelligence linguistic intelligence intrapersonal intelligence. And spatial intelligence each one of these covers a different area of what it means to be human for example interpersonal intelligence brings the ability to understand and interact effectively with others it involves effective verbal and nonverbal communication and notes the ability on how to tell how there's a feeling maybe they haven't really even speaking to you. Body language. Linguistic intelligence is 1230 to think in words and use language to express complex meanings and ostensibly vitals people such as journalists novelist public speakers. Intrapersonal intelligence is one everyone of us shares the abilities lookin on ourselves and consciously be the change we want to see. Spatial intelligence chapter the imagery of the mind brain teasers or logic puzzles. Our example most often find i can count myself apart of. As a speaker a writing enthusiast and a political hopeful. I find myself naturally gravitating toward the ideas that best represent me. And we all do this because it's calling me what we call playing to our strengths something were simultaneously taught to do encourage to do and then very readily taught not to do. Because. The only one of these intelligences that we actually teach in our schools. Is logical mathematical intelligence don't get me wrong the ability to calculate squan safai consider propositions and hypotheses is still very important especially if you're going into a field where these are central ideas. But. The idea that we can weigh the entire value of a student on just one narrow style of thinking is not only inefficient. It's potentially harmful to the student body and to the students chance of success. Because in the words of albert einstein. We all have talents but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree. It will spend its whole life. Feeling that it is stupid. Bearing this in mind. What can we do now. Welton. Short of a full overhaul of the entire school system. Actually more than you might think. The largest part of the stigma for those who don't happen to fall into the logical mathematical intelligence bracket or box. Is the environment that tells us that because of his shortcoming. You aren't capable. You. Aren't capable of being a successful of achieving as much and that it's okay to go easy on yourself. You at a disadvantage. You couldn't do as well as the others you just naturally aren't that good. That's not the truth. The simple fact of the matter is. Every single one of us is very good. At what we do but we do is not necessarily what we're taught to value ourselves on and that's the key component. If we create and we prepare chewing environment where. Whether consciously or not we put down. Are expressed her disappointment in these people who cannot fall into this very narrow-minded thinking then this becomes an insidious circle. Generating more people who feel they cannot do as well but also can justify themselves and feel they must justify themselves by saying they couldn't become anything more. Individual level by resisting i got instinct to put down those who not achieved that idolize level of success in one category. But on a larger scale. We can support and promote at the same time. Alternate forms of education everything from project-based learning in high school. 2. Self-designed majors in colleges. And in this way we can rekindle that true spirit of education. Original bold innovative concept. Delia that when we admit what we don't know. All we emit is that there is still much out there to be discovered. Not that this is a shortcoming in and of ourselves. Grievously misquote socrates. Remember who actually said it. Education is the kindling of a flame not the filling of a bucket. So join us now and kindling that little flame. Light of learning. Inside us all. Good morning class please take your seats. Eyes front back straight mouth shut. Today's lecture will be on the history of education and we do have a quiz next week so i advise that you take note if you have any questions then like the rest of collective human knowledge you can google it because i have hundreds of students and chances are i won't have time for your questions. But for now i'd like to take you back to a time before google. 300 years ago there were no computers to store manage or transfer information. Before we were all caught and invisible worldwide spider web. These kinds of effortless communication that form the backbone of our society did not exist. In order to transfer information people would write things out by hand and deliver them on ships. Nations would essentially need to produce a large batches of cookie-cutter bookkeepers who could read write neatly and do arithmetic in their heads. This is where. Education comes in. In the late 1700s and early 1800s the world is immersed in the glory is an efficiencies of the industrial revolution which case society the gift of mass production. Products replaced on an assembly line. Sorted by date of manufacture and underpaid factory workers would treat them and evaluate their quality. This was an efficient way to create large amounts of the same product. Around the same time there was a need for an efficient way to provide free education for large groups of children. The need for efficient education pair to the advancements of the industrial revolution rented led to the prussian model of education which has strong parallels to assembly-line factories. Products are placed on an assembly line. Sorted by date of manufacture and underpaid factory workers would treat them and evaluate their quality. The amount of time these products have on the assembly line is fixed and how will they perform is variable. However the prussian model was a huge advancement in the field of education and data provided public education for everyone not just those who are expected to have white collar jobs. By 1870 the prussian model for education was very common in the united states but they ran into the problem that there were no national standards for what should be taught. In 1892 henley of higher education formed the committee of 10. And created standards for public education such as the number of years a student is in school and what courses are taught each year. These standards allowed everyone to receive a sufficient education and did not limit children based on their socioeconomic status. This was very forward-thinking for 1892 but unfortunately not a lot has changed since then. Nowadays. Children are still treated like products on an assembly line with a fixed amount of time to learn a set amount of subjects. We are taught to be exactly the same and that individuality is a burden to standardization. Students all receive the exact same instruction despite their own individual paste or learning style and they're all expected to perform the same if we don't jump high enough our schools lose funding if we don't perform well enough on standardized tests then it's not the fault of the school but it's the fault of us for not working hard enough for being smart enough. This is because our system of education was built for a different time.. In which people need to memorize facts that are currently available on the internet for free rather than think for themselves. When asked why we should go to school in the first place. We are often told that we need to work hard to get a degree to get a job and then we'll be happy. Is a degree really worth marginalizing all the things we think are important about ourselves. Is it really best is this really the best form of education system in which time is fixed and performance is variable. Can't we do better. Thank you. Eclass. I miss rivers and today i'm going to talk to you about music music is something that all of us enjoy a lot i don't think there is a single person in here that can say that they don't like. Any form of music there's always going to be some songs from the genre some artist something that they really enjoy. Music is such a wonderful thing in our lives for so many reasons. It changes moods it brings people together and little secret it actually makes you better at math. Listening to an instrumental while studying can help you retain information and it also allows you to stay awake for longer and it helps promote wakefulness and allows your intentions band to increase. Music is very powerful for a lot of reasons i just listed a few and they're a lot more. Music for me has been very important in my life and i would not be. Where i am without it. I have used music to meet so many wonderful people and i have also used music to help myself and help my mood and help. Whistling that i struggled a lot with an 8th grade which was depression. I grew up in a household that was very calm very relaxed and there was very little. Anger that was visible or that was shown. So being a teenager and being angry. It's very difficult to express that emotion when you've never seen it express before. My experience. With music. Was. My. My strongest experience with music was learning to play the guitar. And i learn to play the guitar. Right around 8 grade when i when my depression was kind of addicts at its peak. And one of the. Main things that the music did for me was it was a very safe healthy way to convey emotion. Learning to play music that someone else has written at that time. Was a very powerful. Feeling for me because it's a very because i could. Express those feelings in a way that wasn't harmful to myself or to anyone else and it was very safe and it was also fun. And that's what that was very helpful for me. They. How exciting since then i have started writing music a lot and that has been even more helpful because not only can i get the musical aspect out but also i can create the words that really express how i feel beyond the feeling. I believe that schools should really be teaching people one how to play music because it's just incredible in general and to teach people that music is a very very very strong way and a healthy way to express emotion. Thank you for listening. I know you're hungry for lunch. Specifically for the next hour. I know you can do it. I mixed it all done today have a very. Spider-man. I'm sure you've all come across fox news. At some point. House. Not too long ago. Have interest. Bailey's moments in mind today while we discussed. What is coming next and how to survive it. The weight of being honestly experiences. And what is best for us hoping by now you've also thin yellow hand out on your desk regarding verla stick integrity. If you haven't already. Please read it and then write a five-minute reflection on how it applies to your writing and pass articles that you have written for me. Extra credit to anyone who review the previous assignment from the semester and write a couple paragraphs. About its integrity. Or lack thereof. I personally can tell you. This. It's tough to apply at sometimes. How do we stick to the truth and not ignore the rough patches and that which we would rather blind ourselves to how do we not choose to tell a new story when maybe feels. More appealing. That's right the counselor asked me to speak to you about your options for high schools. And davis before high school options for you to choose from based on your learning environment that you feel is optimal. Dhs's are assumed to pass. Davis high school a conventional education full of high competition and rogue memorization doesn't that sound fun it is a status quo what is expected from every student a house if it's not what you choose there's something wrong with you. Another popular choice is the davinci charter academy. Davinci has much more. Community-based learning environment focuses on group projects and technology often utilizing multimedia learning. Pops has neither of these two schools are fit we have another alternative high school. King high school. Few complications in your life. Paroxetine pregnancy. Or you just need to graduate. Another otherwise. Not work perhaps you do not fit at any of the other schools then king maybe as an option for you. About the davis school independent study ds is. For those who prefer. More independent learning path. Or perhaps you cannot sit in a class. 5 days a week. 4 hours on end perhaps you want to move at your own pace. I myself. Have experienced. Several of these schooling options. I started 7th grade at the emerson. Junior high school a conventional junior high school. That did not sit there i did not fit. Well at all. What is the new start. And then ask. was another newstart perhaps now. I will be in school in a situation where i'm happy where i can learn where i can make friends. But no because the summer before. I fell off a rope swing into a tree. A sustained a concussion. How do you start it's grayed out of new school. With a concussion. On top of that over the next several months i have to stay and 5 more head injuries. What do you do when you can't. Think when you can't read when you can't write. Your grades fail. What are you do. What school is the focus of your life when your grades fail your mental health fails your social life fails. The 12 program. Come home and hospital study for those who are unable to temporarily attend school perhaps you have a broken leg. And it helps it works for a time and it made things better but not good enough. It's a temporary program. You're only allowed to be in it for a few weeks before you are expected to be able to go back to school. If i went back to school and once again by grades. Went downhill i was a failing student and i was always an a+ student. It was my first. Experience. Being. Going to school. That was not. For me i imagine. Student coming from another country it's a foreign language that you cannot speak. This does not work. I wouldn't tonight's grade. Hoping feeling better by now it's been an entire year things should be better by now i should be better by now why can't i think. Why can't i put two and two together. Am i greatest continue to fail. I haven't f in science class and i love science class. The ds is. Because i couldn't sit through a class. Without shaking violently and i couldn't go to class at least twice a week so maybe this is a better option and it was a better option. I've caught three times a week. I can guide. My old learning and it's not. 6. But it's better. It works. For me. This works for me and my grades. Better. And i'm happier. And i have friends because this is a school that works for me. No i can't speak so much to king high school is i have not been there but i know people who have been there. For there now and it works for them. They now have. The option. Before their life. Props to graduate. It's about being honest to yourself about your experiences and what you can do what you are capable of how you can learn despite your circumstances. It's about choosing. What is best for you and what path. You can't read. But after all isn't there supposed to be so much support in the school system. For those who do not fit the status quo. I would like you all. Have an article on my desk by friday. About where you are going. But your status quo because the status is not chloe. Thank you. This is an original poem. Title 20 things i learned in school. 1. Sparknotes. 2. Keep your eyes forward and your mouth shut with the teacher has to say is more important than what you have to say. 3. School is here to prepare you. Instead of teaching you practical skills like how to take care of yourself or changing tire we spend our valuable school hours widening our skill-set with other things like integration by u substitution or formatting compare and contrast essays or crying. 4. School is a game. Arm yourself with broadswords and study guides do not stop fighting until you see blood in the red pen corrections from your essays balance the tightrope between cheating and collaboration and hope to not fall behind if you don't know the answer to see. 5. Your value. And everything you have fought to become this year equates to a number. If our children. Are only worth numbers than why do we bother naming them. 6. Panic attacks are only something that gets in the way of your education seven school is only something that gets in the way of your education eight. If you're awake at 1 in the morning handshaking and heart-pounding because you can't find the answer to question 29 in the text don't panic. No child left behind is ensuring that all of your classmates are doing the same thing. 9. High school students now have the anxiety levels of 1950s insane asylum patients. But it's okay because in health class who were taught that if we're too stressed out we can always take a break to read a book or listen to some music and all that time we have between school soccer practice piano lessons speech and debate rote memorization of facts we will not need to remember after the test as if we're lucky sleep. 10. You'll find plenty of elbow room in this pigeonhole were putting you in if you learn to take up less space. Shed your opinions your value your individuality because these things will only drag you down 11. Trying to educate someone by breaking them down is like trying to bake a cake by setting it on fire silencing the fire alarm cries for help and then wondering why it has left you in the dust. 12. When the minus signs from your test scores manifest themselves onto your skin do not scream. There is no wolf only children and sheep's clothing walking off the edge of the horizon. 13. Your value. And everything you have fought to become this year equates to a number. How can we forgive ourselves for the numbers that we did not become. 14. You can't put self care on account college application so it isn't worth your time school is a game so do whatever it takes to get the most xp possible 15 if you do not succeed in a broken system than the problem lies with you not with the system. 16. There was a poster on the wall that says don't compare yourself to others. Don't let it distract you while you take the standardized test 17 stop talking with a teacher has to say is more important than what you have to say 18 don't question it 19 school this year to teach you to be a productive adult because there's no such thing as a productive youth 20. You'll do such great things when you're older. Thank you. Hello class i mr. rivers. I'm here to talk to you about health in the united states. Holocaust is supposed to teach us about sex and how to be safe. It also is supposed to teach us about depression and stress and how to handle these things and how to make yourself healthy. This is not what health does. Hope overall in the united states is really bad. Did you know that only 22 out of 50 states mandate that schools give sexual education training. Two high-schoolers. And only 13 out of those 20. States require that the information top be medically accurate. That wouldn't be acceptable in any other subject. That's ridiculous you can't tell your students that two plus two equals five. That's not preparing them for their life. And unlike math. This is something that they're going to need throughout their entire life. It doesn't matter how old you are this you have to have some level of knowledge when you're younger is true it's less. Then what you need when you're older but especially and high school is when people are starting to make these choices. Mississippi. Allows teaching of contraception. But does not allow any form of demonstration. They also rated second and teen pregnancy in the united states. In eight states there are laws strictly. Preventing what can be said about homosexuality. You may think that abstinence-only isn't is a relic of the past but sadly it's not it's still being taught to youth all over the country. Even though there are kids. Even though there are all kinds of studies linking abstinence-only education with stis and teen pregnancy it is still being pop. The average age that people start to become sexually active in america is 17.1. These people are in high school and there's a good chance that they have had very minimal. Accurate information given to them. Those people are not getting the proper information to make decisions about being sexually active. Doesn't necessarily mean that they shouldn't be because they're going to anyway. What needs to happen is they need to be able to get this information in a structured way that is accurate. And. Comfortable for them. Some of the. Things that are. Happening in this system are really rough. But one of the worst things that happens when talking about sex ed is teachers feel the need to use this metaphor. People talk about girls as that have had sex as being dirty or worthless like a chewed-up piece of gum or a used shoe. That is horrid. Number one there's nothing wrong with having sex as long as it is consensual and you understand what the possible consequences are and that's fine if you feel that you are ready to make that choice then that is your choice to make. This also focuses on girls and not anyone. These same stereotypes don't exist for boys and they target the targeting of girls is sexist and they also already have to deal with all kinds of this type of. Problem from society telling them that it's not okay to have sex yet. And watching their male friends get picked on because they haven't had sex yet. When they are getting picked up because picked on because they have that's terrible. Third of all this is terrible for any survivor of sexual assault. These students are sitting in class and their teachers are telling them that they're worthless because of a choice that they didn't even get to make. So students here's your assignment. I ask that you all go look at the owl curriculum provided by the. Unitarian universalist church that is offered to people of all ages. But most importantly talk look at what information is given to high schoolers in that compared to what information is given to them in their schools. You can see it is terribly different. Now one of the other things that is. Really rough about sexual about health class in america. The way the man they look at mental illness like depression or stress anxiety these types of things that almost any youth will have some experience with. Whether it's stressing out about the test that's coming up or if it's a very very. Hard time going through depression. Oftentimes. Teachers will say or parents or adults will say something like oh your teen you don't have to deal with like the stress of like the workplace or so. Keeping up a job or making sure you have a place to stay or food to eat all the stuff is provided to you. These youth go through so much stress it's ridiculous. These youth have so much pressure from society and parents and teachers then and then for someone to stand up there and tell them that what they're going through is worthless that it means nothing or that it isn't that bad is that is so hard to hear. Towing them. They aren't really sad will they sit there with cuts on the wrist or a bottle of pills in their pocket. David bowie wanstead. And these children that you spit on as they try to change their worlds are immune to your consultations they are quite aware of what they're going through. And will i hate to disagree with david bowie i would say that that they definitely know what they're going through. But also words have a huge impact and telling someone that what they're going through isn't real. That's terrible. In 8th grade i struggled with depression a lot. And i remember that in 9th grade taking health during the tone of voice that my teacher had when talking about depression as if they were some plague on humanity or on their communities or on the school system as if. What they were going through didn't mean anything as if they were just making it up to get the tension. A terrible. I remember looking around and seeing some of my friends who i knew were struggling with these things and watching their face as my teacher would say something like. Do they just need to like calm down take a deep breath maybe you know listen to some music or not do their homework tonight if they're getting too stressed out or something like that that's not. These. Youth are going through so much and they do not. Have the tools necessary. Taught to them by schools. But i believe should be taught in health class. Is all of the information that they need to make safe and smart choices about sexual activity. And also schools should be helping these youth develop their tool belt so that they can deal with any problems that they encountered such as stress or depression or anxiety or any of the many many others that a lot of youth go through. Thank you for listening. Learning may be one of the most human the lifelong experience as possible. School is a privilege denied to many whoever or system for education does not properly prepare us for the obstacles we will need to tackle in the modern age. In addition there are many important lessons that we do not learn from school. Are these lessons less important just because we didn't get a grade for them. What kinds of important skills do you think should be taught in schools. And now. We asked you to rise as you're willing and able and join hands for benediction. A benediction today comes from one of the patrons of the unitarian faith. Horace mann who was an influential education reformist. He said education alone can conduct us to that enjoyment which is at once. Best in quality. An infinite in quantity. But this congregation say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2018-03-18-Gifts-of-God.mp3?_=2

Welcome to sunday sermons from unitarian universalist church of davis california www.dav.org for further information. Good morning so good to be together i'm reverend morgan mclain and i welcome you to the uu church of davis and i'm tamara range on the worship associate this morning. Unitarian universalist we believe all people have inherent worth and dignity. You are welcome here no matter your identities or who you. Color of your skin or your political affiliation. You are welcome no matter your understanding of god. Or your answers to life's big questions. You are welcome to this community of curious learners and compassionate listeners. We begin our service as always by lighting are blaming chalice a symbol of unitarian-universalism and lighting are childless is our guest minister reverend mfa. Photo arm and she is. Currently living in berkeley for this year. Serving as the polish scholar which is an opportunity for an international unitarian or unitarian universalist minister to come spend a year here learning together and also teaching us and traveling around the country sharing good messages and information and inspiration and we are very lucky to have you with us this morning thanks for being here. And so we can do this plane. That it's light might hold our community. And the hope. And the love. That we have when we come together. We do make such sweet harmony and to demonstrate that a little bit more i'd like to ask the choir to. Come on down. So we come together in church from lots of different places lots of different traditions lots of unique voices here in the room we all have something special to share and when we come together we create something. Extra magical. And one way that we get to see that all the time is with our choir and if you join the fire for easter you will see that slug so we're going to hear some different voices from the choir so who it has been part of a choir before. All right so some people know here that there are usually four parts in a choir what's the highest one called. Soprano and then alto and then tanner and then face. Sopranos sopranos the bass part of this song take it away faces. Alright bases let's try again. Interesting tenors. I think i'd like to listen to that just that line the whole time kind of simple. It's nice okay how about sopranos. Alright so individually these are. You know they're okay individually but let's see what happens when we put all of these. Voices together and they're going to sing in hungarian and an english and this is a traditional blessing from transylvania that is often used as a benediction as people leave a worship service. Again. Oh that's right together sorry that's much better than. The poem today is by will. It's called eternal gratitude. A whole lifetime could pass before your eyes. Every dream every success every failure every happiness. You ever felt or wish for will have passed. Before you even know it. We must hold each other before we're gone. Cherish every moment. Every second. Gratitude is an important straight to practice each day. I make it a point to say a quick prayer of thanks each night before i go to bed. I particularly like to focus on my gratitude for our church. As some of you may be aware i had to have surgery last december. In early december i was diagnosed with a rare cranial defect on the sides of my skull. We need to be repaired immediately. My school is abnormally thin and hasn't worn through on both sides. We have a strong line between our school and our brains called a jura. My daughter is still intact however on the right side it had been perforated causing my cerebrospinal fluid to leak through my ear. It was going to be an extensive repair. A small portion of my brain had hemorrhage through the terror and would have to be removed. I had to have. Replaced with a silicone one. And the broken part of my school replaced with plaster. Operation was a success. Your mind when you hear that you have to have this kind of procedure. Each time i fear with creepin i'd have to shut it down quick and hard because i could not allow my kids or kelly to see that i was scared. I need it for them to have faith that i was going to be okay and that this was just another day in the life of. I talked about because i needed a sounding board for my fear. Ask for prayers. Because i'm a firm believer in positive energy. Very hard time with sympathy. So i asked her not to reveal the extent of my procedure. She was a wonderful on her delivery. I am very grateful for her gift of respect and care and for the positive thoughts of this congregation. I'm especially grateful for the outpouring of love when we received the message that many lovely people signed up to bring us meals while i was unable to get up and around. It lifted a tremendous amount of stress off of me so that i didn't feel like i had to try to figure out what we're going to have our everybody is going to eat for dinner that night. Really look forward to the new foods and fun desserts that they would get to eat tonight. Most. I am grateful to this church. For this reason. When serious situations come up like this. We have to have a frank and serious conversation with our partner. Especially if you have children. It's that conversation that goes like this. If something should happen to me. I had a very short list of things that i wanted to emphasize to kelly about what to do if something should happen to me and if i was not around anymore. One of those items was for him to promise me. Becky and the kids would stay here at the church. You see this is where i want my kids to grow up learning about spirituality and how to be kind generous human beings. And most of all. I know that you. View. Would help take care of my family. I have complete and utter faith in that. And for this. I am eternally grateful. Good morning. I feel honored to be here. Space and time together this morning. Weather hungarian unitarian from this part of the world mystream2 christian. Allergy go to transylvania and that's my hungarian protestant fellows. Rihanna's christian enough. What is a strange situation. But the hungarian unitarian church defines itself as a christian church and we do use the bible every sunday. So. This morning at the beginning of my sermon. A short reading comes from the bible. Gospel of matthew. Chapter 17. Verse 20. I told you. If you have faith as small as a mustard seed. You can speak to this mountain. From here. The bear. For you. Truly i tell you. If you have faith as small as a mustard seed. You can say to this mountain. From here. To bear. Nothing. Will be impossible for you. Dear brothers and sisters. Came to the united states. 15 years ago. Member of our high school choir. We sang in 12 different unitarian universalist congregation. Mostly around east coast. Our tour was called. Spinning the dream. Teenagers. Probably crossed the borders for the first time and not only cross the borders but flew to the united states of america. It really felt like a dream. And here i am after 15 years. For the second time in my life. In the united states. I would have never thought that i will have the chance to live the dream again. But i do. Very grateful and i feel blessed. How do you imagine your life. 5. 20 years. What are your biggest dreams. What is the most important heritage. You want to pass on. Future generations. I'm sure. We would like to keep. We have dreams we want to achieve. Values we would like to hold on to. End. Keep. Giving on. To the future. Generations. There are so many things that can happen to us. And so many things changed. Our life. Our attitude. Our relationships. Our. And our perceptions. In the past. Biggest beauty. Is the ability to cherish our memories. And also look forward. Dream. For tomorrow. We could we call places. Voices. Faces and time we spent together. We can learn from our previous behavior. Can learn from each other. Pelican sports all our experiences into our own unique. Story. Info on. Working. Dreaming. Building. For a better future. Today. I invite you to a special journey. Time travel. Disconnect. I invited you to start with me the recollection of. Our values. In our large. Smaller communities. Unitarian church. Headquarters in transylvania in my hometown. This year is a very special year. These are the days when is unitarians all around the world. We look back to our 450 years old heritage. And summarized. At the beginning of the 16th century. With the reformation. Finally. More gates were open. As unitarianism became the latest. And most radical wing. Free thinking. I think we should be proud of it. Although it's hard for us to imagine. Death. Daya death. Time the terms of this new faith. Dynamics within europe. That's part of the world. 450 years ago. But only 15 years earlier. On the western part of europe. Michael servetus was born to death. For his auntie trinitarian beliefs. In that society where people for their different convictions and beliefs. When it wasn't allowed. On your own way. Or believe on your own way. For the first time. Young. Prince. Adjustment. Rihanna. Princess transylvania is king of hungary. Chords please. David perron. Princess david. To proclaim the religious freedom. 450 years ago. Significant little town in transylvania. History. They transformed that small place. Into the land of tolerance. They recognized the importance of peace. Amongst religions. And among all the nations. We're living in transylvania. And most of all. We recognize that each individual has the freedom. And the rice. Listen to their own inner convictions. Their own inner voice. Does proclamation in january 1568. Faith is the gift of god. And this. Comes from hearing. Which caring. Is by the word of god. So we have reasons to celebrate. Our ancestors were the ones who realized the importance of freedom. And we are the ones who are working to keep this spirituality alive. In our present. The proclamation of the religious freedom. Cuz it's different meanings today. But it's important. Is undeniable. If we look back to this long history all these centuries. We. Know that. Unitarian churches. Uncounted the joys. And difficulties all around the world in the last centuries. What's this. Preface. Words within our communities. And our actions. Ever since. According to the verses from jesus's teaching. We just need to feed that small mustard seed in our heart. We just need to take care of it and live according to death. According to our faith. In our day-by-day life. Nothing is impossible for us. We started our journey with this very large unitarian connection. Because that's first act. In 1568. Is the beginning of unitarianism. The beginning of transylvania. And the beginning of religious freedom. All around the world. Large circle. More specific. Communities. As we know that you need different faces. In different parts of the world. I think it depends on the society. On the educational level. The composition of our communities. And the history of this unique faith. In specific regions. Think about your own country. Your own community. Disconnection. Which are the most important fruits of your face. How did the. Liberal thinking. Strengthen you. And your personality. How about your relationships. People are born into their religion. Tradition in our hungarian communities. The face goes down from parents to children. A tradition which says that after marriage. Usually the family keeps the the religion. Austin man. I like to say that this is changing nowadays. But there are there still are families to live according to this. Okay with that. And i have no reason to complain. Because this tradition is. How i got baptized into unitarianism. And i'm very happy about it. My mom became unitarian when she married my father. Beforehand she was. Respond. We are all happy with our. Faith tradition. And they are both proud of me. And probably they both miss me. Dear friends. I know that. Here is different i know that many of you. Chose to become unitarian universalist. And that in itself is a virtue. I think it reflects exactly what the spurs proclamation wanted to achieve. Prue's death. This is a religion which brings together people. A religion which builds communities and keeps the values we believe in. And want to hand over to the future generations. Now please take a few moments. A lineup. Are the values and good experiences you have. Unitarian universalist community and faith gave you so far. In our faith. In our communities. Why we are strengthening that small mustard speed in our heart. And if you wish to say it out loud please do. And bring it to this space. Augustus. Compassion. Leather blazer. I also believe that. All our experiences. Within a community. Pizza plus. A lot. Teaches us about relationships and dynamics. About how we care for each other. And. What we can give to each other. It allows us to widen our perspectives our horizontal and. Embrace diversity. Teaches us to seek the strength in ourselves. And in others. Loyalty. And togetherness. Now we can narrow our communities even more. We can think of all this we learned and experienced. In our primary community. Our family. What do we bring. From our ancestors. Our family traditions. Our genes. How do we live with if. Or try to encompass it into our way of living. I can only answer this question for myself. Pramoda experiences and all the information i have. Transylvanian unitarian minister. Which also means that i am hungarian. Mania but i am hungarian. I was born and grew up. In the city which i call. The heart of transylvania. It is the biggest city in transylvania. Transylvania is now the region of romania. Which used to be part of hungary until 1920. And then. Creon. From one body to another. Best part was taken and now it's part of romania. Hungarian people in. Hungry. Found themselves in a new country. In a new culture. Whitney language. You're still hungarian. I still am hungarian. But i live in romania. It is. Double minority living. As hungarians in romania. And ask unitarians. In. Enough. Religiously diverse society. I am from the land of unitarianism. And my parents come from a little village. Close to my hometown. A little village witches. We're known for its traditional songs and folk dance. I think i bring this in my jeans i think this is where my. Passion for singing and dancing comes from. Madison fireman. Also gave me the deep feeling and deep identity hungarian identity. It gave me the love for nature and the simple as facts of life. And gave me the very natural and traditional attitudes. The faith. Dear friends. I hope that you also gathered your treasures. Communities. You feel your own. I admit that. Our time travel today for cues mostly in goodsprings. And good sides of our communities. We have such a great reason to celebrate. The world. America munities need to focus on good things and build together. It is the face that let us. To all these centuries. Amino that's faith. Can move mountains. As we know. From. Verses of the bible. Gives back. Power. Two people by strengthening their faith. Find seth power within us. I know that nowadays we also have things to stand against. Things we want to change. The freedom of religion is still not complete. The acceptance of each other is not always the reality. The world. The countries. Our leaders and our communities are not always or not exactly how we were dreaming of. In ourselves. Don 2. And move mountains if needed. Because nothing is impossible for those. Who have faith. Dear friends. When we think ahead for the future of unitarian universalism. There are values. That strengthen us and help us hold on. Pour me some of the most important ones which we need to keep strengthening for our common future. Ar. Communication. Love. And communities. The way we communicate and i were very close relationships. And in our wider communities. A huge difference. We need to learn to tell our truce. And accept that. Others may think differently. About the same question. And i think this is good. This is cumin. This makes our world and our communities a colorful place. For each one of us. When we think of. Or talk about love. I think it's. Difference. As different as we are. Something else for each one of us has. Has its own meaning. I believe that from within. Define and love our best selves. And walking to the world. Weather in. Looking each other in in there. Looking everybody in their eyes. And see the worms. Effete person. Guides us together. Block build bridges. Future's honest with every staff. On our growing journey. Communities. We need place and time to be together. Share to hub. Dream. And to build together. We need to feel that there are groups we belong to. Places accepted. Unloved. Unconditionally. We need to we need the space where our joy. Drones with each other's choy. And our grief. Relieve son sharing. Work for communities that can truly live and give. What's real love. Memes for us. Dear brothers and sisters we have 450 years behind us. We have strong identity and they'll use to hold on to. Dream. For the world we want to live in. The most important question is. What. For these hopes. Contribute to the work. Because it is not enough to know theoretical e. It's not enough. Hoops. We must. Move mountains from time to time. Can we give up our. Prize. Our self-interest. Our. Our comfort. Step closer. And make our voices heard. Our presidents our ideas our face. Our strong wheel are needed. Dewey. Encourage. Which sometimes are. Uncomfortable. Their friends. I don't know if david friends was raining of 450 years of unitarianism and unitarian universalism and all about these wonderful communities around the world. Courage to act according to his uncomfortable faith. In the deva cassel. When he died. Let's believe and act together. 450 more years of unitarianism and unitarian universalism all around the world. Maybe so. Summer. Let us know enter. In a moment of prayer. Creator of all. Divine spirit. You guided us together. In the secret place. Sofia the power of community. The infinity of your holiness. We believe that you know our. In our intentions. Our aspirations. Before we forge them into words. We believe that we you are with us. And every move. Every word. Every action. And every second of our life. Let us understand. This weekend only hear the symphony of the universe. With on our. Diverse hard beats. Let us leave. Without our dreams. Our thoughts. And the steps. Only we can take. Comfy rahman step every step we make. Every little action with egg for the benefit of humankind. It's a significant stare. For the future. Followers. Cowboys believe that we are capable of many miracles. Strengthen our faith. Around us. Give us the wisdom. For the best choices. Moments of talk. From the moment of silence. Open our hearts. Two positive energy and optimism. Open our hearts to tolerance and acceptance. A lot of spread our love into the world. To build bridges. Suffering. And to bring closer. All that matters. Hear our prayers. In the last four hunt 450 years across the whole world. Let us celebrate. The joy. Of the past. Importance of our presence. For the future communities. Would you please join hands for our benediction these words from james morrison. Within each of our hearts there is a most glorious light. Go forth and let it spark help you understand the troubles and others. Biergarten in your decisions. Goforth. And bring it real of hope to those in need. Help in those body and spirit. That they may find healing. The flames of passion to help heal our world. Go for. And spread the warm glow of love. Pushing back the darkness. And share your glorious light. With the world. And let the congregation say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-01-08-One-Word-Futures_11_15.mp3?_=4

Welcome to sunday sermons i know the recording from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome everyone to this church community we are so glad that you braved the rain the first service was a little light but hearty group of folks whose all snuggled in comfort and belonging. We come together to remind ourselves because our brothers are siblings are cousins. It is to live lives full of goodness and love because we will make our world. The best. Community dallas. This place where peace and love are burning bright. A place for. And worship. A place where everyone is welcome. 15 means. To think about what might happen next i will ask some questions. In the bible are prophets about what do ideas about how. Is a jonah's story. No jonah story i meant okay. To jonah jonah to go to a big. Fancy city called nineveh and might be like going to sacramento or san francisco. They had each other nicely. Really likes to have the job what they're doing is wrong. That might be a way to get out of doing that job know what to say to other people. Decided he was going to get out of it. So nice to each other. We discovered that none of the ship about on that ship cargo at the box. Think they might get rid of the good way to get rid of those boxes. Ideas that are overboard. During the storm. Jonah had gone down into the ship he was asleep and discovered that jonah was sleeping like the sailors were doing. And jonah and all of the sailors got together to talk about what was happening. The storm. Jonah. He was quiet and the steelers or the water. Wondering what would happen next. She was a norman and it was much bigger than any grown man. Does anybody have a prediction about what that fished unless she was a good swimmer. Swallowed by the fish. I think he was eating might be completely could be a shark and the shirt helped him get on land. So jonah began to pray college eyes for running away and thanks for saving him during the storm. Jonah decided to. End. Another. Apologize or stay grumpy. He's okay that's a good idea what they were doing and say sorry. And when they apologize they also said that they were going to work hard another. To take care of their whole city and their whole community. Thank you. Thank you i'll so elizabeth for your story is just one of the many prophets that are found in the jewish text celebrate prophetic figures and their stories. Some predictions have these prophets telling the future other prophets are suggesting. Messages. Hesitated. Discoveries in science. And consider our place in the world we work on compassion for ourselves towards other people. We can all imagine into the future. That we might do something today. Abrahamic faiths as a directive from god that we listen for the voice of guidance for the voice of encouragement to face the future one day at a time. We know when our heart is in a holy place. We do that and worship every week. Any of us practice meditation. A deep listening hoping some of us write in journals or write poetry some of us make music. Small groups to be vulnerable. Listen. So i invite you now to just for a moment and consider what it means to be in a holy place. What. Is around you if you find yourself in a hole around you. What's the difference. This morning. Possess. In that holy place open your eyes back to this time and place with you i would suggest. The place where you will find the prophecy. So you can predict your future as we begin this new calendar year many of us try to predict our future with new year's resolutions. About 45% of americans make resolutions for the new year. And another 10% and by the time half the year is gone. The people have given us these statistics is that people who are in their twenties are nearly three times as likely to achieve their resolution than people who are over 54 no comment on that but it is something for both groups to think about of course psychologist and self-help gurus have long said that not achieving new year's resolutions new year's gold is perfectly normal. Dc power. It's about. Willpower is actually pretty limited. That's proven by neuroscience and a pan of brownies. The brain like the rest of our body needs to be trained in order to grow. It isn't something we can just tell ourselves just a little at a time a little. Prosthetic that we all must do however these resolutions. We need to surround ourselves or toxic relationships. Maybe that's relationship. Inviting deeper conversations. Was people who believe in you. Is that. We need to practice self-compassion we need to forgive ourselves for being human for being. Perfectly imperfect. The stop labeling ourselves as simply accept ourselves with an open heart to treat ourselves with the same kindness caring and compassion that we would show to a good friend. Or even a stranger for that matter. We need to be gentle on ourselves the same way we plan to be gentle with others. Surrounded. Forgiving ourselves for our. Human imperfections we can open ourselves. 4 little steps. Training the brain for something new. There's a new trend in resolutions the last few years has been replaying an interview so you might have heard about it resolutions. Not a sentence not a list just one word. Touchstone place. This one considered to be in the world and what qualities you need a person. Hey do you want to be. Possessions free from high fructose corn syrup. Free nights at the museum's. Freefall on a bungee cord find more free time. The things you enjoy his connect. Maybe you get on facebook. Facebook connect with your side or your creative side. Maybe you join one of our new small group ministries starting to visit with people in their homes. New year's resolutions. See a specialist you've been meaning to eat more vegetables you might argue less. With the people in your life. Spring hill. The relationships with people. Stress. Class you can take a place to travel you could wonder what makes you come alive you could be open to new ideas. New perspectives. The mostly abroad invitation a resolution or this one doesn't suggest that something that needs. Experiencing the world. Might be. With you into this year. Elizabeth post-it notes. And pens. And if you're not quite ready at every so often put it in your in your purse don't put it in your raincoat. Cuz you won't see it for another year so one word. One word. Bringing your prophetic voice. With you i hope you will carry it but as a prophetic hope for a different way of being. Connect you to a world transformation. We will help each other. After the service if you feel comfortable someone to share your one-word with and visit. Where are hart. Is in a holy place. That we might always rest there. Together. Play ourselves into this moment from separate lives. And terrible sorrows. Become in silence. As places of uncertainty. Does places where we ourselves. Where we need to acknowledge no control as we forgive ourselves as we lighten our burden more understanding. Other people who have. Sometimes breathe release that is perfectly. So those people who need our love our support and encouragement today for those people who are. As those names come to you i invite you to say that allowed into this space. Please share those names community. Please join hands for the benediction one word at a time. tomorrow's excitement or yesterday's disappointment today. Yesterday and stars. Tomorrow's golden city weather. Radiating out from this place to our homes of one day at a time. Resolutions in coming days mindfulness. Reason and compassion. Today at a time today one present moment together as we extinguish our chalice we say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-06-16_Worship_Everyday-Wisdom_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website www.org for further information. Welcome. We come to this sanctuary. To celebrate the beauty of the earth and to be in community. This congregation comforts us when we know loss. And celebrates our best dreams. We bring our differences. And together we offer a fuller truth than anyone point-of-view. It is a place of challenge. And compassion. The holy is experienced here in many ways. And just given many names. People of all sexual orientations and gender identities are celebrated here. We welcome all races classes all physical abilities. We have much to learn from one another. And this is a place of learning and hope. Together we can accomplish more than we believed possible alone. And it is a place of change. And i know that beth has been talking about the ways that you can change here that she is incorporating that into the welcome and that is a beautiful thing to come as you are and then to grow into who you can be. Weather because of the touch of a friend. The words or the music. Or moment of silence. May you feel more alive. Words can illuminate like a flame in the dark. The right words at the right time can open doors. Bring hope. Inspire. Are chalice this morning honors the father figures in our lives who have. Or have at least tried to eliminate our lives. I am a collector of quotes. I feel little books with quotes from a multitude of sources. Phrases from books poems. Lyrics bumper stickers. I have wisdom from my father. My pop. He was fond of saying. Generally to mom. If you and i are always in agreement. Then one of us is unnecessary. I was 14 when pop died. But he never really left me. Kids in the wrestling trees. The grounding wood. The crying grass. He's in the morning rocks. You see my father and still. In me a love of nature camping. Biking swimming. He also planted a keen eye for efficiency. Productivity integrity. I need for honor. Vulnerability and truth. John klusendorf is not under the earth. He is in all these things and more. Some years ago. I found that my son and daughter collect quotes. In little books. They didn't know i collected quotes and little books. And then after my mom died in 2006. I found this homemade card file. Full of quotes. The my mother and father had collected. Some of them typed some handwritten. His hand for hand. His green fountain pen. Quotes like. The best ability is dependability. Original quotes as well as quotes by aristotle thorough einstein's yellow letters. To ann landers cut out of the paper and glued on three-by-five cards. Phrases that help me know them better. Understand myself better. It's alright to sit on your pity pot now and then. Just be sure to flush when you're done. I sometimes considered what it was that caused me to collect a particular phrase or lyric. What was going on in my life at that time and what was going on in my parents lives. My kids lives. Words and phrases that are saved and savored. Dismissed interpreted and excerpts from a father's day letter that pop wrote to his dad. In 1957. On father's day. It was the year prior to my birth. He says. I shall have to set a good example of how a father should be. And i shall i'm happy to say follow your example as closely as i can. I can't think of a better person to be a son of then you. How well you trained me through the many happy years we spent together on carpentry. Fix-it techniques. The value of property. Both ours and others. And dozens of other subjects. All of these added up. Totaled. How to love and appreciate a good wife and family. It won't be very long until my kids will be leaving home. And i'll just hear from them once in awhile. I hope their letters reflect. The deep respect. And love for me. That minor meant to convey to you. Did my father know that i might find and cherish his words. They his words would help me know him better. Know myself better. Wisdom transferring down the generations of my own family tree. After all one never knows who's listening. Capturing interpreting are words one never knows when our words might illuminate. Confuse. Or died another. Which words might be deemed wisdom. Meg barnhouse was an accomplished humorist singer-songwriter public speaker public radio guest and a uu minister. The following excerpt is from her book broken buddha. The other day i was talking to a friend who is a parish minister and he told the story of standing between pews after sunday service. A few people were still in the room milling around he was having a conversation with a couple of members about a piece of donated art. It was a painting. Of questionable quality. There was a large tree. An owl and a window and while the owl look like it was suffering from a stomach ache and it was beyond the point at which it could bear up and maintain its good character. They display the painting. Everyone loved the donor. Who is painted it with love and her heart. But opinions were mixed about. Where it should go. We should let the daycare committee decide one of them said. And the next sunday after services the minister was buttonholed by two members who looked upset because of the way the church was doing things was not right. You can't have things run by some secret core committee. They're only some people know about and no regular members know how to get on. And it's not even democratic to have a secret committee that makes all the decisions while the rest of us just twiddle our thumbs and read the board minutes like that's going to give us some real picture of what's going on. Stunned and mystified the minister struggled to find a way to participate in this conversation. What. What makes you think that there's a secret committee that runs everything. What we heard you talkin about it last sunday after the service. You stood right there with myrtle and henry. And you told them that the decision needed to go to the core committee. And when i heard that i knew what i'd always suspected was true that there is a group of people who run this place and that everything else is just for show. Proof the minister thought to himself. Core committee. Core committee myrtle henry. What were we talking about last sunday after church. That donated art. But nobody likes. And what did we say. That the decision should go to the dacor committee. Well. I remember the shock of realizing the first time that the president of the united states. And i. We're the same age. That is a job that one naturally hopes will be filled by a completely grown adult with wisdom and experience. Often it was adult with whom i disagreed an adult that i felt was doing a terrible job and i'd also i suspected was a bad person but it was at least someone whose brain was more developed than mine. Whose sense of the world was larger whose life experience prepared him for the shots of the day today world events. On the day that i realized he and i were the same age. I was catapulted into a world. For no one wiser than i was in charge. At best the ones running things were just. Ordinary humans. Struggling to think what to do much the same way as my friends and i would try to think of what to do. Most of my friends would say they didn't feel completely grown up. Who was grown up then if not the president of the united states. Would he secretly say to his friends that he didn't feel completely grown up. On that day i had to grow up completely. Or else live in a world with no grown-ups at all. It's a scary place. When you know that at best ordinary women and men. Are making the biggest decisions there are. Is all of this related to a desire to believe in god. A guy that's in control of everything. Is playwright archibald macleish famously wrote in his play about job. If god is god he is not good. If god is good he is not god. A person can just look at the world the way it is and be struck with that. I know there are people who would rather believe in a god who is all-powerful and in control than a god who wouldn't want horrors to happen. But cannot prevent them. Other people would rather not believe in god at all in order to avoid the whole dilemma. I don't think there's anyone in control of the whole shebang i don't think there's anyone even in charge. Which is quite different but still alarming. I do believe in a larger mystery. A power greater than myself. And it might be called love. Or am i be called truth or i might call it god. But whatever it is. We are its hands. And feet and it's voice. Better get cracking and step up. Start helping that president. Helping the board at the church better start weighing in on decisions that are made about trade-in food and water. We can still let the decor committee decide her to hang that painting. Have the tree the window. And the dyspeptic owl. When i was a kid. My brother and i would occasionally play a game with my dad. Called ac dc. No one had nothing to do with the band. Mess with a card game. About electrical circuits. Yes you can build electrical circuits. Using cards that had switches and wires and sources of energy on them. It was an educational game. And it helped us understand how electricity worked. What you might have guessed this already but my dad is an electrician. He learned his trade in the navy. And he worked as an electrician for various companies and institutions until he retired last summer. As far as i could tell my dad really enjoyed keeping the alarm system and the heating and cooling running at illinois state university. Which is where he spent the bulk of his career. He's the kind of guy who likes to make things work. Indeed in typical dad fashion. He taught me how many things worked. He was the person who taught me how to ride a bike when i was five. And had to change the tire on the car when i was 25. He's still the person i call when i have questions about my taxes. He's my source for that kind of everyday practical. How to wisdom. This is an image of fathers that many of us are familiar with. Fat down-to-earth guy who. Patiently teaches his children about mechanical and financial matters. It is an image that is particularly celebrated today on father's day. Of course one can learn about taxes and tires from any number of people. Male or female. Mothers and brothers. Uncle's grandmother's neighbors. Dad's coming all varieties. And i have no desire to perpetuate gender stereotypes or idealize parenting by implying that all good dads teach their kids how things work. But in my own life. My dad did play this role. And it was a role i did not always appreciate. When i was a child i was particularly uninterested in practical matters. I like to be reading novels or climbing trees or playing softball. Making up epic stories to write in my notebooks in my bedroom. I was not concerned with knowing how the vacuum cleaner used suction. But. Later i began to understand that. I actually needed some of the things my dad was teaching me. I would actually be driving the car myself so. I should probably learn how to fill it with gas. I would be writing my own checks so i guess i should listen to him as he explained bank accounts so. I did my best to pay attention. Knowing the information would be put to good use. But finding it rather. Uninspiring in fiery. I had similar feelings. About learning how to churches worked. As i prepared for ministry. I. Love being in seminary and i loved my classes. Theology. Preaching and worship. Pastoral care. He loves learning about these things because they were they were fascinating in theory. We were talking about ideas and. Justice center. Gardening on the side of the oppressed and we were talking about. Why religion matters and. About life and death and loss and relationships and. We were preaching and we were creating rituals. We were interpreting the bible and creative new ways i had never heard about. And i thought it was exhilarating. I loved reveling in the academic wisdom. But. Church budget. Managing the facilities. Policy governance. That was not getting me too excited. At my seminary there was an opportunity to take a series of saturday classes. That would get one a certificate in church and nonprofit administration. And they cover these topics like fundraising and legal issues. Buildings and grounds. And i knew this information was important. I knew that. And i knew i would use it someday. But i couldn't bring myself to take the course. It was because of theoretical church. An invented church of case studies. It wasn't that compelling. But. What about a specific. Church. What if it was a. Vibrant midsize congregation in the pacific central district. A church where folks are welcoming and encouraging and open to change. What if it were a church where people are involved in all kinds of activities. Singing in the choir heading up the neighborhood network. Making quilts for the boys at progress ranch. Or mentoring a coming-of-age youth. What if it had a campus ministry. And a youth program in a handbell choir. What if people at that church spent their weekends building new bridges. Or moving along in the gay pride parade in sacramento. Well. I could find a church like that pretty compelling. And indeed i have. In this church. I have received much wisdom. And maybe you saw what i wrote in the theme journal for the month about. The wisdom i have gained during this internship. And i wrote about the kind of wisdom that comes from sharing our lives with each other. Sharing our experiences. And our emotions and our passions. And that contributes to a very important kind. A spiritual wisdom. And i have received a more instructional kind of wisdom to in this community. Because you have taken the time. To teach me through working with poetry. How to fully engage my body in speaking. And you have helped me to piece together a more professional look for my preaching occasions. And you have worked with me on song leading. And making my voice more resonant. And you have sat with me and showed me the budget sheet and taught me how to read it and explained what depreciation is. You have taught me. From your expertise. Bestowing professional wisdom. And that is such a gift. Along with these kinds of wisdom. The personal wisdom and the professional wisdom. I have gained this other type. This everyday wisdom. The everyday wisdom of understanding how this church works. And i did not gain it through a course or a certification. But from being with you as it happens. Those case studies instead became real situations. With real people who i know and love. Like sitting in the staff meeting. Pondering what the policy should be on having pets at the church. We think about the many aspects that deserve consideration. And we chat about the dogs we know and love. And we send thoughtful note so long to the operations co-chairs. Or i'm sitting with the membership cancel. And the newly recruited head of coffee and refreshments has just made a beautiful new chart. And is the envy of the greeters coordinator and soon we're all sharing how can we better organize volunteers on sunday morning. Or one time when i was in my office. I wasn't heard some singing and i heard people singing she wore an itsy bitsy teenie weenie yellow polka dot bikini. And i looked out to see what was going on and. There was some envelope stuffers having a sing-along. They were putting together the generosity mailing so that people could make their pledges and so the budget could be created. And then i saw the board sitting with the finance officer at a late evening meeting. Going over that budget. Making sure the community is using its resources wisely and effectively. And the meeting did take a little longer than we would have liked but. There were cookies. And there was some laughter to when we would. Find an obscure line item nobody could really quite explain. An amazing thing happened. And they learned this everyday wisdom. That i had not found so compelling and seminary. I began to see churches in a new light. Is very tempting as meg barnhouse says. To imagine that. Someone with great wisdom is running thing. Or to imagine that there is a core committee who is secretly in charge. But. How much more sacred thing happens here. Here in this church. As in many churches. You share your resources and your time and your talents. And you share them very generously. You share whatever it is that you. Can offer. And then all are welcome to receive what they need. This system. Is unique. And it does not work perfectly. But it is a beautiful system. Grounded in our highest ideals. And you make it work pretty darn well here. You make it work well enough to build a new social hall. And hire a facilities manager. And keep things running. Enter reimagine those ministries. Working perfectly. And i have been there when you made difficult. Decisions. And you thought through the logistics and the fairness. You're balancing the needs of the volunteers and respect for our environment. And the staff. You think through. Many things. With many voices and with transparency. Using that democratic process. And efficiency. And that makes this everyday wisdom meaningful. Far beyond what it accomplishes on a practical level. I know this. About everyday wisdom. I knew it the other day. When i talk to my parents on the phone. My dad got on the phone and. We chatted about a few things. The upcoming general assembly i'll be attending where i'll see my family. My uncertain plans for the coming year. And before he got off the phone he said. Now annie the car is probably due for an oil change did you remember to check that sticker in the front windshield. Now you can check it but you can only drive it a little further than it says on there you know they want you to come back right away but don't forget. And i smiled as i walked out to check the sticker on the windshield. Not just because i had forgotten about oil changes. Being very new to car ownership. But also because. This is one of the ways my dad says i love you. His care comes across. In the way he worries. About the everyday details. Making sure that things in my life. Are working the way they are supposed to. As best he can. And you do that here too. You make sure that things are working in this church the way they are supposed to. As best you can. The beauty in the everyday wisdom of this community. Lies in the fact that you are living your values. Not just the way you talk. Not just the way you treat each other. But in the way you actually run the very day-to-day activities of this church. And that is no small thing. It is not. Common. It is one of the reasons i believe so fervently. Any importance of unitarian universalist congregation. Cuz here we practice. Living our ideals. We make what we imagine. Into a day-to-day reality. We construct. One piece. Of the world that we want to inhabit. You are doing this. You are creating the leaven community. And it is possible. Because each of us are willing. Bring our everyday wisdom. Into this place. And participate in making it work. Please join me now in a spirit of prayer. Source of wisdom. Breath of the ancestors. Voice in the waters. We turn to you. Return first in celebration. We celebrate fatherhood. And those who have fathered us. Who have loved us and taught us and supported us. Whether they were dad's or stepdads. Grandpa's or uncles. Whoever in our lives has played this role we celebrate them. There is much that is good and beautiful. And we celebrate these things in our world. Spirits of wisdom. Breath of our ancestors voice of the waters we also turn to you and our sorrow and our concern. Today when we honor father is we do feel grief. We mourn the father's we have lost through death or absence or conflict. We honor all the difficulties in our family relationships. And we grieve when these relationships are broken or strained and painful ways we also are concerned when people we love face illness or struggles. We open our circle of care further beyond this particular community. Twin clued many people the people of turkey who deal with ongoing unrest and protests and conflict and their country. And even beyond that we hold the earth with concern we grieve the ways we have exploited her resources and we remember that we must indeed listen to things as well as two beings to the wisdom of our ancestors as we work toward a world of wholeness each of us is part of an intricate web of relationships when one of us celebrates a joy or grieves a loss the web of life moves to a new shape we are apart of the turn of the earth the shift of the stars the pool of the sea and all change amen and blessed be. I invite you to join hands for a benediction. But us go out into this day. And into everyday. Doing our best. To put our ideals into our everyday lives. Trying on that everyday wisdom. From whatever source. It comes from. May it be so.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-01-20-Worship_The-Journey-to-Freedom_11_15_ED.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california at www.dav.org for further information. This morning we are going to share our opening words in a slightly different way. Then we often do. I will share some of the opening words. And then we will sing a verse together of our welcoming him. Number 348 in your gray hymnals guide my feet. And i will share some more words and you will sing another verse with me. So we will go back and forth like that. And you will hear cues to know when to start singing. Both from nancy's playing getting more. Vibrant. And from my verbal cues. Today we set out on a journey together. What is a journey toward a deeper understanding of certain stories. The stories of black americans who left their homes and their families behind a harsh cruelty of jim crow in the south. In the 1930s 40s and 50s. When we listen deeply to these stories. We hear a fuller truth our hearts are awakened to renewed compassion. We need guidance in this task before us. And so we sing. Guide my feet it can be difficult to hear these stories they are stories of pain of humiliation and of racism and they are also stories of dedication of love and if human connection they are stories about moving across the country in search of a place where the inherent worth and dignity of every person will be respected such a place was and still is difficult to find we must hold on to one another as we experience sorrows. Disappointment and triumphs and so we sing stories help us to connect with one another to feel with one another to build the bonds that can lead to solidarity as unitarian universalist we pledge to stand on the side of love against injustice we do our best to stand with one another knowing that we are much more powerful together then we can be alone and so we sing when we hear the tales of a cruel past we sometimes feel relieved about our present we are indeed grateful but much has changed since the early and mid-twentieth century and yet we also know that there are still many stories of racism and pain that come from today's society we know that there are still many people who must move across the country and the world. In search of work. Or a safer place to live we search our hearts. For the courage to continue to listen and to act and so we sing we are on a journey of listening and of understanding and if we take these stories to heart and let them inform our lives then we will not have taken this journey in veins. Thank you nancy. Scott ragsdale is going to speak. Celebrate. Serving people and itching live and one of the groups that he. Will. Beachy about really because he will talk about all kinds of video work that he's done and done it's like 800 for the 880. 880 hours of video showing of our congregation. Can you imagine that. Scott's. A t h a t h learning how to use the video. And our focus is of course to bring our attention as a congregation to our church to support what we do here. And what we do for ourselves in our community. I have had the opportunity to meet with minibar congregate congregation volunteers and staff while creating a short video. Videos to show what we do. I met with you and i really appreciate the trust that you showed me and allowing me to join you and to create this video. The phone is being shown in small groups and eventually we'll hopefully show it here on our display at the sanctuary. Children shelters are congregants have stories. If you want to feel all warm and fuzzy all over. Are you going listen to the preschoolers as they recite their chalice lighting ceremony with mines. Hands and hearts we care for this earth each other and ourselves it's really really sweet to see. What things has a story kate raymond has a story we have 100-plus congregants. Who are telling their stories. About what we do to serve people in the rich lives. I was able to only capture some. Examples that i was able to record was the provost ranch boys and as they tear around the house and make trouble if they are. Saul's really appreciate the volunteer efforts that we we provide and listening to them and playing with them in their home. These are some of the examples of what i saw them making this video. About what we do your brought me much closer to this church. I recommend. Get your video cameras out and then take a video of this unitarian universalist church of davis. Why we serve each other in large and small ways we unitarian universalists are setting the ethical and moral tone. About times. We are very relevant. We are a very positive force. We welcome the transparency of social media. And the occupy movement. We all wanted to stay with voices required to see social justice. Equity and compassion take hold. Me and we demonstrate positive responses to climate change. And i see it is imperative. That we continue to respond to find ways. More welcoming more inclusive. Because we have an irresistible message. That serves people and enriches lives. Media one of the members in your household. Who is the one number. Baptist church. As i am. I'm a member of my household. And i negotiated with my partner. What were willing to give the church to support. The growth of unitarian universalist. Values in our culture. And it was a deliberate decision. The result is that i'm increasing my pledge. My family is supporting that increase my plan increasing my pledge by more than 25% this year. I'm asking you that's part of this congregation. What do you want to member a friend. To also take a step. I giving at least consider increasing you oblige by 10% this year. I'm hard what we stand for and i'm willing. Dish out a little louder. Cleverman stronger and to give a little more. So i asked you to join me and increasing the strength of this church. A reading this morning. It's from black boy by richard wright. And it is the passage from which isabel wilkerson. I took the name for her book the warmth of other suns. So you can listen to his words about what it meant for him to leave the south and you can. Listen for how that will connect with what we will hear about the book. I was leaving the south. To fling myself into the unknown. To meet other situations. That would perhaps elicit. From me other responses. I was not leaving the south to forget the south. But so that someday i might come to understand it. Might come to know what its rigorous had done to me. To exchange ryan. I fled so that the numbness and defensive living might thought out. And let me feel the pain. Years later and far away. I'm living in the south had meant. Yet deep down i knew i could never really leave the south for my feelings had already been formed by the south. And there have been slowly instilled into my personality and consciousness. Black though i was. The culture of the south. Sew-in leaving i was taking apart of the south to transplant an alien soil. To see if it could grow differently. If it could drink of new and cool rains. Bend in strange winds. Respond to the warmth of other suns. And perhaps. To bloom. And if that miracle ever happened. Then i would know that there was hope. In the southern swamp of despair and violence. That light could emerge. Even in the blackest southern night. I would know that the south could overcome. It's fear its hate. It's cowardice. It's heritage of guilt and anxiety. And blood. It's burden of compulsive cruelty. With ever-watchful eyes. And bearing scars both visible. And invisible. I headed north. I'm always learning. Never stops. In a couple of weeks ago i went to san francisco. And took a tour of the palace hotel. I know if anyone here has ever been to the palace hotel. But it was built in. 18. 70. 8. No. Wait a minute. 1875. And it was intended that it would be the largest and most opulent. Hotel in the united states and certainly west of the mississippi. Red chandeliers crystal chandeliers. They cut down hole for say purchased a whole forest. Because they wanted to be sure that the wood would match. So that's the kind of. Money that was put into this place ahead with the called rising rooms. With your elevators. The first elevators rising rims. It has been quite an amazing place so if you go to visit it you can see where they used to take the horses and carriages into the hotel. Over every other people wouldn't have to get wet. When they got out of the carriages. Amazing place. When you're done and it's imagine where all this money came from was from the gold mines and the people the silver mines. And also the money they made from those who were out in mining. So when they came to staffing. The hotel they. Run out of money. So they hired. The miners. Because the miners had ordered kind of rough and ready guys and they had no understanding of how to serve tables. How to be a butler. Ride assistant work. And so within a very short time they got rid of the miners. And sent them back out to the fields. Another docent of the hotel said. The staff became 100% african-american. Because the african americans knew how to serve. Well i've stopped right there and then i stopped listening right there she was going on and on about this this wonderful hotel and i thought. Okay given that date. So i raise my hand and she had encouraged us to ask questions but she wasn't counting on having this question i said. I think you mean to say. We're just african-americans but. Those who had lived enslaved. And that stopped her short. And she started her down and then i became very very excited that this new discovery and i took out a notepad. And i started writing you know what she was talking about which made her even more nervous and really what i was thinking is what a discovery. Here is a river of people who are coming out. Maybe not on their own volition. They came before. The great migration that i will speak to you about next. The great migration that started. A generation earlier. I want you to imagine three great rivers. Three great rivers. Moving across the united states that end in imagine reservoirs. 1 river blues from the south along the eastern seaboard and the rules are gourds for this river are the cities in the northeast in new york boston philadelphia. And one river flows from the central part of the cells of this country. Urban centers of chicago. Detroit. And pittsburgh. I just river traveled west across the weezyana in texas and end in california. The people i just spoke with you about came before. This time. You cannot rivers that we study. When we normally study maps. Archaeology. But rivers of shooting migration that happened between 1915 and 1970 70s you can see it either later days. Isabel wilkerson. The author of. The warmth of other suns interviewed 1200 people. As a part of researching her book. She has the compelling eurasian of the lives of three individuals one from each of those major rivers that i described. Their story is not my story. But i am very much invested in it because it helps me to understand how i am really connected to others in this country i keep learning. And i advise you to keep learning with me. The warmth of other suns is expected to become a classic it helps to complete the telling of our history. The 100 years following the emancipation proclamation. I didn't miss histories found the formation of our cities. And its history is the story of the formation of our suburbs. Is history explains our popular music or culture so much of a culture. And it should light. On our current state of race relations. It is right and it is good to speak about this on martin luther king jr. sunday. The formerly enslaved people. Other southern states and i've been encouraged to not call them the slave. They left tobacco farm rice plantations cotton fields villages in backwoods. First the study newspapers. Expressed relief. They were going to see. Assume based on data migration. Lefton is firm owners as plantation owners and business owners. That labor to farm the land. Their homes. Had no servants. Wonder woman. Was recorded as having said they become doctors. M lhuillier then business owners. Who will be our servants. The south was losing all hope of finding any sense of financial stability. And generations after the freed slaves also left by the hundreds. Thousands. By the hundreds of thousands. 1953 robert joseph pershing foster. What a great name. Married man of 34 years old. He turned his car west. I'm waiting from the deep south. He kept driving until he ended up in california his father was the leading black educator in a small town in louisiana moving there and they barely made ends meet. His parents were determined to make up for everything that their generation never had and i have heard of. Many parents doing that for their children. Singing very high expectations. Pershing. Gifted at signs. And he found that there was no way to really get ahead when the library for black residents was so poorly stocked. Name is not allowed in a libraries for the whites. He realized that in his high school. They were using the books of his mother's. Generation he opened the book and there was her name. He went cast-off long ago from neighboring white wealthy. Cool. I just made him more determined to leave the south. Pershing was ambitious. Jesus parents saved and he attended morehouse. 3d school for black students in atlanta he watched carefully for how to distinguish himself from other students. And he use this to his advantage throughout his whole life. He sounded through studying at this point though and becoming the stores for more houses choir he discovered that he had a tremendous voice. Did i mention. He was ambitious. He plans to enroll in atlanta university to graduate school for morehouse. Indiana graduate school he knew that he wanted to go to medical school he wanted a medical degree wanted to be a doctor. Attended school open to only black students. What is a list of climbing this educational ladder. He met alice clemente. There was love. However she had an especially attractive feature. Alice with the only daughter of the president. Atlanta university. The graduate school i mentioned. I'm not saying that pushing was ambitious and love really. But through his growing relationship with alice he witnessed a society in the black culture. With parallel. To the wealthy white culture. Reese's clement dined with eleanor roosevelt. And paul robeson. Pershing wanted to live in this world. Please family was. In the newly forming kind of lower-middle-class. Close routes. Hippocrates still. And this was not. Who president rufus clemente had in mind for his only beloved daughter. Pushing experience envy from those at home who resented his success they did everything they could undermine him and undermine his family and nora. He also discovered that his past was held against him in the society that he hopes that join. He was oppressed within his own oppressed people. Double oppression. Because of this. Person would soon become one of the great. Migration. Family and slaves people or their descendants traveled news. And west. To escape oppression. 6 million to imagine how many people are in davis. Davis evacuated how many times. Many times. Movies with l oysters no one profit-taking unnerved and yet it was massive. Is wilkerson compares the great migration to the mass of refugees who flee famine. Roar. Genistein. She compares the circumstances of this great monarch migration to darfur in the 21st century or ireland in the 20th. People she said will travel great distances to reach safety even perceived safety. 80 years. At the southern caste system of jim crow. And according to the tragedy of lynching a book that was published in 1933. Someone was hanged or burned alive in the south every 4 days. From 1889. In 1929. There was reason to leave. And aquarium. They range from petty theft. To trying to act. Like a white person. James baldwin road. The measure of a man's estimate of your strength. Is the kind of weapons he feels he must use in order to hold you fast in a prescribed place. Jim crow with a fierce weapon. Those who had lived in slavery where a source of great fear it would seem. It's such a weapon needed to be used. Migration of the color does black americans were called change the shape of the cities in our country. At the turn of the 21st century in roblox lived in chicago. Then the entire state of mississippi. The great migration is the story of housing projects. The establishment of suburbs. The rise of the middle-class blacks. It shaped the music we listen to today and our culture. Pershing mary dallas. And their wedding was on the wedding day of his in-laws. So i want you to imagine the influence. Of that family. He was medical school in nashville and alice was sent to juilliard in new york city. It's almost as if the parents had other plans for this marriage. Christian continue to try to prove himself worthy. And a couple saw each other whenever possible. And even after they had children. Alice and the children lived with her parents. And pershing. Continued his residency and became a surgeon. In far-off st. louis. Can you still not allowed into the life of the wealth that he felt. And i think most of us would agree. That he had earned. Parents watch their sons futile efforts. And how he was denied status. His mother remembered her own use and told him always be independent. Never be dependent on another. For a drink of water. Does an old man he's still remembered this advice when author isabel wilkerson interviewed him. Person joining the army after wwii and served in austria. And because of his education and expertise as a surgeon he received the rank of captain. He must oversee all of surgery. Winning reported for duty. His supervisor who is from the south was shocked. Imagined it was not even. In his thought. But the officer who would be in charge of surgery known as pershing. Would be black. Pershing was told that there was no work for him. And he's seen this before and he's slowly worked his way into responsibilities in surgery and he made a name for himself. Kate loved being in austria. Because although he experienced prejudice in our armed services in the american military in the european villages. He was just one more liberating. American. He was just seen as a hero. Received live. He was awarded spray surgical ability and his brilliance however when he returned to the united states. It was no place to go. After experiencing that well-earned admiration. He returned to the oppression of jim crow again. He was not allowed to practice medicine in the hospitals and you sauce and certainly not to do surgery. And there was also the continuing prejudice. The family he had married into. He said i wouldn't even be able to choose the spices. For sunday afternoons roast. California call to him. Is the land of opportunity. And you know there were others. Who went before him. In the 1930s to the present day. The paper with the great migration have been described as the cause of problems wherever they settled. They were blamed for decreasing crime. Assumed that they were uneducated. They were called inarticulate. They were seen as freeloaders. And they were cast as being unmarried. Unreliable marriage partners and parents. More accurate data has been collected and the people of the great. Migration. This way. You're more likely to be employed than their white counterparts. Perhaps because they were motivated to take any job. Or motivated the way pershing was. They would more likely be married and remain married. And by 1955 to 1960 they were better educated than the resident white. Population. Go figure. Energy. Organization. Planning and motivation for these early secrets and the next generation to make. This journey both physically. And also emotionally. Life was not easy. In the promised land. Whispering of 1953 pershing foster left his family in alabama with his in-laws imagine how hard that must have been. And he gave him a promise that he would send for them soon he drove across the country. And jim crow laws were enforced in some places than others. Not. One moment of miss judgment could cost him his life if he didn't understand which of the two he was in at any moment. Sometimes he was denied motel rooms for days. Food. In restaurants. When he arrived in the promised land of california where we are right now. Friends trying to open doors for him professionally but he was on his own. He was really on his own. He lost apartments when the owner discovered he was black. Hospitals refuse to hire him. Perhaps the most. Disappointment the most surprising disappointment with how people would know him in his hometown. Settled in la and we're within distance of his practice. Refuse to use his services. Bakersfield white doctor in california. And they wouldn't have anything to do with. That foster boy. If it's longer than he dreamed before he called his wife and his daughters to live with him in the strange new land. His daughters were half-grown. Had never lived with your father. His wife. You how to cook souffles and casseroles but knew nothing of the simple southern meals that he knew and loved they were all strangers to each other. Decades later. He would become such a popular doctor that his waiting room would resemble a train station. He won his success person by person. And gain their confidence until he was indispensable. Indispensable too many. Questions that haunt me as i read his wilkerson's book. She asks them to. Pistons and how the assumptions about people who migrated incorrect assumptions in jewelry through time. Why is it. That the stereotypes with no factual basis from the data that she collected. Why is it that these stereotypes were perpetuated. How is it. Duffy's misconceptions. About the people who made this great migration. Or carried forward. Become a part of a mis. That's what i read. The i have a dream speech again and i typically read on this weekend they're here is what it takes a quantum leap forward in me and this was one of those years. Look at the assumptions that are brought forward that we. Still here. These words by martin luther king jr. that i. Took out of that speech and there's a meaningful today. Took. These because of this book. I say to you today you write my friend. So even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow. I still have a dream. Here's the dream deeply rooted in the american dream. And i want to stay to martin luther king jr. tell me about that american dream. What is. The american dream. Because i have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all are created equal and i start to think. About the equal. Among races. And equal within. Within. Braces. Antonio's, to inauguration day. There are reasons to say that the dream. Is in the process of becoming. I can't say. We have ended. It is in the process of becoming. Tomorrow i invite you to come with us. To the varsity theater to be a part of that celebration and that honoring. And tomorrow night come here to this sanctuary in be together and start your wic in a different way. Play music. A celebration and honor. And after this service. Can't your lunch and come back and learn more about the warmth of other suns because we have so much more. That we need to understand we can never stop. Learning. Opening our minds. And hands and hearts. Maybe so. And to that i say amen. Open the window and. Howard thurman journal from martin luther king jr. sign inspiration from watchers of the sky by alfred noyes. Does magic all around us in rocks and trees and the minds of humanity. Hidden springs and magic. If you strike the rock right. Google find them new episode for you and that this gathering so alien.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-05-18_A-Hope-Larger-than-Assurance_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. When we come here on sunday morning we bringing our gifts and our imperfections as well this is a community where we challenged other encourage each other and support each other and work to keep our sights on the very best that we can be. In this place we're surrounded by a diversity of religious beliefs and god or whatever it is in which you place your ultimate trust is different for each one of us and comes from our life experience. We celebrate. All sexual orientations and gender identities and we welcome people of all races and classes. And we work we will work to continue to build the world that we dream. Is possible. And to cherish our living earth at our sacred home. You're invited to light a chalice to the back of the sanctuary and write a page and if it's the pastor emergency please let me know on that page and i'll get back to you before the end of today and your milestone can be added to a prayer if not this week next week. So come and let us worship together let us be together as one. And today we like this chalice symbol of our heritage and our connection to other unitarian universalist congregation with the words of the reverend barbara wells weaver of our lives mislove may we who are gathered here being powered by that love to weave new patterns of truth and justice into a web of life that is strong beautiful and everlasting and their lives one of them people we asked and me this beautiful poem from the unitarian universalist poet title love fragile as a spider's web hanging in space between tall grasses again and again or simply the wind can do it several times a day i gather myself together and spin it again spiders are patient weavers they never give up and who knows what keeps them added hunger no doubt and hope succeed. In preparation for today's service and beth and i began with what vaclav havel wrote about hope it's a state of mind world either we have hope or we don't each of us which provides a way forward maybe not a solution but another angle a new view that shows the next steps in this way i move forward when i panic or get angry i think i am losing hope i am now learning to scoop the whole back up with my heart and intellect joined as friends it's a softer more winding and patient process than i used to negotiate world with but now i occasionally find delightful visitors of understanding and compassion that appear unexpectedly rather than anger and frustration. This is from tamara range when i was little and someone asked me what do you want to be when you grow up i would always answer simply a mommy that is how i saw myself as a mom. So when the time came for me to be a mom my husband and i were excited at the prospect we tried on ceremony asleep for a year on our own to have children with inside-out infertility treatment and after only three months i was pregnant. I was so relieved and excited that i shouted it to the world we told everyone family and strangers alike a month went by and i was devastated when i had a miscarriage and i had to relive that devastation each time i heard congratulations from someone this is not stop us from trying again because i knew that my life was meant for motherhood seven more months went by and another miscarriage finally prevailed and i was able to not only get pregnant but maintain the pregnancy i have a beautiful 12 year old daughter and eight-year-old son and another four-year-old daughter hope is your eternal faith in your own future you can shape that with your will and your perseverance. My hope was derived from tapping into inner resources along with the support of close relationships skilled medical professionals and the stories i hung really devoured about others who i travel to parallel road where they survived or died this is an anonymous contribution in my life that have been long dark nights of the soul i realized that it wasn't so much that i managed to hold onto ho rather it was having dear ones i could turn to who held onto hope for me i do not believe the time heals all wounds what time does is to allow life to grow around our woods until we wake up and find that the life we now have has been brought back into balance and proportion to our wounds in my life dear ones have held onto hope. What time allowed for life to blossom around our pain. Constantly reminded by my doctors that it's malignant terminal brain cancer they gave me the sentence you've got a year maybe two that's when they stole my hope and i let them it took everything i had to find my way out i started with finding joyfulness by prescription is to hug three people add a run through sprinklers and blow bubbles bubbles are magical sometimes you forget to breathe bubbles force you to breathe i was surrounded by. And i love you. I've lived longer than the one that you hear is actually been sick and my doctors are dumbfounded they might remind me of the terminal cancer but they also believe in the power of joy power of love power of hope. If you see me dancing in the grocery store know that i'm practicing hope. We were very very moved by the stories that we received from people everywhere very excited to see the reference to bubbles because we knew what we would be doing a story for this congregation. Her father travel to the united states for part of a year of work he did this year after year and it was very difficult for the family to be separated. And the family actually doesn't talk about this time of transition but she believes that our parents crossed the desert. But it's something honestly they just don't talk about she crossed another way and that memory is pretty much expunged from her memory tooth but she just remembers the loving arms of her aunt holding her close. She was two-and-a-half she said i can't remember that far back. Some of her family were born in the united states and our citizens. And anna her mother and some others remain undocumented. She said i knew i was born outside of the country and that was wonderful. I thought it was unique an international person. I didn't know what this meant for my future. Anna and her family live in soledad south of salinas and that's why she said she loved. Thinking she was an international person she didn't want to identify with only growing up in that town apparently. When she was a senior in high school students were talking about going off to college at school counselor nuuanu and her sister because her sister was a teen parent. And received the support of the school system was always in the counselor's office. Getting assistance. And the counselors fat with anna giving her paperwork and talking about something called ab540 which is a law that gave would give an exemption from being to pay out-of-state tuition and honest and why do i need to know about this. And the counselor assured her you don't have to hide your status around me i know what to do i can give you the right resources. And this meeting really confused on a. So she went home to her mother and they had the talk. And that's when anna learned. That she was undocumented. She learned that she was unique. But she was indeed an international person. But without some of the rights that she assumed were hers. Her mom. Have saved money for years in a private account. And when the family struggled to pay rent have yearly dentist appointment. Her mom never touched that money. She knew that one of her undocumented children would want to go to college. On his mother thought that it would be one of her sons. Or male cousin. He never imagined that it would be a daughter. But anna would be the one to receive the gift. Of the private savings. On explain to her mother the difference between community college state school and universities. And they decided that honor should attend a university or love of learning was so strong and she would use every resource that was offered to her and therefore she should have as many resources as possible. So she applied to uc-davis and she was accepted. Are the family they calculated that the tuition in the housing would be close to $4,000 a month and they had money for exactly one quarter of school. They had no idea how they were going to proceed beyond that first quarter. Because of her undocumented status on a couldn't apply for work study or financial aid nor could she apply for student loans. But you might remember that i said hope is born. From your name. So i decided to attend uc davis even though there was no proof that a degree was attainable. They started budgeting. Anna worked at a non-profit through the summer and was paid under the table of course everything went into the college savings account everything. And then two weeks before she was to move to uc-davis. Anna developed a tremendous pain in her abdomen. She waited. Hoping it would go away. But finally her mother found her in the bathroom doubled over in pain and they went to the emergency room. And there. Anna told me that the nurses just didn't understand. Why they had waited so long and they were criticizing her mom for. Waiting for the insurance or undocumented this is a dangerous thing to go into a uno hospital and then they're thinking about the savings that has have been accumulating all these years. The fam the nurses didn't know they asked donna to please translate. So here is anna protecting her mother with a translation and also trying to help the nurses understand just a little. So i had a life-threatening infection through her intestines. That she lay in this hospital bed she she watched the drip from the ivy. Anu. That without health insurance the families savings. Being depleted. Everyday she remained in the hospital. When she returned home her mother said you know what this means. You had your life. But no money for school. In the book house for hope. The reverend dr. rebecca parker road. Cold lungs. He longs for a good to be affirmed for justice and love to prevail for suffering to be alleviated. For life to flourish in peace. Help remember the dreams of those who have gone before. Whether it's one of those personal challenges similar to the responses from our congregation that you heard. For the challenge to have hope. In the face of the climate change report that came out this week. Party hope for the young girls in northeastern nigeria to be returned to their families or hope for immigration reform pope means doing everything we can to make. The life of which we yearn. Possible. It's more than a feeling hope is acting as if what we desire will happen. Even if the odds are against us. Luana despair she said she really had when she got out of the hospital and she could be away from having to explain this to everyone she completely broke down. But as the first day of that quarter that first-quarter approached she thought well if i've come this far we'll figure something out. I thought she moved to davis knowing that attending 1/4 might be all that she could achieve. Most students be college is a time to find themselves and explore adulthood for anna it was quite different. She had the normal stress of homework and finals but she also carried enormous expectations from her family as the first person in her generation to attend college or university. It on his town of soledad there is not the expectation that everyone will go on for higher education 12 students from her town attended uc-davis has a high number for her graduating class and she was the only undocumented student everyone was waiting to see whether she would succeed and you know they did not assume she would succeed. Add to these pressures the knowledge that the date. For the tuition to be paid. Was always getting closer. She knew what that date would be how many of our. Children know the due date of their tuition. She always knew when it was going to be due. On his experience of uc davis therefore is quite intense. Throughout that first quarter her mom would ask if it be okay to raise money to their church for tuition. Your aunts and uncles also began to contribute. Anna studies at uc davis. Are supported by the communal effort of her mother. The extended family who give thousands every month. And they're catholic church. That first quarter became a second quarter and continued for two more years. In june of 2012 on it was able to qualify as a student under the dream act. She is now a legal resident although not a citizen and she needs to reapply every two years for this to be renewed. She can work now at jobs funded by the state or the university. But nothing with federal money. And this is not a final step. For the hopes of the undocumented young adults. But a step along the way. She defines herself. As an undocumented scholar. In september on will be entering her third year at uc davis has a junior at she wants to help others find resources for college to believe in themselves. Because so often no one else believes in them. I know that they have a right to higher education a human right to education. She wants to continue her education in chicano studies and political science with an emphasis on public service this is one bright young woman with sparkling eyes and boy she is vibrant. And sunday she said she wants to be a senator or a congresswoman because she wants to be in her own words a game changer. And she thinks i want to be wherever i can change the game. Unitarian minister theodore parker wrote these words and an anti-slavery convention in 1848. I do not pretend to understand the moral universe. The ark is a long one. My eye reaches but a little ways. I cannot calculate the curve in the complete figure by the experience of sight. I can divine it by conscience and from what i see i am sure it bends toward justice. Disclose reframed as you probably know by martin luther king jr and is often referred to. By president barack obama. Wewe wewe co-created arc of justice for the force that is much larger than ourselves. But it is our hands. On the ark. Bending it. Put fulfillment of our hope. Our hands. Are on the ark. All through anna's life. She and her family have kept their hands on that ark to create a life for themselves and for others. We can all place our hands on it and lean or wait. To affirm the good the justice in love the freedom from suffering the right. Two-piece. The unitarian universalist justice ministry is organized the 18th immigration day in sacramento california is one of the leading states in our country in supporting human rights for those who are undocumented this day is tomorrow. Unitarian universalist will come from all over california to develop the day to being a visible presence. And we will do witness on the steps of the capitol and tried to speak with legislators and their staff about bills that will benefit. Immigrants. In our state. Including access to healthcare. I'm making state student loans available to students like. Anna. Is a struggle to live with hope alone. Takes courage. And even when you are not alone it's a struggle to have hope when there are law that whole systems opposing your cause for justice. But the support of others gives us the courage moves us towards our hearts longing a large invisible presence tomorrow at the state capital is a crucial sign of hope. And we will join and collaboration across differences a language and faith. An immigration status and together we will put our hands on the arc of justice to see if we can move it even a little all wearing those. Yellow. T-shirts. Of love. Whether you join us in person or in spirit i hope you will send your wishes of hope and courage with me and others who will join me. And together we will build the hope that comes from people who move. Toward. Their heart's longing. And to that i say. Amen. I invite you to join with me in the spirit of prayer. And meditation. Spirit of life it. Force that moves among us. You are found in the support we can give each other. And all in this universe that urges our spirits to be whole. Your presence is known when we offer ourselves to bring healing when there has been lost. To renew friendships when there has been distance. In the presence of loved ones gathering around a response. 2 loneliness. Sometimes with nothing in our hands to give. Only the gift of our willingness to hear what is in another's heart. Your energy is known when laughter overtakes us and shakes the seriousness of our world from my shoulders and stories. Sometimes gone. For this time. All that connects us. The strength to live our hope. Comes from urinating and it also comes from gratefulness. For the beauty. That does surround us. You live in the blossoms that drop from the trees and the fruit and seeds that hang from the both the sea anemone and the tide pools shivering as it feeds on life we cannot see in the rain that comes when it comes for the thirsty earth the snow the welcome smell of it wonder all beauty these things live a lightness. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships when one of us celebrate the joy grieve the loss the web of life moves to a new shape we are part of the turn of the earth shifted the stars the pull of the sea and all change. Advise you to take each other's hands as you're able meeting follows this time we are patient weavers never giving up.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-12-15_Dickens-Incarnate_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons another recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov or further information. Analysis we move back into our seats as we move back with that spirit of love and peace returning to our chairs i say welcome welcome to this place you are welcome here if you are filled with joy or lost in the depths of your being you are welcome here if you have a message to share. Or need to be quiet. And listen. You're welcome and you're fonus your race and culture your gender expression and sexual orientation. Your religious beliefs. And political party come to connect with community come to honor the earth. Come to reclaim your spirituality. Comment to build the world's that we dream is possible. Come. To transform your life. This place. And this hour. And be the repository of joy and the sorrow of your weed. The place where you can bring your concerns for the world. My name is caitlin carter and i am your intern in campus ministry this year. I am so overjoyed to be with you today and this year and two intend to you so many invitations to community that you see and your bulletin stapled your order of service. Are childless fighting words come from george kimmich beach. In the mystery of life about us there is light. It gives us a place to be to grow to rejoice together. It opens the pathways to love. In this place of friendship there is freedom. Let the light we candle go before us strong and hope wide and goodwill inviting the day to come. This is the season of advent. A holy time of waiting and expectation. And so we are also lighting our advent calendars today. Today we will relight the candle for hope. Which can be seen in the actions of our caring used. We're alike the candle for love which resonates in the small moments of kindness and attention we give to those we encounter. And today we also like the candle for joy. Joy shines from the record number of marriages that happened in california this year for same-sex couples finally accorded the same level of respect and recognition. I love charles dickens. Directly and indirectly his riding has affected my life in important ways. I moved to england with my family in 7th grade and fell in love with and devoured his novels. So much so that i got to skip 9th grade composition i was offered the opportunity to place out of the class by writing my autobiography in the style of dickens i was one of two students out of 300 that succeeded. I have continued to gravitate towards things dickensian throughout my life. Performing for years at the annual dickens fair in san francisco. Performing is mrs. cratchit to my son's tiny tim in a christmas carol. So i have a costume appropriate for the occasion today. I feel that i'm most directly benefited from social changes that dickens had a hand in setting in motion in britain. Dickens was not only the first grade urban novelist in england. But also one of the most important social commentators who used fiction effectively to criticize economic social and moral abuses in the victorian era. Dickon showed compassion and empathy towards the vulnerable and disadvantaged segments of english society. Dickens novels were instrumental in raising awareness of social inequities and ultimately resulted in changes including the establishment of a national health-care system there. While i was in london i became quite ill. Even dangerously so. I was out of school for months during which time like other citizens and non-citizens rich or poor alike. I received excellent medical care at no charge. In fact. Doctor wilkinson even made almost daily house calls while trying to identify my illness ultimately finding that i was simultaneously suffering from mononucleosis and rheumatic fever. I felt very cared for. I compare my experience in britain to that of my sister nina. When she contracted aids from a blood transfusion in san francisco. 9a had no health insurance or money to pay for healthcare. Show her illness went undiagnosed for many months while the symptoms accumulated. When she finally did go in if it happened it was for the last three days of her life. I feel i lost so much time that i might have had with minor if she had been diagnosed earlier. If she had had access to free healthcare. Maybe it is silly. But i think chickens have had a big hand in the wings of my life. Dickens has inspired me to find joy and coming social changes as the affordable care act goes into place. I am thinking of my sister. And how others like her will now be getting the care they need. I think of my love for my sister as i decorate for christmas. Every ornament i hang. Buy string of lights or bake cookies. 911 christmas. And she wanted me to find some silliness joy and festivity in the face of life's sorrows and hardships. Which is good advice for us all. Merry christmas. What is christmas time that a time for buying things for which you have no need for money. The time for finding yourself a year older and not an hour richer. What reason did you have for being married enough, then. But i have always thought of christmas time as a timer for giving a charitable pleasant time the only time i know when men and women seem too freely open their shut-up hearts. Therefore uncle do it has never put a scrap of gold or silver in my pocket i believe that it has done me good and will do me good and i say god bless it. You're quite a powerful speaker sir. I wonder you don't go into parliament don't be angry on call dine with us tomorrow. It would be a great joy to me and my wife. Somebody why did you get married because i fell in love. Because you fell in love. Good afternoon i want nothing from you i ask nothing of you why can't we be friends. Good afternoon. I am sorry with all my heart to find you so resolute. We never had a quarrel to which i was a party. But i'll keep my christmas humor to the last so i'm merry christmas uncle afternoon happy new year merry christmas kaitlyn screwed was visited by three spirits. Who showed him scenes from the past. Full of loneliness joy and love. Scenes from christmas present. It showed those he knew keeping to spirit of celebration even in the midst of hardship. And episodes from the future. That showed him just what would happen. If he didn't. Change his ways if he didn't open up his heart. You may remember the character of tiny tim. Who's indomitable spirits and open heart finally cracked scrooge open to all that he could be. In the end of the christmas carol. The scrooge is changed and he wakes up to realize that it isn't too late. For him to live fully. With love. He wakes up to the sounds of bells. And nose. But it is christmas day. Last weekend a group of us gathered together for this congregations first deck the halls event. With the cold snap we just injured perhaps we needed a time to sing we joyous all together. Heelys of the wind and weather. I know the event brightens my week and my winter i know it reminded me of what i love about. This church and about our religion. Together. We can create something magical and multi-generational and transformative. In the midst of even the coldest dreariest most stressful. X. Even in the midst of tragedy. There is so much that we as people of faith can do in this month of december. We can take what we need from our religious sources and our human hearts and minds. And make this holiday season wonderful. Of wonder full of magic full of comfort. And challenge. We can stay rooted in our traditions and be creative and how we live them out. We can make celebrations and rituals and ways of marking the turning of the year. Sitar life-affirming. And deeply rooted and fun and meaningful and full of love. There are many people in our collective history who have shown us how to do this. One of my favorites is charles dickens. He like many of the unitarians of his say like many of us. Was a reformer. Someone who cared about those facing oppression and injustice and callous indifference. And will wanted to make the world. A better and friendlier place. He was also a man who loved beauty rapturously about his first experience of a christmas tree and over and over again about all the sights and the sounds and the feel. A christmas. He understood that making this world a better place was not just about pointing out what was wrong with society. It was also about imagining how things could be improved. And how we. Might be changed. As we become part of that transformation. A christmas carol. My favorite dickens novel. Changed things more specifically change the way the western world celebrates christmas. At a time when that change was desperately needed. Dickens of course wrote during the industrial revolution. A time when fewer and fewer people were living and their ancestral villages with their traditional support networks when the horror face increasingly harsh living conditions child labor was an accepted practice at pollution with increasing at an alarming rate. At the time when cold snaps happen like the ones we just enjoy her people would literally freeze to death in the streets. Things were in general for the grimm. Dispiriting. Christmas had been this wild raucous celebration belonging to the english countryside pagan both in the sense that the traditions predate christianity and that it was of the country. Which is of course what the word pagan means. Christmas had been the one time of the year when meat and alcohol were plentiful and nothing related to farming really needed to happen. It was a time when peasants could turn the social order on its head declare themselves lords of mischief and demand the lord of the manor earn their goodwill. Even if christmas hadn't been outlawed like people like the lord protector oliver cromwell. Or the puritan religious leaders who took charge of england. Most of the yuletide and solstice rituals simply didn't translate. To urban life or to the industrial age. In dickens time some celebrations of christmas we're already returning a new traditions were arising. The traditional german christmas tree was becoming popular and new england the anglican church was starting to bring back the tradition of caroling and families were starting to do this crazy new thing and giving gifts to kids at christmas. Charles dickens. Didn't invent most of the traditions of christmas he described. He did make them poor popular. But what he did goes beyond that. Charles dickens gave this holiday a new meaning pulling in old themes of generosity and goodwill. And giving them new purpose. Changed the very idea of christmas. He dared to imagine that the spirit of the season could be generosity forgiveness love and transformation. He wrote the story to challenge his society to create celebrations. That meant something. To give back to their communities and come together with their families and. To truly see. Each other. Course of the meaning and vision of a christmas carol like every story is reimagined with everyone who reads it to themself and everyone who puts it on as a play or movie. My favorite adaptation it came out in 1970 and is simply titled scrooge it was a musical and an this version is screwed is this victorian-era loan-shark intent on making as much money as possible regardless of the human cost to those around him there's this great scene at the beginning where he's going around and demanding that his debtors pay him back or he'll take everything their own hell takes their house will foreclose them sound familiar. The street urchins urchins and this movie sing at the beginning about how screwed is the meanest man in the whole wide world amazer a skinflint. A father christmas would probably steal your stocking if you left it out waiting for a christmas gift. In the end after screwed his transformation they sing about how he has become a true incarnation of father christmas the man who laughs and distribute gifts and looks everyone in the eye with a smile. They sing he loves us all and he shows it. There's another song in this musical that always get stuck in my head this time of year. Scrooge first heels at sears at killingly. When the spirit of christmas yet-to-come you know this crazy one with the cowling assizes takes him to his own funeral. And everyone who knows sings thank you very much. Well literally dancing on his casket they're so glad he's dead. In the end the song is reprised after scrooge wakes up on christmas morning goes out into the street. And forgives all of the debt owed him. He tells all of the people who have been threatening in the beginning of the movie that they no longer owe him anything. And the whole town because this is a musical so all of london breaks into song thank you very much thank you very much that's the nicest thing that anyone. And what a radical vision. Of what does holiday could mean. Whatever else we see as a potential aspect of this holiday christmas carol gave to us that this the idea that this is a time when transformation. Can arise. We can go to bed one night of despair and anger. And wake up. Renewed. Charles dickens writing reminds me that we can find a cheer and light and warm. In the midst of winter's gloom. In the midst of sorrow and crisis. And a changing social landscape. We can adapt traditions to fit with how we live and what we believe. The way christmas is often presented may not work for you. I may not fit with your complicated family system for your budget. Or your spiritual and emotional needs. That's okay. You don't have to like what christmas has become we. And keep. Imagining. We can continue the legacy of the unitarian movement dickens was apart of when he wrote a christmas carol he wrote this book right after. He joined the unitarian church we can make this season about the things we care about. As edmund hamilton sears said when he penned it came upon a midnight clear. And as the unitarian poet longfellow did. When he came out of grief. To write i heard the bells on christmas day. The song about how he found joy in the midst of his own personal tragedy. No tradition is static this one least of all. There are always new ways we can make the season 1 to look forward to. I knew causes that the season calls us to face. This can be a holiday about building connections and community. Why we build the world we dream about. We practice. Building the world we dream about holiday based into stainable practices and the telling of important truths christmas and be a time when we look at the difficult things. With joyful. And compassionate hearts this can be a time when we are awake really awake to the reality of things like that and climate change and income inequality and access to healthcare. We remember who we've lost. And we remember the love. At the center of our lives. Christmas can be whatever we need it to be if we can wake up we can wake up to ourselves and to the world around us. Can you original story of a christmas carol. After scrooge literally wakes up to the sound of bells after he orders a turkey. Praise employers center employees dinner and gives a charitable donation to the gentleman who would ask for that the day before he. Went to church. And walked about the streets. And watch the people. Hurrying to and fro. And patted children on the head and question beggars. And looked down into the kitchens of houses. And up. To the windows. And found that everything. Could give him pleasure. He. Wakes up. To the reality and the beauty. Of all that is around him the joy of connection. To his fellow human beings. And the promise of religious community. And the hope. Of young life's just beginning. I love that the days screwed wakes up to life he goes to church i love that you were awake enough this morning to come to church. We are a part of a religious movement that has the power to change culture change hearts and minds. And even. Occasionally the lyrics of popular hymns we in this room are not nearly countercultural that we are culture. Changers culture shifters culture makers we have the power. To make this world a better place. Make the season 1 of joy and generosity and love and hope. We. Canby new incarnations of dickens telling stories full of magic and inviting others to wake up to become the very best versions of themselves. Incarnations intern of the spirit of the season. And this christmas season we have gathered together. For their hearts full of joy and sadness and hope and heartbreak. Zaxby's halls and fakes b's cookies and some songs. Maybe enter now into a time of prayer. Spirits. Of life and of love spirits of christmas past and present and future be with us today and are gathered complexity and our full hearts yesterday marked the one-year anniversary of the shooting at sandy hook elementary school in newtown connecticut we mourn with the families of those 20 very young students and six dedicated school workers and with all of those who have lost loved ones to gun violence this year we mourned to for those in our church family who have passed with those like original church member barber knocks who passed away this week and sorrow we breathe together remembering those who are gone and hoping for a more peaceful future knowing that there is always joy and love we breathe together into a moment of silence. Amen. And at this time i invite you to take hands with your neighbor in the gloom and chill of winter may your hearts be full of song your words full of kindness your spirit full of worms. And your head overflowing with creative thoughts ready to transform our world. As you go out into this day know that you are not alone. That you are loved. And that you are love can change the world. And the people say i'm in.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-04-13_Born-Again-Unitarian-Universalist_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome to the space to this hour my name is caitlin carter and i am your intern and campus minister for the year. This morning you are accepted just as you are. And at the same time. May you come here seeking change. Perhaps that change is to live with more trust. Orchard forgive others to reach out to others we don't understand. In this our together some among us wish to be changed by the quiet time. A time when they focused on their own spirit and how it connects to others. Perhaps you want to make a change happen. In our beautiful and hurting world. May this be a place of comfort and challenge. And the people around you be known as companions on the journey. On that journey are people with a diversity of beliefs god or whatever it is in which you place altima trust is different for each of us. On this journey there are people of different sexual orientations and gender identities and expressions those of different class and race and ability. Come. Let us search together and become our best selves once again. Every week one more opportunity to remember what is possible. Chalice it's an invitation to put aside those things that require us to perform and to do something and to be someone in the world. It's also an invitation to relax rest and recharge and a reminder of how we're connected to you use the world over. Today our chalice will be live by lila hoenicke and ben days are who we are campus ministry group lila is also one of our middle school teachers and our religious education program. Caitlin sermon today is full of tales of transition. Here's when the child becomes the parent. I've heard that phrase many times but couldn't fathom what it meant i'm 48 i'm raising three teenagers i'm fully immersed in what it means to be a parent my parents are my parents they're my elders the ones i've looked to my whole life except this is changing needs. My dad is still in relatively good health but it 82 my mom has been ill for two years with something the doctors can't diagnose there's no denying she is in decline. It's a difficult time as she withdraws from life and we all try to figure out how to meet her where it feels most comfortable for her. The beast sandwich to is to inhabit a constantly changing emotional landscape. Some days are good. Some days not so much i'm constantly trying to gauge where help is needed where we're too lean in rid of back off. This is made more challenging by a relationship that's never been particularly close. My mom's had a really hard life my earliest memories of her are somewhat diffuse that she was in the hospital a lot and frequently away from home later when she was home she was emotionally removed. It took me years to understand what that was about it took me years more to forgive i'm grateful for my father who held the center for both my mom and for me. My children provided a new link and an opportunity for my mom and i to move together in the common language of mothering in 2000 when our twins were born my parents moved to davis. They wanted to be closer to our family. And i accepted that challenge knowing that it would challenge me and wanting it all the same. Until my mom and i have spent the past fourteen years doing an intricate dance of intimacy for every two steps forward one step back. I celebrated the victories and tried not to focus on the side of acts. And now she's withdrawing from life and from all of us i live just 3 mi for my mom we talk on the phone frequently but face-to-face visits make her uncomfortable. Just getting her the house that's our house occasionally for a sunday dinner feels like a small miracle i settle most days for mailing cards dropping by for the five-minute visit she seems to tolerate this. I pick up prescriptions right notes to doctors and call them grocery shop prepare extra food. I repeat all the things she can no longer here. I listen to the same stories over and over i try to smile to be kind to stay present to be patient. It's a time of tough transition for all of us specially for my mom specially for my dad as her caretaker as well my beliefs as a you you are really guiding me here. I look to see my mom's inherent worth and dignity. Not the disagreements not the distance from my children should i reach this stage. I hope i'm doing right by her i know the process of tying is transforming me and i know that many of you have share this journey or walking it now. All the world's a stage and all the men and women merely players they have their exits and their entrances and one man in his time plays many parts. Is act begins seven stages. At first the infant mewling and puking in the nurse's arms. Then the whining schoolboy. With his satchel and shining morning face creeping like snail unwillingly to school. Then the lover. Sighing like furnace with a woeful ballad made his mistresses eyebrow. Then a soldier. Full of strange oaths and bearded like lepard jealous in honor sudden and quick and coral seeking the bubble reputation even in the cannon's mouth. Then the dresses. In fair round belly with good shape and lines. Size severe and beard of formal cast full of lies and modern instances and so he plays his part. Spaceships into the lean and slippers pantaloon his youthful hose well saved a world too wide for his shrunk shank. And his big manly voice turning again towards childish treble pipes and whistles in his sound. Last scene of all. That ends the strange eventful history. Is second childishness and mirror oblivion. Send steve sans eyes sand taste and everything. Fresh life sosken new baby escapes from rosebud lips quickly followed by a childlike gurgle the first stage as it was. The s edge exploring life. Meeting new people eyes opened to the world schoolbag in hand. The third stage that of the infamous lover heart easily broken vulnerable like a baby bird thinking they're invincible stage 40 what a confusing time turmoil of happenings set off like a young bird pushed out of its nest flying off into an unknown life. Leaving home yet another stage new beginning. At the fifth stage midlife crisis children flyaway a stud instability a sense of knowing lifeplan set. The six-page should comfort becomes the primary priority slippers sweatshirts and a favorite pair of jeans worry about fashion thing of youth. The seventh and final stage of this long life cared for by others free of all worries take the days as they come until they come no longer. Growing up. In east tennessee the way i did i know a lot of born-again christians growing up a progressive radical liberal i also knew a lot of people with a bumper sticker. Born okay the first time i've had my share of frustration with evangelical christian theologies. I never really liked those bumper stickers either. For one thing my parents told me that i wasn't just born okay i was born fabulous and for another i don't know that i am ready to be that quick thought of this idea of being reborn. Being born again. And so i've been i've been wrestling with this question. This question of what it can mean to be reborn. What that can mean in my life and the lives of those i know. I don't believe that any of us were born in sin but then again i also don't believe that we were born this way as the popstar lady gaga would say and the question of whether or not we can be reborn weather rebirth is possible. Is an important one. Is important one because there are times in our lives when we need to know the time as possible. So for example in my very first unit of chaplain training in a hospital close to where i grew up i worked with a young woman who just had one of her legs amputated below the knee. I miss you just lost that first leg and for medical reasons i didn't understand she was worried that she might lose the other one too. She was scared. Terrified terrified of losing that other leg terrified of never getting the chance to walk again terrified that her life and she knew it. Was over. I held her hand in that hospital room and she cried she cried and she told me about the lives of her sisters women who had newly married who had her young children she told me how much she wanted to be married to be a wife to be a mother and her scared she was this meant that no one would ever love her. The way that she wanted to be loft. That everything that she dreamed of was no longer possible. I held her hand and looked in her eyes and knew that there were no platitudes i could give her no falsehoods. For this occasion. I was no doctor to tell her that her other leg could be saved no physical therapist to help her learn to walk no fairy godmother. Jamaica prince charming appear. And her dream is coming true. I looked into her eyes. Fathead. Ask. You're right. This is an ending your life as you knew it. Is over. This is a hard time you are allowed to be scared. Right now. You are allowed to be scared this is your long dark night of the soul. And nothing is certain. Nothing is certain yet i looked into her eyes and i said. But. But. But you are worthy of love you are worthy of love in this moment this moment you are going through now is your chance your choice this is your moment to choose who you will be. This is your chance for transformation. I looked into her eyes and i said these things and i i knew that they were true. I hope that they were true. And it made this question this question about reversed about our lives about what it is to be reborn a crucial one for me and a way it had never been before. Most of our life changes aren't quite so dramatic as that. But there are a number of times in our lives that mark more than a change in scenery. There are times when we have to become someone else whether we want to or not. Thinking about this. About these changes. About becoming someone else maybe think about the theater. And since this month. Mark shakespeare's 450th birthday. It made me think about shakespeare in about one of my favorite places that made me think about what questions what answers am i find there. And so i went to as you like it to that scene act 2 scene 7. With a character jake stands up and says all the world's a stage. Aspen just did all the world's a stage and men and women merely players. They have their exits. And their entrances. And one man. In his time plays many parts. And as you heard then of course shakespeare goes on to list some of those possibilities for what those 7ax might look like from infants to schoolboy to lover to soldier. We don't know. What's that monologue mentor why it was put in that scene or what it said about shakespeare's own life and yearnings and fears. Take a lot of disagreement about what this could mean. It could just be filler. Something he just regurgitated from his schoolboy days it's this was so with the way it was taught the way your life went that there were seven stages of development that you traveled through. It could have been him making fun of that idea. We don't really really know what it means. But i'd like to think. That will he was suggesting. Is it we have the power to reinvent. Ourselves. Maybe. And saying all the world's a stage and the men and women merely players. He was saying. To his audience. At us. Look at us actors on this page. Seed this power. That we have to create new worlds. Night after night scene after scene to become new people time after time. See what we do here. You. Have that power. You can look at that speech to as a reassuring reminder that most of us are pretending a lot of the time. The roles we fill our important ones but that doesn't mean that even the most seemingly put together of us really has anything. Figured out. And two we have our accents and our entrances. No one. Gets to be a college student forever. Or a professor. Every role in our life. Is a transient one. When we graduate our life as a student ends. When we get married we are no longer single when we trained careers or retire. A life we have lived. Ends. And when that life ends. It is time to choose a new one. So they're there was a part of my answer my question. Rebirth is part of life. I didn't seem like all of the answer i was looking for though so i kept looking. And i looked in some strange places. Give me not know this about me but i read a lot of comics i read a lot of comics and sometimes they make me think. So i went to one particular, co-written by a man named zachary weiner the brother of one of my seminary classmates he rides a webcomic called saturday morning breakfast cereal. I went back to a, key written a couple of years ago. Miss comic he started off by saying. Here is something true. One day you will be dead. Here is something false. You only live once. I thought. Interesting. He was on to assert. It takes about 7 years to master something. If you live to be 88 after age 11 you have seven opportunities to be great at something these are your lifetimes. I wasn't too sure about those numbers they seem a bit too cut-and-dried to be true i was intrigued. You seemed to be suggesting that changing what we do with ourselves can be a form of birth and read that of death and rebirth. He explained in this, kvitova most people never really let themselves die. They get stuck in the fact that they found something they are good at and they don't want to do anything else. Some people are afraid of dying because they don't know who they are. If they give up what they are good at. And some people. Live as ghosts. Refusing to give up the dream of who they once were. Zachary road that we have many lives and that this is an opportunity. He suggested spending a life writing poems. Add another building things. Spend a life looking for fax he wrote. And another looking for truth. These are your lifetimes use them. That last in big bold letters. The thing that stood out to me in this comic is the suggestion that we not only have the opportunity to recreate ourselves. And every act of our lives. We have to let go. Other previous act the previous character. However attached we may become to whatever character we have played we can't play that character forever and live our life fully. If we try will never give ourselves a chance at transformation. Hurry birth to happen this tells me we have to be willing to let something about ourselves to die we have to tear down the house of our current life so that a new one can be built. Rebirth is only a part of our lives if we choose it if we are willing to grieve. Willing to grieve. And move on. So there was another piece of my answer of my question. I kept looking. The guidance of another minister i turned the philosophy turned to the work of nineteenth-century philosopher william james and his writings about the varieties of religious experiences. He wrote about the once-born versus the twice-born. And his view the ones born are those whose ideas about who they are and what is expected of them about benevolence and grace and goodness. Are never threatened. Those who never go through a crisis of faith. Twice born. On the other hand are those who have wrestled with a crisis of face or conscience for identity and come out of that changed. Those folk who have seen the long dark night of the soul and a merge new people. With new ways of seeing things. I imagine that many of you have some idea of what william james wrote about. For one thing i know that many of you didn't start out life as unitarian universalist you have left something behind to come here. And even those of you who were born unitarians or universalist or unitarian universalist. I've had moments of deep disillusion. When you lost belief or stepped through despair. Change. Is hard. We all know that. Transformation is not easy or simple or tidy. It doesn't come when we expect it always. And it isn't always. Joyful. Seems clear from what he is saying that part of being reborn is being uncomfortable. Having our ideas and beliefs change. So there is one more aspect of my answer of my question. I found one more. In a photo. The picture was taken by a photographer named robert x fogarty. A man who is known for his message on skin portrait project called deer. World. This photograph was into boston marathon bombing survivors. They were a mother and daughter pair. The mother. Now missing both of her legs below the knee. The daughter horribly scarred. Their portrait red. Still standing. Still beautiful. These words written across her arms and across the mother's changed legs. It was taken. On the boston marathon finish line. I looked at that picture. All those two women sitting with her arms wrapped around each other the mother's prosthetic limbs lying next to them and i saw rebirth. Face i'd stopped into being survivors with grace and love tenderness. And strength. They chose chose transformation over defeat and with the help of their family and community at stepped into this new lifetime. This new aspect of their lives. I looked at their picture. And i saw the face of that young woman from the hospital where i did my chaplain training. I saw the faces of myself of everyone i know who has walked through a long dark night of the soul past despair and disillusionment. And emerged. Reborn. I saw a powerful answer to my question about what it means to be born again. We. Have the chance. To die and be born again within our lifetime. Define transformation. And life's transitions and in the things that challenge us. Or even on make us. Courage. And creativity. I'm loved. Most of all love. We can be reborn. Again. And again. I invite you. Enter with me now. Into a time of prayer. For those who are fearful. Teen change on the horizon we pray for courage. May our hearts lead you into discomfort and beyond. May you find hope. And a chance of new opportunity. For those who are stuck in a time of waiting. Having left one lifetime behind and unsure of what will come we pray for opportunity and discernment and support may you find a new path. And the chances you need to become whoever you might be next for those who have just entered a new lifetime a new section of their life we pray for joy may you steer through all the excitement and uncertainty of what is blossoming around you into the richness of all that you can be wherever you are on life's tourney i hope that you continue to return here at this place and this hour maybe a place for you to rest your soul. Wherever you are on life's journey. Whatever marvelous things that is you go out into the world to do. Whomever you are becoming. Take the spirit and the love of this community out with you. No. You are not alone. And the people said. Amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2018-03-04-The-Prayer-Begins.mp3?_=4

Sunday sermons from unitarian universalist church of davis california. org for further information. My name is danny lindstrom and ime intern and campus minister. It is so wonderful to be together again. And i'm autumn labor now and i'm the worship associate this sunday. As unitarian universalist we believe all people have inherent worth and dignity. You are welcome here no matter. You're welcome no matter your understanding of god. Answers to life's big questions. You are welcome and learners and compassionate listeners. I want to add a word about today's service often when we're here we are listening to prayers or the worship leaders are talking about prayers today the entire service is a prayer. Acknowledge all that is being held today we like one pillar candle for the sorrows of the world. Proudest moments that weigh heavy on her heart. And we like one pillar candle for the joys of the world for the moments of hope and celebrations. Will be doing the ham and the opening chalice reading together this morning you will be. And i will be. Reading some pros and then i will launch you into the second verse and you will know. That is your hint. And then i'm going to give you the word that will go in this dipper son because it is. Number 95 and the lyrics will appear up on the monitors and played for those who maybe. So i need a special sound from you what is the sound of a gnashing his teeth. Praying and it's and it's. But then. Mr.fox please. We would be so much sweeter. Go ahead and pray. And the geese got together in a yard and they started to dance. And he started. There's a moral of a story. Plane problems. The kids together. You are experiencing problems in your life possible. Eureka moment and you may find it because of the fix.. So that. A story for you. Spirit of life. I stand in a circle full of women are eyes closed and are breathing deep. Topping out a heartbeat on the drums to tum. Each of us news i can to our chest and continues tapping out that rhythm at first were out of sync but slowly i realize with wonder my heart is beating in time with that drum. The drummer later described. This is our daily prayer for centering and gratitude and i think drumming a prayer. I would describe relationship status with prayer through the years as it's complicated at this time of the story at the time of the story i was perhaps 20 and experiencing a family life for the first time free of church and prayer i was in fact determined not to pray i no longer wanted to ask for what i perceived as favors from a god i wasn't sure existed i no longer wanted to speak words ago. Because to me that's what prayer was. And that's all it was. I'm pretty sure i spoken here at least once about my reticence to start attending this church craig and our kids came here for about 6 months before. Willing. Meditation and ritual shirin yoga. Breathing cleared my mind provided some clarity and help me be in the moment with prayer i was always worried about. Farm. Get the words right use the correct form and be clear what i was asking for and for heaven's sake i was 20 at the time i didn't know what i wanted how could i ask for it. And of course the more i began to attend church here the more i learned that there was room to bring my warts and all all the questions. And i started talking to all of you. Humanist you atheist agnostics christians choose pagans. When i realized how different unitarian universalism was from my catholic upbringing i made a point of seeking out some of the elders in our congregation. Contraire. One woman told me that for her prayer was a clean slate moment in her day. She take her worries and anxieties. In one fell swoop in offerup all her confusion to her higher power. It was she said the best part of her day. Another told me that her prayers whenever for herself but always for others. Request for help and healing hopes for patience and restraint. My favorite response with the gentleman who started when i asked him if he prayed and said that he was really good with the soil and tinkering with the prayer not so much. And so i stayed here actually 16 years this month. What's not to love about a church where you can honk like a goose and snore like a spa. And i liked it so much that i thought being a worship associate would be a good thing and it is. The concept of spirit of life as we know it resonates so deeply with me. I understand it is a relationship of give-and-take i'm not just asking for something i'm entering into a relationship. Spirit of life unto me in my heart all the stirrings of compassion. And to each of you who has conversations with me and help me i offer today a prayer of gratitude to you for helping me find my spiritual home. Of her arm and angle worms. And the green grass snake. Whose hair is like the aurora borealis waterfall and a spider's web. Huzzah. His name is everyone's but mostly mine. And what shall we pray. Thank you. Kinds of prayer. For unitarian universalist. Confession. You are the slim crescent of a moon twenty-one-year-old flannery o'connor begins of prayer in 1946 when in residence. In the prestigious iowa writers workshop. Dear god she rides because prayers are address to some source. I cannot love thee the way i want to you are the slim crescent of a moon that i see. And myself. Is the earth's shadow that keeps me from seeing all of the moon. The crescent is very beautiful. Afraid of is that my shadow self. I do not know you. Because i am in the way. Help me she says. To push myself aside so i can see. The full beauty of the moon get me out of the way. I didn't confession. A unitarian universalist might pray this way. You are the slim crescent of the moon. I don't even dare to slow my busyness to be aware of your life. For fear that it will show me the full expand. Apostillado. Where my doubts are hidden. The place in my being where the pain of love lost resides. Memories. Of my miss. My mistake are stored. Confession in prayer. How hard it is to trust that the beauty. Of the world is stronger. And my doubts. Can my losses and my mistakes. Savoring all that is my life. This. Could be a confessional prayer. For a unitarian universalist. Four kinds of prayer heard. In life. They could have meaning for a unitarian universalist. Surrender. How hard it is for us. Just surrender. What. David tank. To admit that we might not be totally in control. Everything. In our lives. After. When i flew airborne onto my shoulder almost 1 year ago. I discovered what many people know that the body is sacred. If a temple. Four weeks friends and family accompanied me so i was never alone and my body was prepared gently as if. I was entering a life-changing rite of passage. The priestess of pain altering drugs. Worth more than gold. Appointments became sacred meeting with the priestess of the scalpel. Companion. The priests of deep sleep. For the procedures of the holy hospital temple. Special holyclothing. And finally there were ritual washing procedures. There were special clean sheets for the bed and close everything was as pure as possible for the preparation of everything to be connected again. Under the light surrounded by the priestess and the priest and all of their attendance. It seemed right to offer a very important and i will say brief. Silent prayer of surrender. What i was really saying to them. Well we were joking quite honestly. I said if you start to come to we're going to notice you have to trust them like. They said we might be talking about sports and i said. Please don't talk about football. This is what i was doing. I give my whole self my complete self. Did the skill of those who surround me now. They are accomplished. They are compassionate. May they be centered and even joyful as they repair what is broken. I offer my body and my spirit in this place to these people. May they have all that they need. I surrender in hope. Backwards from 10. 9. 7. The lights of the room are gone. Their voices saying. That. Unitarian universalist prayer of surrender. Four kinds of prayer heard in life that unitarian universalist. My shoes. Adoration. For the beauty of the earth. Which from our birth no one singing yet over and around us. We raised our hymn of grateful praise. Is that not a prayer. Shout praises for blossoms that shower the pathways like swirling snowflakes nothing like what they're getting on the east coast yes i sent our kind of. Snowflakes on facebook. This is no time for quiet prayers and ponderings and regrets. We have all we need. Trampled. For a time no matter what. What is given in beauty. And forget the rest. Amen. Kinds of prayer heard in life. It could be used. By unitarian universalist. Thankfulness. Prayer. Written by mary oliver. It doesn't have to be the blue iris. It could be a fuse. Attention. Send patch a few words together and try to make some elaborate. This isn't a contest. But a doorway into thanks. And a silence in which another voice. May speak. This is our time of thankfulness and our prayer to put a few words together and try to make some elaborate. I invite you now into this face with these people. Name. What it is. That you feel thankfulness for. In your life. Relationship. When one of us celebrates a joy for grieves the loss. We are apart of the turn of the earth the shift of the stars the policy. And all.. It is all. Prayer. Amen. These two every cards and made peace go with you this week and may you share what you have found here with others. And may we be a part of a sacred embrace forever.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-11-16_Love-Knows-No-Borders_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website at www.sec.gov or further information. So welcome to the sanctuary how good it is to see all of you today and welcome to celebrating the beauty of this earth and to be in community thing about the beauty of the earth i don't know how many of you saw that new trees were planted along russell yesterday and they look to be a big party at the moors when i went by i think they were feeding the masses if i'm not mistaken but this is a place of challenge of compassion. This is the time to light the large chalice in the front of the sanctuary is a symbol of unitarian-universalism and is represented in many ways in one of its forms that i specially like the chalice is depicted by two hands sheltering the flame this image as a reminder that we ourselves are the carrier of the small light we carry it out into the world and we carry it into ourselves on the covenant of our faith with others as we do the work in the world this covenant is the spiritual basis of the work that we do and the world today and social justice but not forgotten. So you can see me as well as hear me. These words again that we used to close today i believe this world is beautiful.

uudavispodcast_org

2016-04-17-As-the-Deer_-Earth-Day-Celebration_09_30.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please use it or website at w.w. org for further information. The community where we definitely encourage each other and our work is is to keep our sights on the very best that we hope we can be out. And cherish this living earth especially on this earth day as our sacred home. Here we are surrounded by diversity of religious beliefs. God or whatever it is we place. Our ultimate phase-in is different for each of us and comes from all alike experience. For this service in particular threads of inspiration have come together in a collaboration that spans years and includes composers arrangers new lyrics old bibles. 2 homily riders 3 staff musicians choirs of ringers and singers and now all of you. To be a little more specific the trail that has brought us to this service. Is this barbara meixner leader of the handbells heard a beautiful melody called as the deer. But the contemporary christian praise song by martin nystrom. Based on psalm 42. She wanted that melody for her bell choir. Have you found an arrangement for handbells that she liked longing to hear voices in song with the bells barbra composed choral parts to complement the peace. But she had no words. She asked me if i would write the lyrics to match her notes using psalm 42 as an inspiration. I just looked at what she gave me and quickly found a perspective i thought you use could relate to. Three years we waited. For a moment when this piece of music could serve the worship needs of the church and now it has arrived beth dona barbara nancy and i have all stepped into the stream together bringing along the sparks choir singers that julie bell players. And you. These words from margaret kuip uu minister. As surely as we belong to the earth. We belong together. We join here to transcend the isolated self. To reconnect. To know ourselves to be at home. Here on earth. Under the stars. And linked with each other. And for opening words. Here on earth. We are now the living. We gather together and worship to sing listen celebrate honor. Awesome to grieve. We seek the sacred. And we seek those meanings and values which make our lives whole. As you enter su center yourself in this sanctuary. Think of all the communities all over the earth. Camitas we do and for similar reasons. To find meaning in love and healing. Also think of all the many centuries. That we as humans have joined together. To celebrate and pay homage to the sacred. However they understood it in their own times. Today will will be making a journey back and forth through the centuries inspired by a song that was composed. Perhaps as much as 3,000 years ago. I invite you to listen carefully. And with open hearts. The reading today's from the old testament from the book of psalms. Chapter 42 verses 1 through 8. As a deer longs for flowing streams. So my soul longs for you oh god. My soul thirsts for god. For the living god. When shall i come and behold the face of god. My tears have been my food day and night. Well people say to me continually where is your god. These things i remember is i pour out my soul. How i went with the throng and led them in procession to the house of god. With glad shows and songs of thanksgiving. A multitude keeping festival. Why are you cast down oh my soul and why are you disquieted within me. Pooping god for i shall again praise him my help and my god. My soul is cast on within me. Before i remember you from the land of jordan and of herman from mount mizar. Deep calls to deep at the thunder of your waterfalls all your waves and your breakers. Have swept over me. Aj the lord directs his love. At night. His song is with me. A prayer to the god of my life. As the deer longs for cool water. So my soul thirsts for the. Day and night. I crave the cool water of die company. My heart cries in thirst for thee. Oh holy assist of holies. Leave me not in sorrow. Lead me in thy presence. Enderle. My heart breaks in search of the o. Holiest of holies. Breaking open. I find. The holy is a place. Inside of me. As the deer drinks of cool water. So my soul is filled. Day and night. Itaste. The cool waters. Of the glory spilled. My heart. Things with praise for the. Oh holy assist. A police. Reverend beth and i prepared for this service by reading psalm 42 allowed to each other. We read several versions and we read slowly. We read the poetry and let it work on us. Then we just spoke the poems effect on us. And the particular images that stood out for each of us. Is all good poems. This song speaks from person to person. As you take part in the service you may find the images and passages that speak to you. And those are the ones that will be right for you. For me this song is allemand. And full of grief. In the foreground i heard. My tears have been my food day and night. These things i remember as i pour out my soul. How i used to go with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng. Why my soul are you downcast. Why so disturbed within me. My soul is downcast within me. Deep calls to deep as your waves and breakers have swept over me. Put your hope in god. For i will yet praise him. In my life. In my life. The first truly agonizing long-lasting grief. Came when my brother died. Breakfast 22 and he died of an overdose of heroin in 1971. I went around for sometime feeling broken open and like an amputee. A whole section of the body of me and mine cut off. As time passed i found my center once again. But i was not untouched and was certainly transformed for better or worse. After three years there came a day when i realized. The harmonist. In front of my heart was gone. There was a melting and opening and space to breathe into. Is it as if a rock had disappeared. Had finally surrendered its hardness. And it's need to protect me. Before then i would have said that my grief had been processed and was over. But when that opening of my heart curd. I knew that my brother spirit was at rest and alive. Within me. And i was moving on. And no i'm not sure i believe that this shift coincided. With the time of renewed vitality and focus in my life. Well when i was in graduate school we were taught that normal grief. Last 6 months. Even at that time we were suspicious over the years in my career as a psychologist. Grief work was often at the heart of the process. There is so much loss in our lives and so many levels of loss. I had to encourage people to trust grief as a normal and healthy psychic process. And not as an illness. Yep grief is hard work. Often we defend against it. The biggest defenses are guilt and blame. Guilt blame. Two sides of the same coin. Who's in fault. I know it may be hard to think of fault-finding as a defense. But such feelings can hurt a lot less than grief. And be less i'm doing. But what is even more important about fault-finding is that it helps us to maintain the illusion of control. If blame can be ascribed. Send something different could have happened. And we are still in the world that we know. But if no one or nothing is to blame. We are cast into the wilderness of unknowing. Into mystery. And into surrender. I hear surrender in the song in the words. Deep calls to deep. And your waves and breakers have swept over me. When riptide i had so much anger and blame. And my parents at the war. Addiction at myself. I had been the last in the family to speak with him. And that was when he contacted me to ask for money. And i refused. He responded with. So much for family. Those were the last words i ever heard from him. For me to gill park with a harder one to work through. In the song after the deepest surrender. When when is swept away. Something miraculous begins to happen. At the very bottom there's a turning. Hope returns. Or at least the possibility of hope. The song calls out. Put your hope in god for i will yet praise him. Notice that while the hope is still in the future. The healing is already happening. So psalm 42 may be regarded as a lament. But it is also a song of healing. We know from biblical research that songs were sung and worship settings within a covenanted community. The songs were a generating of energy. To help move individuals. From discouragement despair grief and isolation. Back into hope and community. So donna and i read this again. And again. And again. And soon of course we changed the words. To be the words that we. Wanted them to be. These things. Came to the surface for me. They're almost the opposite ones. Of what donna hurd. As the deer thirsts for streams of water so my soul needs cool refreshment. That is alive and yet it is elusive. When tears have been my food day and night i am sure the source is gone and i will never. Felix peace again. At the lowest point of despair at the fair. The depth of my spirit call. Hand weights. But even when i am filled with doubt. The waves of that living stream find me. Waves of what i know is god curve and break over my mind and my body and my spirit. All day my thoughts and speech then are directed to that love. And at night. It seems within me even in my sleep it makes me ready for the dawn. That's what i heard. And my parents used to tell me that when they would wake in the morning. They would hear me as a very small child. Singing in my crib and singing. Dad is what woke am i. Singing. This is the inspiration that i found. Enzyme 42. When we were involved and devotion. We listened from the perspective of our own life experience which is all we can ask of ourselves. There is truth of the heart which is what. We just displayed. But there's also truth of the intellect. Until we considered the research of scholars who plays the psalms of lament and thankfulness and praise. In historical perspective. So i give that to you the psalms were written from the 2nd to the 5th century it's a long time before the birth of christ before the common era. Sometime after they guess around 5:15. They were gathered together it's a hymnal. For worship. And they served as a unifying message of memory and renewal of commitment to a community. Does the people sang the verses. They were actually having literally having a conversation with god they believed. This god didn't just exist in the past and neither did their god live in a faraway place as most religions believed at that time. For those who sang the song it was understood that they were in the presence of god and all of god's power. The people and their god were in that moment creating the present and preparing for a future together so as the instruments played. The people lamented they complained. How they didn't think that there were going to come to some damage if they're flying. I'm not really sure but but they complained for the times when they had been abandoned and abandonment comes up over and over again these are people who are sure they have been abandoned. They give thanks for the beauty of the earth. And they sing praises for the times when they were acknowledged and when they were valued. This is what the psalms are all about. 1 scholar road that there's a difference between lamentations and a lament. Lamentations are an expression of grief. When the damages are a reputable. And the losses can never be healed. However laments. Are expressions of grief when there is hope or something new. That can come from the loss and pain. That's why donna referred to her experience as a lament. As long as the people were looking for some change of healing or learning from the experience there was reason to live with hope. Of course it could come from that force of god they could hope that from outside themselves this wonderful change would happen. But ultimately their people co-created this was their understanding that co-created the arc of history with. With that mystery and with that power. They. We're also the power behind hope. Although the songs we read today do tell stories from the past many are so open-ended and they are open-ended enough to apply to any time in history. When they are red or chanted or sun. They tell about the dynamics of our relationship. Parents and their children. Lovers. Friends. They are filled with gratefulness sensuality comfort amazement. They speak to the strain within communities of faith who come together and wrestle with how. To live their shared values. Big knowledge that sometimes we don't live up to our ideals. And some lyrics and we know saying up a real thing of destruction. If the songs reveal the beauty of human relationships they also show us at our very worst. They were written. To sometimes make us uncomfortable. The songs actually sent around the story of king david undergirds all of them he was known as the greatest king in jewish history. Some of the hymns are supposed to been composed by him and others were written that they say in the style of david perhaps only meaning that they were intended to be song. He was a commoner several stories about how he actually came into power. I certainly would because of his charisma his intelligence and a combination of compassion and ruthlessness. They said he was also in a special relationship with god. That being of the universe that partnered with humanity to create history. He unified nations in a way that has never been replicated. And under his direction the cities. When i just built they were built by artisan. And his demesne was the center of wealth. For the near east. It was a perfect world and a surface. And yet one oppressed population after another revolted. And when david betrayed his own ideas and then tried to cover his mistakes. The one unified empire crumbled. In a fraction of the time it had taken to create it. His own family lived in conflict far into the future and he was described as a broken man. And despite the spiral of one tragedy after another this story is known as element. And not a lamentation. The people look. To the future for a new leader in a new way. Element. When donna and i identified phrases that had that special meaning for us in this song it was only one we had in common. My tears have been my food day and night. When i read the story of david's reign. I saw a parallel. Some of what is precious in our society right now i think he's endangered. When i hear a candidate for our country's presidency. Call for deportation of those who practice. Their religion. I am angered. And when i realized he has a following. I am deeply. Alarm. Whether or not he becomes a final candidate in the upcoming election we have witnessed. How many people agree with him. And they have seen their own numbers. And i fear they feel empowered. And then i think about the environment we heard so much about this from fred small last week. I realize that the glaciers are melting and the seas are rising. I feel the stability of life itself. Is in danger. I lament. When we consider the controversy about the borders of countries and the protection of. Resources. I think about how just a few decades ago we celebrated tearing down walls that divided people. And now in the face of refugees fleeing wars and poverty the war the walls. A result of fear. Are being constructed again. There are reasons to lament. The challenges that we share together. But they are lament. Which means embedded in them. Is hope. In my interpretation of psalm 42 i leaned heavily. I'm searching for. I need it. A source of ongoing hope. If i don't have that hope if i don't have. That sense of on-going life. I feel like a dried-up leaf. That will. Blow away. And i actually have the sensation of thirsting. 4 coolwater. So i am in the unique position within this community. To witness the source of cool waters. But you often don't get to see. They are the waters that bring the living spirit of strength and balance. The authentic human response of love. Cool living water is found among longtime friends. Who hold hands in a circle. Singing to each other. Especially to one among them. Who needs the strength of their presents. It's in the labour of friends who go to the fields to help a farmer. In time of need. And pulling weeds they tell everyone why this moment. This sunburn. Is the adventure of a lifetime. But not a burden. The cool water that sustains me. I'm so lucky to hear this. Is when i use asked. Can we send notes to people who need encouragement. People we don't know. It's in the wordless gesture of soothing the hair of someone who has died. And arranging flowers on the body. And telling stories because. Stories need to be told again in the presence of that loved one. Who has died. Flowers adorning them. And smooth hair. Do you remember the time. And telling story after story. Our. After hour. I find the living water of hope. When people confess. New people who come here confess that they cry every sunday. I don't know why. And there's some kind of mysterious healing they feel is happening until they come back every week to cry again. I stopped worrying about what i just said it might make someone cry. It's in the young child i met with this last week who feel such a sense of identity did this community that he can explain how to be a good team player in little league. By using the words from the seven principles song. I drink the cool water of the living stream of hope. When young adults in this congregation except and look for. People to be their mentors. And mentors offer themselves to our young adults in their 20s and 30s. And it is the person. Who is so new to this church who knows no one. But wants the opportunity to be with an elder. And this seems like the right place that safe place. To establish that. Not known yet relationship. These are the things i have seen among. You. And the conversations. I've been blessed to have. And there is so much more. Finding the holy that is within ourselves as one source of the living water when we go it alone and somehow reach within and find it. But it can easily dry up if we search for it alone. So like the oldest communities of the jewish faith. It is only when we create community and sing this song to another. And with others. That it is a renewable resource. Like the people of the psalms. We need to know. To whom. We can sing our. Song. When i remember the actions in the words that create this. Laugh. If universalist kind of love. Feels my body and my mind and my spirit. It is all day my thoughts and speech are directed by it. And at night it's things within me. Even in my sleep. Makes me. Ready. For the da. I invite you into a time of silence. At the end of the prayer. Laura will lead us in a chance. That address is the holy that is within. But in the tradition of the psalms we will sing it to each other. Because we know to whom we can sing our song. I'm in front of me i have two bowls of water. The balls are of earth. The colors of. This earth and the sky. Your presence will blast. This water. And mystery of life the spirit of life blesses it too and we will have them at the. Back doors and as you leave. You're invited to dip your hands in the cool water. And place it wherever you feel you need healing. For your hope. Spirit of life. Good people. This water represents the ways this community renews a love that is larger than any one person. In its coolness we feel the way we open ourselves to healing. Sometimes by virtue of what we offer each other. And sometimes that healing comes to us from some mysterious source that cannot be named and softens our heart. When you touch this water. You blessed. And all those who follow you. And indeed it comes to us blessed by that spirit of life. I invite you into a time of silence. Where you consider. Where your strength comes from. And where you find your healing. Each of us. If a part of an intricate web of relationships. When one of us celebrate the joy degruy so lost the web of life moved to a new shape. We are apart of the turn of the earth. The shift to the stars the pull of the sea and all change. I invite you to stand and to take hands around the room. And the benediction is one we will do together. You have your part we have ours. I invite you to begin. Day and night i taste the cool water glory found in every drop. Found an earth sky fire and water. All here on this holy and sacred earth. We invite you to say amen and gratefulness for the music and division and you're welcome to come back for the cool water.

uudavispodcast_org

2015-08-16_The-Really-Short-Elevator-Speech_10_001.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. So welcome this is a community where we challenge each other which you will hear this morning encourage each other and support each other which happened seven-days-a-week r-vision for ourselves that we can be our life experience we celebrate those of all sexual orientations and gender identities and we welcome people of all races classes political parties and we will continue to work to build the world that we dream about to cherish the living earth as our sacred home today we welcome a guest the reverend doctor lucas. Leave aside the little thoughts that distract you like all places is a holy place. And no like all times is a holy time join with this community of seekers. Welcome to this place of possibility. This is loves hearth. This home of hope a refuge for mines in search of truth. Truth unfolding ever beautiful ever strange here compassion is our shelter freedom our protection from the storms of bigotry and hate. In this abode may we find comfort encourage. Kiramei our site become vision to see the unseen. A glimpse of the good. That is yet to be. This meeting. Chosen by lucas to support his sermon by laurel schneider beyond monotheism. In her book beyond monotheism the theologian laurel snyder rides a navajo man once told willard w kill. With a guest among the people. That poverty is the lack of songs. I've always been a poor man he explained to hill. I do not know a single song. Schneider continues this man was not spouting some romantic words about. Times with rich with nostalgia for a time when old men could afford to sit around on porches and swap tall tales or, favorite tune from their youth. This deceptively simple description of what it meant to a traditional navajo man. To be poor. Is a statement. It describes a people who recognized the power of embodied narratives. In poetry. Song. And story. To make. And unmake worlds. Send to reading. Standing on the threshold of a warm home and a winter fantasia. Dressed in a puffy white coat with fake fur trim around the collar long underwear poking out from the bottom of her pant leg. And tube saw sad chase against her calf muscles. She is ready for school. Her sister is dressed the same in a winter outfit that would put ralphie's brother in a christmas story to shame some of you get that reference right. This is a story that one of my colleagues in ministry shared about her childhood before going out into the winter cold she and her sister would be carefully dressed by their mother and just as they walked out her mother would call out behind them. Now remember to be great today. Remember to be great today. I so love that injunction to be great i have thought about putting up a notecard in my office that says lucas. Remember to be great today. I think it's the antidote to feeling beat down and apathetic it is saying go out into the world and care about something deeply today. I can't think of a better message. With which to send someone off. It is wonderful to be here with you all today and i know from talking with beth that the davis congregation is doing a lot of wonderful work in the community i'm particularly excited to hear more about the uniting for just for racial justice committee a little bit later in the service and i know that you all are doing a lot of fantastic and wonderful were. There are a lot of people here today who really. Care. So i do not mean for this to sound like a non sequitur to know that people do not always. Are there is a danger perhaps it is cultural perhaps it is universally human of losing the ability to name what is important to us losing the ability to care. I'm reminded of a story from charles swindoll. Every time i hear the word apathy he says. I remember the words of a friend of mine who teaches high school just long enough to realize he shouldn't be teaching high school he is assigned to teach a course filled to the brim with students who do not want to learn in fact it is one of those courses where you have to arrive very early in order to get one of the coveted back sees a couple of students get there so late that they are stuck in the front row. They can't care less what the subject is. The teacher finally gets fed up with their apathy. He grabs a piece of chalk whirls around to the chalkboard and begins to / away and bigfoot high letters apathy. He underlines it twice and then slams an! on it that breaks the chalk. One of the students up in the front crowns is he struggles to read the word. Unable to pronounce that he tilts his head to one side and start spelling it allowed and then. Mispronounces it. Then he leans over to his buddy. What in the world is a pacy his friend john's back with a sigh. Who cares. Apathy flourishes in a place where the relevance of an idea or a movement or tradition has drained away. Unitarian universalism are liberal religion that stretches back at least five centuries has sometimes been met with precisely this charge irrelevance. People have sometimes heard our message. And yawned. The sas george temple strong in 1858 made this charge against the unitarian minister in new york. Keep bluewell his lecture was pleasant and instructive but it is very curious to observe the impracticality of all sermons essays and lectures by these unitarians when they undertake any practical subject whatever he goes on. The unitarians are sensible handed subtle in original in discussing any social evil or abuse but somehow they don't get at it. You feel you have heard or read a very entertaining paper embodying a good deal of deep and clear thought and ask what shall i do and pause for a reply. Upaws in vain. Ouch. That is a harsh verdict for us. And yet i get it i remember my own struggle to articulate our liberal religion when i was in my first college year i'm sitting in a large green room that smells like old cardboard boxes ugly yellow plaid chairs and garish orange plastic tables. the rooms each of which would have been paired nicely with a beehive hairdo and bell-bottoms it reminds me of a line that i heard on tv. That there are some decades that taste forgot and apparently the school had forgotten about this room about the same time that tastes had. This is a lounge area in the college and many students come here to study. I'm with a small group of twenty-somethings quizzing each other on geology terms as we take a break and stray from the subject of freshman science one of the other student asks me about the church that i go to. What does it believe. She asks. Ipaws. I try to remember the long and wordy explanation my minister had made the previous sunday i struggle in vain to remember you you world articles on this subject the clock is ticking and this person is looking at me expectantly i end up choking about something about the seven principles of unitarian universalist and her response says it confused apathetic shrug. My articulation of our religion is botched. Irrelevant. I hadn't gotten. Got it. But what was worse. I don't feel it in my heart i don't feel like i have adequately describe something that is so very meaningful to me. The verb to believe comes from the old english word tubal of it is about what we dedicate our hearts and our minds and our souls 2. And that moment i can't articulate what it is that i the love that i dedicate my heart to. Inside. My spiritual companions die. Deeply. Troubles me. Some of you will no doubt be familiar with the call of the former president of the unitarian universalist association bill sinkford. He said that unitarian universalists need to craft an elevator speech the captures the heart of the matter in a few lines. I used to think that the value of that endeavor was articulating the what of unitarian-universalism to strangers. But looking back at that experience in college at the distress that i feel at not being able to articulate what it is that i so love. I now think differently. I think the value lies in articulating our face to ourselves. It is about clearly and directly naming what it is that we soba love. It is about naming the heart of the matter why this tradition. Why this religious community deserves our commitment. Energy money and time. Let me put it this way. When someone asks you what your faith is. When someone asks you what unitarian-universalism is what stops you from shrugging and saying. Who cares. Who cares. Here is what i care. About here is my take on the central message of liberal religion. One source. Many names. No one left behind. Our unitarian heritage teaches that there is an essential unity at our source. This is close to what the word unitarian originally meant that there is a oneness behind divine appearances. One of our hems says that we travel from mystery to mystery. I personally like a passage from the theologian forest church. Church says. Gaze into the light of the heavens by the latest reckoning with 100 billion stars in each of 100 billion galaxies and 6.7 billion people alive on earth there are approximately 1,500 stars for every living human being. The star the human ratio is 1500 to 1. Contemplate that from somewhere in the depths of the cosmic mystery we humans have emerged in our part of the breathtaking experiment that is called creation we come from one source we share a common holy and astonishing origin. One source many names. No one left behind. That source while it has an essential unity also has many names. There is a plurality of understandings of that source so gratuitous that it may very well rival the stars in their number and we unitarian-universalist do not begrudge that plurality instead we be loved it. We honor the multiplicity of stories that speak of that single-source even as we recognize that no single story can exhausted. Laurel snyder in the reading that bested this morning. How old's of an anthropologist who went to live among the navajo people. The anthropologist was amazed amazed to learn that in navajo culture. Poverty was not judged by a lack of wealth or by an inferior social status. Rather poverty is. A lack of stories. To be poor is to lack the ability to hear and understand and sing the world into being in lots of different ways. I might paraphrase the ancient vedas here. Our source is one. The wise call it by many names. I agree with that. We need lots of different ways for naming that source and telling its story we need scientific descriptions that get us close to the cosmic vitality and molecular specificity of our origins we need poetry that pulls us beyond our narrowly imagined world and invites us into transcendence and we need religious narrative to teach us to see the divine in the wild and prolific forms and faces that make up our world. We need lots of names lots of stories lots of songs for how this single-source unfurls itself in our world. One source. Many names. No one left behind. And finally. We need to know. We need to know in arbonne that no one is excluded from that gracious source of all being. This touches the original meeting axiological universalism which was the idea that no human being would be abandoned by god and left behind. Our theological ancestors discovered great freedom in that claim. They did not say. Hey we're all saved so let's party. Instead because the universalist were able to stop worrying about life after death. They found the freedom to focus on life before. Das. They spearheaded the movement of prison reform women's rights mental health advocacy vikas 4-piece and that names only a few. Their theology freed them. Take care. Onesource. Many names. No one left behind. I think it's important to notice that tearing doesn't happen in a culture that universally affirms our message. Often we do it despite what happens in our surrounding culture to take just one item from the news in the past few months the shooting at the emanuel ame church continues to haunt me the shooter was a person who was able to sit with a group of people for an hour as they express their heartfelt longings in prayer and then mercilessly shoot them dead. He found from a family a culture and ideologies that teaches that there is a fundamental divide that separates us and that some people some people are left behind. It is to these situations situations like this one and as so many others that i want to offer a good word irrelevant and a hopeful message something more than just to confuse or apathetic shrug something that can make a genuine difference in a world that is torn apart by fear and by hayes. This is precisely the kind of situation that i want to offer a response. 2. There are some who do not think that we unitarian universalists have any. Relevance. They say we are unable to articulate the heart of who we are and more importantly. Why it matters. Here is my attempt to articulate the heart. Of the matter. One source. Many names. No one left behind. It's more than an elevator speech for me. It's my testimony about our faith it is a statement of what i believe and be loved about this tradition that has made such a difference in my life that has shaped me and such core and fundamental ways this message is relevant and it can mend what is broken in our world it is my way of caring and if it in anyway matches what you care about. Then i freely. Offer it. My spiritual companions. Whether you are here and new to unitarian universalism or you have been here a long time. Remember. To be great today. Invite you into a time of prayer. When we look at one source. Many names. Hand-woven into that prayer. No one left behind. Does a part of this prayer you will find. Some quiet. To think about what lucas has offered to you. There will be singing. What you see on your yellow sheet and i will lead you. So don't. Worry about that. Just be present. Invite you into a time of reflection. Leaving behind the busyness of your life. The busyness of moving which any number of people in this congregation have done this month. Even even celebrations. Rest from your mind to your feet. And go to that place where you find strength. A deeply personal place. And hear these words by julian love. I welcome you into some quiet. Before i begin her words. Onesource. We have not forgotten. Many names. In nature we see q. In the whisper of wind. In the new greenwood. Your presence. His near. We have not lost hope. In the dust of the desert. In the rush of the wave. In the rise of the mountain. Your presence. Is near. We remember the cycle. In the promise of blossoms in the dying leaves in the bare branches. Your presence. Is near. Haddad's your minister. I remind you that there is a presence that helps us care for those who would receive our compassion and support emily and laura welcome being blessed by this community in prayer your presence of many names gives strength to be present for the pain of the world for the fires that continue to burn the grasses and forest in this drought for the farmers in this congregation and this community who worried about their crops for the demonstrations that continued in ferguson and around the country this week for the ways we know no that internationally women have had better treatment but yet in today's news it's revealed that there is systematic slavery of women in iraq and syria for this and all the ways human rights are slow to come to fruition we are held in a love that is larger and more embracing than anyone human love it without it we could easily so easily of the stars and all change. Invited to take hands around the room being sure that no one is left out and also to remember that lucas will be in the thing as room shortly after the service for anyone would like to join him there and now we're closing there's so much in this world has been destroyed i have to cast my lot with those who age after age perversely and with no extraordinary power choose to reconstitute the world may we go forth and do likewise amen.

uudavispodcast_org

Worship-2012_07_08-10a_ED-1.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov org.com asian. Good morning i am brian plude. I'm an aspirin for ministry at starting school for ministry in berkeley. And a longtime member of this congregation. How is senior minister betbanks. He's away on study leave. And vacation and will return in august. This is a caminar newest hymnal last was his. camino. And it says liberty is not. To wake one morning without chains. It's something more. Liberty is not to have the keys to all doors. It's something more. Liberty is not to construct yourself a sanctuary a world apart. It's something more. Liberty is to live together. To decide. To choose. Liberty is to love to understand. And a struggle so that all might obtain liberty. Good morning. My name is a kenny and i'm worship associate here this church. Difference will be lighting our challenge this morning. Speedrunner church in the early 90s. At the time. He was overjoyed to find there was a church for what he had always believed. Tri-valley is unitarian universalism because it's a church. Not just about talking or thinking or worshipping. Is actively putting our values into place the social justice. His favorite sport in the world is water skiing. And he had a great time at jf weeks ago. Hue bechain life dreaming about this experience later in the service. At this time i would like to invite steve down sweater chalice. General assembly. Is the unitarian universalist conference that happens every year. It's a place for you use. All around the country to come together to love to grow. And learn and worship. Unfortunately. I was unable to attend she this year. It just didn't end up working out very sad. Nsaid. I decided to volunteer to be a camp counselor. Apple scam call oak i do for kids with cancer. The camp runs during summer. And it's free for all children who are suffering or who have suffered through childhood cancer. Counselors are usually in charge of 527 kids with a co-counselor. I would turn out. Out of all the people i could possibly have been paired up with. Michael counselor was. And you you mom from new jersey. We found out we were both you you my started humming, whoever you are. Mckevin while i was sleeping up and she started singing along. Throughout the week. We really bonded there are you you identities. And caring for a campers. We were in charge of six girls. Between the ages of 8 and 10. Sira handful. Enjoy. Even after the fifth bathroom trip in the middle of the night. Being a camp okizu with a really powerful experience for both of us. I can't. All the counselors for united around. A common goal. Provide children an important outlet. A sanctuary away from cancer. We went boating and fishing we play games laugh together. Tell me also cried together. We should friendship bracelets. And. Listen to each other stories about being close to dying. Each of these six girls. And amaze me with her strength and courage. It was a truly life-changing experience. Happy end. On the last day. After a week of camp. Me my co-counselor. When's the lake. And collected water for the water ceremony. Reflecting on how camp okizu. Head opens our minds and hearts. As i come to understand it. My experience at camp. Is a b like it affects the general assembly. Particularly this year. This year. Ga withheld in arizona. In response to arizona's sb 1070 the bill legalizing racial profiling. For me and my fellow councillors. We're bonding together to help kids through childhood cancer. Do you use a gta 4 fighting for social justice. Inequality. It warms my heart to be stranded by people that cared this much. You know many of us. I only have been at ga in spirit. I feel blessed. An honored. To be a member of a church. The bonds through helping others. Just like my fellow counselors at camp okc. We have to life journey's this morning or snippets of life journeys from justice ga. Steve burns was already introduced and. He will be followed by. Brittany snow hernandez. Who is aisha long long time g a color. And somewhat of a. Policy wonk. Snow loves plenary. Try invite steve. To the podium. The time my speech and it was one minute shirt i get to do a few more thing this is what you wear when you go to gta v in the door cuz the doors are not open to anyone except register people. I'm if you're a delegate you get to vote in the other delegate thing which identifies people who are delegates and i've been 25th now along with pat and will tell you the story of this ga. And why we started going regularly like snow. I'm also happy to not be talking to you about money today this is the first this is the first time that's happened in a long time and i was amazed at the energy and richness of the experience. Worship services were all inspiring talks on various aspects of our faith were thoughtful and the process of watching democracy in action with actions of immediate witness or csa eyes which stands for congregation study or action item. For other orders of business. Was fascinating and impressive. The process is well-regulated with a gifted moderator. And gives voice to all. It becomes clear when people have heard enough discussion. And then tonight amused to vote. In five years i've only seen a physical count of votes once. And it is clearly in favor or against an item and that's generally obvious and this is how you vote people have these delegate cards which they have to hold up and they just survey the crowd which this time was about 3,700 garga attendees from around the country and the world if only our national and state governments work is efficiently why do we choose to attend this special justice ga that works in a clinic in woodland has many spanish-speaking patients with significant do unknown number of them maybe undocumented. Many have family in both the us and mexico and their medical insurance is often as seasonal as their work. I've been aware of immigration problems and i'm concerned about vigilante activities. Among some zealous self-appointed border guards. And arizona law sb 1070 has unleashed a rash of copycat legislation around the country. I wanted to learn more about these issues and help where i could. We had less business as usual at this ga and more direct action. Pat and i both trained on completing the form for us citizenship and went to a naturalization citizenship fair. Kenneth is fair they asked ga attendees to identify if they would be willing to do this. They were worried they might not have enough people to help and they need at least 200 the ended up with 600 volunteers at this fair and we assisted over 300 permanent residence is what they're called. To accurately submit their applications to become citizens which is the final step in the process. So these people will be eligible to vote. By the time the elections come in the fall. The powerful vigil later in the week with chanting and singing outside sheriff joe arpaio is infamous tent city was held. And it was about 100 degrees at night at dusk when we arrived. We're all given little electronic handles we were told that the detainees could hear us from their tents and we let them feel our support. I was moved to challenge to energize by many aspects of this ga. Knowingly made a difference by confronting injustice and hearing practical ways to help change people's minds empowered me in the face of large issues. Many times during these five days i found it hard to sing as the pain and burden of our brothers and sisters choked me up at the start of this ga we were told our partner organizations. Had asked us to make a statement repudiating the doctrine of discovery. Impress for implementation of the un declaration on the rights of indigenous peoples in the us. We hope you will come to our discussion after the service to hear more about how these oppressive rationalizations. Which is the doctrine of discovery. Fuel the conquest of savage lands. He ran around the world thank you. Morning going into my 7th general assembly i thought i basically knew it all. And this year thanks to your generous financial support i get to share the experience with three of my friends and fellow young adults from the congregation tom zolot odessa mclean and megyn kelly. I'd meet you use from across the country and reconnect with old friends. I knew i'd sing and worship and have deep conversations about all aspects of unitarian universalism. My arms will get tired holding her banner in the banner parade. I be inspired challenged and would leave exhausted but happy no big surprises. But this justin's ga was different. For the first time i struggled heavily with my role in the larger uu community. I struggle through discussions with so many people who seemed either much less. Or even more radical than i was and you were very vocal about their different views with religiously and politically and in terms of where we as you used should stand. Suddenly my political beliefs were at odds with my religious when. I question the effectiveness of our approaches the social justice and of the merits of using unitarian-universalism as an avenue for doing justice work in my own life. Essential part of this general assembly was the witness event that steve mentioned intensity in phoenix. Density is a detention centre for undocumented individuals run by phoenix the sheriff joe arpaio. People have been held there anywhere from a few days. 2/7 years. Subjected to subjected to conditions of extreme heat inside their tent shelters terrible food that has been reported as containing bugs and rocks. And numerous other inhumane conditions. We were going to stand on side of love and send a witness to sheriff joe arpaio that we as a people of faith. Good with the undocumented individuals who were treated as less than citizens and often as less than human. There was space on the bus. For 2,000 you use to attend this witness. Just about half the number of the total ga attendees. We were told very clearly not to engage in any direct action at the event. And not to interact with the police. Leading up to the event. Quite a few young adults as well as others. We're scrutinizing the lack of direct action and the mandate against it over the course of the week. Here we where 4000 you use in phoenix. And we were going to have a witness event where we stand outside and sing. Listen to some speakers make a few news headlines that would be forgotten in a few days. Here we were 4,000 largely privileged individuals holding so much power and we were going to stand outside and sing. How could we not do something bigger. We got on the buses anyway and headed out to tent city. But we found there were powerful speakers a strong strong sense of community and hundreds upon hundreds of voices singing and chanting together and face. Adam sense of justice and hope. No we didn't shut down tensity. No we didn't end racial profiling or the private prison industry or overturn sp1070. But we did send a message that night. And even if it made no difference to joe arpaio i strongly believe that it meant something to those inside the tents. Hearing us outside shouting our support. At the end of the night as we waited for the buses a huge drum circle road. I've never seen so many strangers dance together in such a way. Even locals join den including friends and family members of the detain. Speakers who just share their experience of being undocumented and even the man who'd been pushing the ice cream cart. After the stories we just heard and how impassioned we saw that in the face of just injustice but even then full of hope. What else was there to do but they dance together. The experience luis away. At this general assembly we stood together as a people of faith. Many of us were deeply affected by the witness event not simply on a justice level but on the spiritual one. There is a time and place for different types of action and what we did as a religious body by holding witness and simply being a presence was important in and of itself. And it's just a lie along the lines of where i realistically expect us to be. I can't expect the uua to conform to or officially condone the widespread implementation of my more controversial strategies for political change. And so what if unitarian-universalism isn't necessarily the best avenue for me to live out my personal choices for political action and social justice. Knowing i am part of a religion that is not willing to stand by idly when faced with injustice is enough for me. You cheer my experiences at general assembly continue to strengthen my face. Mayuyu community at my personal growth. And as it turns out this year proved to be no different. Cuz you heard. General assembly is held annually to attend to the business of you use nationwide. During many hours of plenary session in an amazing democratic process. Issues of business and policy are debated modified and brought to vote. And steve has described for us. The delegates from our church. Who sat through. He's plenary sessions. And voted on these issues. And if you are present please stand. Tom zola. Ramon urbano. Stephanie close. Steve burns. Marty west. And judy morris. Let's hear it for these dedicated. Hea is much more than this. Gta is about a banner parade. Power banner our lovely banner. Was created new this year. By peg riker. Peg don't know if you're here. Hand-carried. They are young adults. Ga is where 4,000 you use worship in the same room. Like attending a christian megachurch i guess i know it's powerful. Va is where you can buy enough books on sale from beacon press to go broke. And where you can spend even more money i'm really beautiful chalice jewelry. You can collect enough free pieces of paper and brochures to put you over your luggage weight limit. You can attend a specialty service. Uu christian worship with eucharist. Awaken worship. A buddhist meditation. A humanist uu service for probably any other flavor wud ology. You can choose from a smorgasbord of wonderful. Lectures and workshops and you meet friends. And acquaintances in the elevator. In the halls. For dinner. At the hotel bar at the end of the day. Ga is where we affirm our faith within our national community of you use. And even within our world community. But this particular ga. Justice ga. What about these things. And more. On april 23rd 2010 the state of arizona passed into law. The support our law enforcement and safe neighborhoods act. Commonly known as sb 1070. Yes you heard correctly. Support our law enforcement and safe neighborhoods act. Really. Support making it illegal for migrants to apply for work. Support racial profiling to check immigration status. Support probable cause of undocumented status. Weed racial profiling. To make an arrest without a warrant. In response to what many felt was an unethical and unconstitutional law. There was an immediate national call to boycott arizona. And that was the initial reaction. Have you use. Boycott. Boycott. Arizona for a general assembly in 2012. However. We were approached by grassroots organization in the state of arizona. To show up. In our 2010g a we debated issue realizing that this would mean a radically different pa than our norm. 9 immigration-related business would be kept to a minimum. Normal. Things that happened at g a near and dear to some more many would be left out. At the end of the day we voted to go to phoenix in a way yet to be determined and in a way unimagined by many of us. There were growing pains and getting to and even while in phoenix as you just heard from snow. Something radically different with asked of us. We were in phoenix not to impose our idea of what should be done but rather to listen. I'm learn. Find from people of color. And assist our host organizations in the ways that they requested. It did not necessarily match what we thought we should do. Finally we were in phoenix. To provide witness. I'm going to take dressed now. Into my personal experience of this ga. During our opening celebration on wednesday evening we learned of the doctrine of discovery and i'll come back to this. By and many we're hearing of this for the first time. I later attended a workshop. The doctrine of discovery gave the christian god. They got the authority of the christian god. In the form of the pope. To the european. For the right to colonize the uncivilized world. This authority was issued in the form of a papal bull in 1493 yes right after columbus discovered america imagine that. This is obviously important for indigenous peoples everywhere but why is it specifically important to immigration to latino immigrants largely targeted by laws such as sb 1070. Find digimax people. They're not your legal on this land. The extant. Johnson vs mcintosh makes themself. The service of the living tradition occurs on friday evening about midway through ga. During the service those newly admitted into preliminary fellowship as ministers are recognized by name and honored. Our recent internationally foreign with so recognized. Also recognize are ministers entering into final fellowship somewhat akin to becoming tenured. Our former interns eliza gallaher. Greg mcgonigle to say recognize. And of course our own nancy schaefer. Was recognized among those ministers who have died in the past year. Very special the moving part of my ga experience was the privilege of singing inquires which embodied the music brought into worship. We will shortly here. The artist version of wallflower which we sang during our friday evening worship service with jason shelton as lead soloist. If you recognize the name jason shelton you should. He is composed some of our best-loved hymns of recent history including standing on the side of love. Which so the story goes he wrote in about 10 minutes in a flash of inspiration. Wallflower was written by the british progressive rock musician peter gabriel in 1982 to bear witness to the prison of uses of latin america taking place in latin america at that time. That it speaks to prison conditions that exist now in this country. I find painful. I attended that same workshop steve mentioned on completing citizenship documents. However i arrived about 40 minutes late because of choir practice. As i sat through the remaining hour-and-a-half construction. I'm sorry i just how nitpicky these forms were and how a wrong entry could jeopardize or torpedo someone's chance citizenship. My resolve to help david. We were told by the instructor. That immigration citizenship law. Is more complicated than our tax law. There were plenty of volunteers. Titan missed a significant portion of the workshop i didn't feel qualified to assist with such important documents. On saturday evening. I attended the annual where lecture. Before the event before the witness event attempt city. Along with thousands of other you use. This year the where lecture was presented by maria elena hosa of mpr fame. Here are my take-home messages. From maria's talk. Paraphrasing elie wiesel holocaust survivor and nobel laureate mahota said. There is no such thing as an illegal person. The nazis made jews illegal. Prior to the holocaust. 2. Under civil immigration law detainees are not guaranteed access to a lawyer. Great. Undocumented migrants are subject to double jeopardy under the law. They can be deported for crimes for which they have already served their sentence sometimes decades previously. 4. There are no legally binding standards for detention centers. No one is held accountable for the abuse has to take place inside the centers. Jumping ahead. During our witness event missing alyssa. Peter morales. Bill schultz and others were given a vip tour of tent city in a tv news clip i saw the next day bill schultz. Former uua president. For ten years executive director of amnesty international. Compare the conditions intensity to prisons he had been and in myanmar. Yanmar. Us. But yes. For me the most moving things about the witness occurred as it was ending and after if i was going back to the buses so i passed people who might think we're friends and relatives of prisoners. Their gratitude for our presents to load in their faces. And i later spoke with a friend to a den in a position to see hands waving from inside the prison. She said that it was apparent from the waiting. They were hearing and responding to our scene. My final personal ga experience has to do with baseball. At least one person who knows i'm a baseball fan. Arizona diamondbacks we're playing at series with the chicago cubs. Two blocks from the convention center and i dearly wanted to see again. I invited a friend from starr king who knew i knew was a baseball fan. It's also a huge social activist. She said she couldn't. Because the owner of retirement backs with a big financial supporter of joe arpaio. Sheriff joe arpaio, not kansas city. You know there are some things you would rather knocked out. And to that i say amen and blessed be. Please join hands. Paraphrasing former uu president bill sinkford. Am i was privileged to hear in a workshop. The spiritual question for us as you use is can we stand on the side of love for the long haul. Even if we are not to heroes. And even if the love that is finally embodied maybe somewhat different than what we imagined. But this congregation say.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-08-18_Worship_The-Domain-of-the-Soul_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california www.org for further information. Actually i really love that sound of everyone greeting each other. And then it's always a challenge to be so gracious and bringing you back. But it is really a joy to hear you loving each other up. So you are welcome here. Whittier certainties and your doubts. Your strengths and your imperfections and we come here to be together to know that we are part of something larger than ourselves and something just stole the show that walked in. It's important to know that there is a place where we belong. And we're we're encouraged to live our ideals. I thought you are welcome here in your fullness. Your race and your culture your sexual orientation and your gender identity or religious views your political party. To connect here in community. Come here to honor the earth and to claim your spirituality. Come to build the world that we dream is possible. And now we light this chalice symbol of our unitarian and universalist heritage listening to the words of maryland's tool. Come into the circle of law & justice. Come into this community where we can dream and believe in those dreams. Come into this holy space where we remember who we are. And how we want to live. Come now and let us worship together. In my professional life i've had a deep commitment to public policy making that supports social and economic justice civil rights and family-friendly workplaces. That work has been a profound source of personal satisfaction. Yet i must admit in this phase of my life while i still find that work meaningful and a value. Much of the energy and excitement in my life. Personal realm. You see this is as reverend beth affectionately refers to it. My season of love as many of you know i am engaged to be married at the end of september to lorain o'hanlon. Precisely 41 days from today as the countdown clock on our wedding website would tell you but who's counting. F44 i often wish i could have met lorraine sooner so that i could have spent more of my life with her. Especially since she was so close by most of the time. Lorraine was born in my hometown. And spent the first five years of her life less than a mile from my family's home. And just a few short blocks from my grandma's house. It wasn't until three years ago that i finally met her. That said i honestly don't know if i would have been ready for her until now. I look back at all that i have had to learn about being in relationship. And the mistakes that i've made along the way. I'm grateful i did not make those mistakes with loreen. And that i bring the wisdom from those lessons and experiences to my current relationship with her. Sometimes i worry about the lessons that lay ahead. And the skills that still need to be developed and refined. How do i know. Then i am enough. Right now. And then i will be enough in the future. Will i be able to develop whatever skills i need to in order to face the challenges that lie ahead for us as a couple. I'm not a hundred percent. Certain of the answers to those questions but i can tell you that i'm committed to lorain and to nurturing a mutually so filling relationship. I strive to be more compassionate. Less reactive. And to engage in fewer power struggles with her. I want to remember to take a deep breath. And to be truly present. The woman i love. And chair for standing in front of me. I know how important it is to drop the old stories. The narratives that separate and divide me from laureen and all that i love. I am choosing to be more fully present to loreen. Which means bringing more of my whole authentic self. And vulnerability to our relationship. And being open to. And willing to see lauren's whole. Authentic and vulnerable self. To say to sustain that practice. I'm committed to being a part of living communities of friends like this one. They call me to be my best self. 3 insightful reflection and remodeling. I'm committed to those practices that support support and sustain my physical emotional and spiritual health and wellness. I'm committed to continuing to find places in my life for those people and things that bring me joy. Outlets for artistic expression dance. And friendship. And i want encourage lauren to pursue her own joys. Like soccer. I am also certain. Our journey won't all be about joy. There will inevitably be challenged. An important opportunities to grow. And personally evolve. Relationship is fundamentally a spiritual practice. A path towards enlightenment. Enter lorene. And this path of relationship. I pledge my devotion. The reading this morning is by frederick. Bruckner. So appropriate because. It again links all that we heard and are opening words wiz. What we just witnessed. With a child faming and a family who is moving. And all of us. Listen to your life. Ch for the fathomless mystery that it is. In the border. And the pain of it. No less than the excitement and the gladness. Tots. Taste. Smell your way. To the holy. To the hallway and i hit the heart of it. Because in the last analysis all moments are key moments all moments are key moments. And lies. It's cell. Is grace. This ends the reading. I've been thinking about what it means to do good works. And i've been struggling with that. Sometimes good works happened to creativity. Bring about innovation. Sometimes it's simply having resources and by that. I'm talking about money. Sometimes it's how we create networks of influence. And it's also a result of how. We look. At the world. A way of looking at the world. And i'm not convinced that i figured it out. Companionship and i'm inviting you to be uncomfortable with me. You know misery loves company. One story that troubles may begins with mahatma gandhi. He was a brilliant man. And because of his vision and focus india was freed from colonization. Because of his life. The world received the crystallization of the practice. Of nonviolent resistance. And our country desperately needed that vision. There's so much to say about his life. And method of bringing about change. We know that gandhi's life was one that stressed the importance of austerity and self-sufficiency. What if we don't often hear about. Is how he received. Funding for his movement. Someone. Someone paid for. And living expenses. And actually support for the whole movement. Both war and peace. Require financial support. The funder of gandhi's independence movement. Was jamnalal. Bajaj. In return for supporting not only gandhi but the expenses of the resistance effort against the british. Gandhi agreed. To raise his son. Ramkrishna by jaws. Is common knowledge that gandhi was so consumed with fervor for his beliefs. About the independence movement that he put aside his wife. He put aside. His family. A great sacrifice for them. And yet. He took. Ramakrishna. His benefactors son into his life. He bartered. Financial resources. For mentoring a child. Ramakrishna was often with him sometimes even in prison. The result of exercising civil disobedience. Ramkrishna must have had an opportunity in these extreme circumstances. To consider what it takes. To be committed. To an ideal. I do ask. Who do i need to be to fulfill this commitment. Who do i need to be. To fulfill this commitment and i would have you. Hold on to that question. Krishna was 13 years old he leaves gandhi's nonviolent youth movement. And after years of living at gandy side. As his mentor. From krishna becomes a respected leader. And then he learns the answers to two more questions. What kind of human being do i need to become. And what resources in myself. Do i need to have. To make this come true. Is this internal work that prepares him for his future life. When his father dies. From krishna by josh becomes the patriarch. Are the industrial and financial empire that his father built. Ramkrishna is known as a highly effective businessman and he is generous. He establishes foundations that support thousands of projects. For the good of many people in need. And i looked up his work. So i could understand him better. How far was his reach i wanted to know. World about development. Self-reliance no surprise there. Education. Ending the caste system which still exists in so many ways. Women's empowerment in india and has that not been in the news recently. House. The environment. He creates thousands of jobs and help some millions of people. I when he walks down the street people recognize him and want to touch his clothes. They bow their heads before him. And then twist to leader in american philanthropic work. Flies to india to meet ramkrishna. She wants to learn from him how does he do it to make a difference in so many people's lives. She goes to india intentionally to experience this country at extremes and opposites. Where there is both beauty. An exquisite spirituality. Right alongside poverty and suppression. I just soon as she steps out onto the street the weight of the humidity. Blankets her and she's assaulted by so many. Smells and sounds and sights. The crush of people swirling around her is disorienting clusters of children cry for money. People are disfigured all around her obviously starving their faces to the grounder. Baking cups outstretched. The need is overwhelming and even if she gives everything available to her. It's on her person in her wallet in her bank account. The difference she can make in this setting just with the people around her would dissipate in a day. In an hour. Krishna walk through the streets with her and here's what amazes. When twist. He steps over. Every person. He looks through young women and children. Clinging. To those women. He. Looks through. The blind grandparents. The young man with limbs missing all those who sleep in cardboard boxes beside the street not only does he not give them money. There's no recognition that they are even present. What does that do to you. When you hear that. This person mentored gandhi. A man who has more monetary wealth and almost anyone in india. Who health. Restructure society he walks through begging crowds as if they do not exist. And this. Makes me very uncomfortable. I learned in a small way what it is like to have so much. And to be unresponsive to the need of the people right in front of me. Many of you know that i worked at an urban congregation first universalist. I was often alone in the building. And the homeless visited everyday. Everyday. Not one. Vitaline. The previous minister a man large in body. Spirit and heart had given them bus tokens and vouchers and cash and bus tickets. He had devoted many hours. In his office time. To being present to them. His wife share the ministry of the church with him and when i followed them as the new minister. I could see that if i continued with my office hours. For the downtown residents. I wouldn't have time for the pastoral needs of the members. Of the small congregation. I was really uncomfortable. With that decision. But to give you an idea of how hands-on i really was. A regular part of my job was to clean the front. Outdoor vestibule with a shovel and disinfectant. One corner of our entryway was used as a bedroom. And the other side was used. As a bathroom. Every night. He was a part of my secret job. One day i started a secret project that was foolish. I'll tell you right now it was foolish. And risked losing the trust of the congregation but it also risk gaining the trust of the congregation so i was walking a fine line and i knew it. I know it better now after being in the ministry this number of years but i had an inkling then. On a wintry sunday morning there were people sitting on the grace. Warming themselves outside the church. Crouched over the grill somewhere wrapped in blankets. Dirty. Sam looked a little down but certainly signify that it need. Some students if they were ashamed. None of the congregation was approached as they entered the building. And then the people that were standing over those warm grills the people in the corners of the building sitting out of that winter wind slowly started to enter the three doors. Of the church. And they sat down in the pews. Looking down. And covered. The congregation. They wanted to be relaxed that was the politically correct thing to do you know is to just say this is great. But they were vigilant. As a congregation we had a history. Sometimes strangers would come on sunday and tap the person with the collection basket. Asking for money. Or they'd ask the person who is new because they were usually sitting in the back. For the money they were planning to put in the collection plate so imagine you have come thinking i'm this is a safe place i've had a really hard week and i'm going to. Really relax and hear the message and then you find yourself in an ethical quandary. Wasn't great for membership numbers. One sunday we actually needed to rescue our choir director. Because a man headed up to the choir in the middle of the service to show his admiration for her hers is affection for her. And i'd intervene and stand between a man who is. Heavily intoxicated and are frightened choir director from the eastman school of music who is from sweden. Wondering what was going on. The opening words we would pay them in the opening to you. Tells you why we're in such an ethical quandary love is the doctrine of this church. The quest for truth is it sacrament and service is it's prayer. To the end she'll grow into harmony with a divine the stewie covenant with wechat other and with god. Every week they would say that every week we would struggle with what to do. For the service on this particular sunday with people coming in from the grace was actually about the homeless i was going to share my discomfort in my laundry with the congregation. I've been working with the local unitarian universalist dan squire you see. And we had research case studies of homeless people. They had created composite characters and they become those people for the morning. They were the people. On the grave. They were the people in the corners of the building. And no one knew. When they started moving toward the altar area of the church. It was very quiet. But no one moved. To stop them. Two movements. A dance and their narration. They told the case stories and when it was over they walked back to their seats. Their pews in silence. And we were stunned. We were stunned. And so many cheeks were wet. I pointed out to us how we were so often confused and feeling ineffective in our efforts to help people anybody. Frustrated with are so helpless to help themselves. And those who are using the system. Have you wondered. When were we perpetuating the problem and when where we really helping how did we know. More people over the months ahead started coming to our doors. The bus station asked us to please not buy bus tickets in response to stories. They said every time we had come to the window to purchase the ticket in person with someone. The recipient. Returned it for cash as soon as we walked out the door and they said we want you to know there are no exceptions to that because i was saying but but but but and i said no. Within a few months the downtown churches communicated together we decided we needed to work together. At all the churches agreed to financially support the shelters and the soup kitchens. Weedmaps by every of everywhere every shelter was. By the front door then when the doorbell would ring. We would offer the person in need a map with a schedule. The end. We stopped giving out money and bus tickets we stops giving money for gas. We listen to the mother with a child that gave them nothing. We worked with agencies and supported the people in need through those agencies. We actually had kindly bouncers and when i came to davis i thought this is so amazing we don't need bouncers by the back doors. Which has the largest male presence in the congregation to sit at the back of the sanctuary. And if there was someone tapping the collection plate or someone moving toward the choir director. Did be invited to have coffee. And conversation. And they were given a map to that shelters. One story on the side that i just can't. Resist telling you about even though it's not here on the manuscript is. The sunday between christmas and new year's when there are a lot of homeless and we were told by the police. Look out for this one man because he's very ill and he needs to go to the hospital. And it just so happened to be the sunday that we were doing a blessing of the stuffed animals. The children were there you know when we said bring your favorite christmas toy and we are going to bless your toys and bless the stuffed animals i have no idea how many adults. Had favorite stuffed animals from their childhood and so there we were a whole congregation of people clutching teddy bears and and of course this man came to the door. And i was holding my teddy bear truth be told from when i was 2 years old and i still had it. And i said. I need to call the police so that they can come. And care for you and i saw him the stuff look at me. And here is a minister clutching a teddy bear and a whole congregation behind her with stuffed animals and i think he was wondering what kind of place he stumbled into. But i can only speak for myself when i say that there was a part of me. It was not satisfied. To give a map. To a man who didn't have money to buy a meal. But it was all we had to offer. In that moment. And that's the truth. And the congregation. Has moved on from there. And i just found out last week they have now dug up part of their urban lawn. And had a truckload of dirt brought in and they're growing a vegetable garden in the heart of downtown so. At this point though. This is all we could imagine that we could do with other churches. Discernment isn't really about people who are impoverished and live on the street and india are any country. The needs of others can be so large. It's about the internal reflection that needs to happen before any outward action feels true. And right. Which is why some say they giving. Is the domain of the soul. I'm going to ask you to think what is the focus of your life. Of your commitment. It might be to your marriage. Or to your children. Or how to be a friend a real friend. Or how we will care for an aging parent. Or how we will be. That aging parent and do it really. Well. Ram krishna bhajan internal work. And that congregation did their internal work they knew their commitments. What kind of people they want to become. And they knew their internal resources. That they had. Maybe that's courage. Or ingenuity. Or curiosity are tenacity or patience or impatience. Internal resources informed what they actually did give and what they do. They offered what was possible. And in that moment they found what frederick buechner described as being. Where your teeth gladness. And the gladness. And the and the defendant need of the world meat together. Where you are deep gladness. And it's deep note that the world's need meat together. They gave thoughtfully. And with all of their heart. I did not moment. It was enough. It was enough. What a way to live. After the service you are invited to join jen and to enjoy it to join me in the small meeting room if you want to look at those three questions. It'll give you time to write. And then we'll sit and share. 30 minutes. 40 minutes maximum. You are invited. To join with us. 92. Proceeded into center yourself. In prayer. Internal conversation that no one else hears. I just set aside. The world. Hear these words by frederick. Buechner again. Listen to your life. See it for the fathomless mystery it is. In the boredom and the pain of it. No less. Then the excitement and gladness. Touch. Taste. Smell your way to the holy and hidden heart of it. Because in the last analysis all moments are key moments. And life itself. Is grace. Spirit of life. May we be open to all the possibilities placed before us. The larger circle of our world. We watch the bloodshed in egypt. This is country continues to struggle. And for each one of us. Each. One of us as we look at our commitments. And ask ourselves. How we can live. Into those commitments. What kind of person we wish to be. To do so. And what are internal resources are two. Make it happen. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships. When one of us celebrate the joy of grieves the loss. The way to a new shave at the turn of the earth. The shift of the stars and the pull of the sea and all change. Thank you so much for these gifts that were given today. Answer the service you can see how many ways our lives are connected. How many transitions are honored. By our worship and by our time together. Time after the service. He's right back here. And you're also welcome to join us in the small meeting room if you want to look at some of those questions so here. I think if inessa. Send this to a cena i can say it to you. Our hope for you is that you will know love. Live your life with wisdom. Proud of you as an artisan. Maybe strong and thoughtful in all you do. And they love be yours. But this gathering say amen and let the love start.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-06-15-Who-Belongs-in-the-Kitchen_Fathers-Day-Service.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Beauty of the earth once again and also a part of the reason we're doing this is that there are almost no hymns that are hymnal that have anything to do with father's we got 30 uncomfortable with father and lord language at one point we took off all of the hymns with any reference to fatherhood in them so we're doing this one because at least it says something about birth and and children this is in that so we're celebrating that parenting with this song about the earth and laura's going to lead us. Welcome welcome to the unitarian universalist. Church of davis welcome to father's day sunday. Welcome to the scourges summer morning. I am caitlin cutter your outgoing intern and campus minister welcomed time of joy and beauty for you may you find what you are seeking in this hour of worship. Whether that be a moment of quiet or fellowship for inspiration. Play feel yourself a part of this sacred space and community. You are welcome here whatever your ethnic or class background your gender identity or expression or sexual orientation your level of ability or political party. We come together with many different understandings of the divine. Many perspectives on the sacred. Together. We create the place of love and transformation we dream about. We like our chili sauce as a symbol of unitarian universalism. My grandfather's i really only new one. My father's father. I remember gappy as we called him as a kind gentleman. By the time my dad was a teenager. Gappy ran a prosperous bay area sand and gravel business and was mayor of burlingame. He was a model provider for his family and children his children did well in school however when the us entered world war 1 president wilson nationalize the railroads. Copy could not get his supplies. He went bankrupt and they lost all but one truck. My dad. Morphe. A bright musically talented teenager. Dropped out of high school to help his dad hall scrap metal. Out-of-body. For the war effort. Eventually they got into mining and trucking in arizona. The traditional requirement of a father. Has been to provide for his family and to be a role model. Mark never went back to school. Or forgave his father from going broke. A bitter resentful unfilled ban. My dad struggled during my school years to make a living. Just as his father had in the hardscrabble small mining business. During the past century. It was difficult for any man to make a living for their families. World war ii the great depression. Lip and more wars increasingly. Children grew up in fatherless homes. Aura father's like my own damage by their own upbringing or life journeys. With the rising divorce since the 1960s. The number of single-parent families has skyrocketed. Columnist leonard pitts. Has observed that while we pretend otherwise. The disappearance of fathers is the norm in many families. It's also states that mass incarceration and the war on drugs have also played a role. Wanted for american kids niles lives in the household without their biological dad. For brown kids it's 28%. A african-american kids it's a bit more than 50%. It has been, has become it has become okay quote on quote. For children to be raised without a father. However the statistics on poverty. Drug use incarceration and particularly the declining achievement of boys in schools. Suggest otherwise. Boys and girls need dads. Or at least supportive affirmative male as well as female role models. Fortunately there's been a recent upsurge in father's involvement in their children's life so-called quote good enough unquote fathers balance the economic responsibility of providing for their children with being actively involved in their emotional development. Search father spend time with the family and participate in their children's activities. Play model of respect and support for the children's mother. My dad tried hard to provide for his family even though even through some very hard times. He was proud of me when i graduated from north phoenix high school headed off to caltech and then princeton for grad school. Although it was a problem when i. Told him i wanted to be a geologist because like most miners. To father joe was something of a lowlife. Once when judy and our children were young my father came to visit i can still see him. Tears in his eyes. Has he half whispered. You are a much better dad than i ever was. For myself i've tried to avoid my father's mistakes. Paul making several of my own. I found a life partner. And together we work to provide a loving home for our three children. Although my job often took me away from my family. When i was home i tried to spend quality time with each of my children each evening. And every week. I decided that my career would wait. But my children could not. I love my kids and grandkids deeply and i'm proud of them. For me. Father's day is really my children's day. Let us praise those fathers who have striven to balance the demands of work. Marriage and children with an honest awareness joy and sacrifice have worked to become a good father. What does appraisals fathers who buy their own account we're not always there for their children but who continue to offer those children now grown. Their love and support. Let us pray for those fathers who have been wounded by the neglect and hostility of their children. Let us praise those fathers who despite divorce. Have remained in their children's lives. Let us praise those father whose children are adopted and whose love and support has offered healing. Let us praise those fathers who as stepfathers. Freely choose the obligation of fatherhood and earned their step children's love and respect. Fathers who have lost a child to death. And continue to hold the child in their heart. Let us praise those men who have no children with cherish the next-generation as if they were their own. Let us praise famous men who have fathered us in their role as mentors and guys. Let us praise those men who are about to become fathers. May the openly delight in their children but live on in our memory and whose love continues to nurtura. Who belongs in the kitchen it sounds like a silly question but for a lot of people it's a real one a question about who does the chores. Who creates the meals. Who does the day-to-day work of parenting caring for a family of whatever size or kind. Different people different couples different families make different decisions about this. My grandfather's for example rarely go into the kitchen. They set foot in the room for a. To grab something from the fridge or what have you. But they don't do most of the work there. Both of them are former marines who used to work for the oak ridge national labs. The question of where they belong. Is for them a fairly simple one. My maternal grandfather in particular belongs in the lab. He's retired now and they kicked him out of the formal lab space so he's turned half of the house into a lab my grandmother does the cooking she belongs in the kitchen and in the craft room and in the library she's a retired librarian. My parents. Made different choices. It is my dad who did most of the tidying and laundry. And dishwashing. And my parents house. My mom was the one who got it up at 2 a.m. when we were sick. And who made the trays and trays of christmas cooking. She was also the one who held a steady income throughout my childhood will my dad started nonprofits and help kids get out of bad situations and work towards his doctorate. I grew up knowing that his parents. People who nurture and support and tend and take the child to the doctor. There was a study recently. About fathers it's been shared around my friend group a lot. This study says that the moral father does chores around the house the more often he washes the dishes. The more likely his daughters are to be ambitious and to go into fields traditionally reserved for men. I've always thought of my father's parenting as a gift. But this study made me look at it in a new light. So hold on to your seats for a minute because i'm going to get a little sappy here. My father. By being the father he is taught me about the importance of adventure. Upcoming confidently in the direction of my dreams of believing in myself and my own potential. Taking chances. He taught me that it is important to to do cartwheels to celebrate things that make you really happy that you can make anything make anything happen. With access to a good hardware store funny. And he taught me what it means to hold your head up when everything seems to be going wrong. He taught me when in doubt. Do some push-ups and when you hike the appalachian trail bring extra packets of hot chocolate you never know when someone might need one. Most of all. He taught me that love. More than affection or emotional connection do i have plenty of that. Love is about being there for the people you care about. It is the act of caring of supporting. A surprising of giving the lighting. And another human being. Not everyone. Has the kind of relationship i have with my dad. And lots of people parent in different ways. Or find their parenting. Their parents. In different places. Being a father. Is less about biology. And more about loving a child. And helping them to become the best person they can be. About being the man in someone's life and more about being their parents. In 2009. A man named marshall davis jones. Filmed himself delivering a poem called spelling father. But his since gone viral. He spoke about a dream where he found himself 6 years old again on the and on the verge of winning the national spelling bee. There was just one word left between himself. Invictory. Anistream marshall says. Spell master clears his throat. Young man your word is father. The crowd began to chatter amongst themselves seemingly displeased at the simplicity of this final word i searched for those eyes eyes that say everything is going to be okay. Just do it. I dated a young man your word. Is father. I still have straight lift my list and began father mother. He goes on to explain how a single parent had sacrificed and juggled responsibilities and encouraged and supported and been both mother and father to him. He ended his poem with. My father is sitting right there. And i love her. It is his mother he stinks of with pride and affection on father's day. And he is certainly not the only one as eldridge mentioned earlier about a quarter of the kids in the country grow up without their biological fathers immediate support. Hallmark. Make special cars each year that read one special card each year. Father's day the inside of the card reads the way you stepped in his supposed father and mother speaks louder than words about the kind of dad you are there other cards of course. That they offer on father's day cards for grandfathers and uncles and mentors cards that simply read because you have been like a father to me. Hopefully one day they'll have cards that say to my moms on father's day. They also make cardi cheer that says for dad on mother's day because there are lots of people who act as single parents. Very few families. Look like a 1950s sitcom many of our families certainly do not. Barack obama officially declared in june. Ubi national pride month. So let me just say it here and now that i am really proud. I am really proud. Did the fight for marriage equality in lgbtq rights everyone everyone talk. Again and a new ways about marriage and parenting. The question. The question has loomed. Does a child need a mother. Anna father. Some people say yes. They say you need a mother and she belongs in the kitchen and you need a father and he belongs in the workplace. They say this is what it means to be a man or a woman. These are your only good choices. Were they say more subtle things. Tell me idea that parenting is something anyone can do by using terms like mr. mom. When they see a man acting as a parent for suggesting that a man who parents their own kids and public is playing at being a babysitter for that they are brave or unusual for a man to parent is something exotic and exemplary that most men cannot possibly aspire to. And there are people who are really really genuinely upset about marshall davis jones poem and those hallmark cards. A man named john fountain road for chicago sun-times dear single sisters who wished yourself a happy father's day you are not the father. Hospital undermining of the design description of a joint parenting by a mother and a father. He continued. Women and never father that is a lie from hell. This is not our physiology. Someone playing as unitarian universalist. We're not big into the idea of how another. We don't believe that one person's masculinity or parenting takes away from another person's. Nor do we have a doctrine of mandated roles for men or women or those in-between. Co-parenting which means someone who identifies as a man and someone who identifies as a woman or someone who is masculine and someone who is feminine is often a great thing. I can speak from my own life and be a great thing but it is far from the only option. An increasing number of people. I looking at this question. Question about whether a child needs to be raised by a mother. Father. I'm saying. Maybe not. There are more and more people choosing to be single parents. Not just being forced into it circumstances. But choosing to be single parents. And there are more people choosing to parent with more than one other person with extended family or friends or with another person of the same gender. There are increasingly more father's pushing strollers and more mothers wearing power suits we are seeing more fathers who mother more mothers who father one people who parents in whatever way is best for them and their children. And. We are seeing plenty of happy healthy children with two daddies or two mommies. The number of people acting as their parents. Reputable studies of kids from gay and lesbian families show that actually they're even better adjusted and more successful than their peers by the american academy of pediatrics says children's well-being is much more. Who belongs in the kitchen. It's clear to me that women do because some of the most important conversations i've had with my grandmother happened in the kitchen because one of the best things about christmas is the time i spend with my mother decorating cookies and it's clear to me that men belong in the kitchen because of how often i've been in there with my dad while he prepared his chili from scratch for all those our hearts are with you. Every year when we have an intern there's a ton of saying welcome and basically commissioning them to start their time with us and then there comes a time which some of us absolutely hate but that we do it. Is it we need to let go and say goodbye. Who this is where the good-byes begin if you haven't already started them in in your meetings and comings and goings with caitlin. Last weekend need to come up and look at us if we can actually be talking to you and nothing between us. Greatest gift you can give to caitlin is to stay after for the reception and have a sandwich because we have so many sandwiches and i don't want to go home with a hundred of them so please rolls and cheese sandwiches and enjoy the company of one another the unitarian universalist congregation i affirm this congregation knows how to love is in turns into ministry failure as well as success there are few times we might become in the very large calling of ministry we are willing to risk our heartbreaking we love our interns and although each love is different we give ourselves to each intern who comes to us we speak the truth in love and in this process with each other. We have done well. We have done well. So if you could, i mean really spaceman when i want to look at you excellent. They don't get to look at you the way i do right now to get you later you brought your love of theater the ability to weave literature and justice into a sermon at into your life and we have witnessed that every time you're free today. You searched for your voice in ministry and you are finding that voice and loving. Who that person is and really loving. That person whenever you give that to us we love it too. And all of its completeness. You tested ideas. You've learned from both successes and times when things haven't gone just when you. The way you thought they might and you've learned from both of them and not everyone is large enough large enough inside to bring in all of the experiences. That they've had and you are that. Large person. And right up through this last week you've been bringing people into your heart and meeting people in his congregation and hearing their stories and asking them questions about himself. And so it is with great love. That i released you. And i let you go knowing that someday i'll be welcoming you back into my life and into ministry so hopefully. One of the things that i have been particularly moved about in kaitlyn's ministry has been her way of shaping prayer i have found her to be grounding and perceptive and giving words to emotion and life that were in a room and it has moved me deeply this year and so it's an honor for me to lead you all in a prayer and blessing of caitlin at this time i will say the line first and then invite you to repeat after me and if it's okay if i might represent the congregation on you. May the road rise to meet you. May the wind always be at your back may the sun shine warm upon your face. And you are invited to take hands around the room. As we go out into the unknown of this day. Into all the possibilities of tomorrow. May we take with us. The certainty of love. The fire of courage and the knowledge. That we are not alone. Amend. O'shea. I'm blessed be.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-08-31-Honoring-Labor-Day_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome to this church my name is suzanne kimmel i'm the worship associate for today are senior minister reverend banks is away and today our guest minister is reverend j atkinson j atkinson grew up in central indiana. After receiving a doctorate in ministry from meadville lombard theological school he served the first unitarian church is sioux city iowa and then this church uucd from 1986 to 1998. The congregation of auburn and finally the uu church studio city los angeles until 2011 where he retired and was designated minister emeritus. He now lives in the bay area and hold the position as research scholar for the starting school of the ministry in berkeley. You are welcome here if you are filled with joy. For lost in the depths of your being. You are welcome here if you have a message to share or needs to be quiet and listen. You're welcome and all your fullness. Your race and culture sexual orientation and gender identity religious views or political party. Come to connect with community comes honor the earth come to claim your spirituality come to build world that we dream is possible. In honor of labor day i was wondering how many of you were or are members of the union please raise your hand. How many were in the union or are in the union 5 years. Keep your hands up. 10 years. 1520. 30. I can't have all of you like the chalice lucy's 35-40 omigosh. Is the symbol of the strength of our religious community a beacon of our vision of justice and a clarion call to action we candle the flame of this chalice thank you karen. Someday men and women will rise. They will reach the mountain peak. They will meet big and strong and free. Ready to receive to partake and sebastian the golden rays of love. What fancy what imagination. What poetic genius can't receive the potentiality of such a force in the life of men and women emma goldman. Please join me again in the responsive reading now number 579 by frederick douglass again it's in the back of the hymnal but we also have it at on the monitors i do believe. The limits of tyrants those who profess to favor freedom and yet deprecate agitation are people who want crops without plowing up the ground. Find out what people will submit to and you have found out the exact amount of injustice which will be posed imposed upon them. Well it's wonderful to be here. Thank you all for showing up some of you showing up for someone you've never met and others of you who came out of curiosity to see how much wider my hair has become in the last fifteen years or as my wife said at my retirement service three years ago that the ministry had increased my size not in stature but in truth it's the weekend of labor day traditionally the last opportunity for some kind of summer fling before plunging into the rhythms of fall. The new school term. Another church year and. The shutter another supreme court term but labor day is also a holiday for remembering the dignity and the meaning of work. And the dignity of the people the ordinary men and women who do the work that sustains our lives both individually and as a society that great mass of humanity that we now often call the ninety-nine percent. Liberty was created in 1894 when grover cleveland signed the bill that had been written and passed unanimously by congress and just six days hard to imagine isn't it unanimously and just six days following a strike of pullman car workers led by labour leader eugene debs four years later in 1898 samuel gompers head of the american federation of labor called it the day for which the toilers in past centuries look forward. Condell rights and their wrongs would be discussed. That the workers of our day may not only lay down their tools of labor for a holiday but upon which they made touch shoulders in marching phalanx and feel stronger for it. That action. Ushered in the strongest progressive era in our nation's history. Beginning with the trust-busting agenda of teddy roosevelt right through to the legislation of the new deal. Under fdr to the post-war boom and expansion of the middle class regulations. Regulations for a concept were placed into place. That would rein in the rampant abuse has. Of the. Gilded age and his so-called robber barons. That regulatory structure more than a century ago. When our. Hour of. Nation. Was suffering. From a massive amount of oppression by the wealthy. Cuz i said i was mark twain actually in his in his novel. Coined the phrase the gilded age. Labor unions became a powerful force for progressive social reform and their power was celebrated in songs like solidarity forever that we saying earlier those words some of those words not the spanish ones the first verses written by ralph chaplin in 1950 how many of you okay we're going with some words that i've tweaked a little to bring it a little more up-to-date. This progressive era. Through the 19 tens and twenties and thirties and on into the post-war boom. Was referred to by dr. martin luther king jr. when he spoke to the. Constitutional convention of the af of l in the cio the unified labor movement back in 1961 he said this will be the day. When we shall bring into full realization the dream of american democracy. A dream yet unfulfilled. A dream of equality of opportunity. A privilege and property widely distributed. A dream of a land. For men and i would add women will not take necessities from the mini. To give luxuries to the few. On dr. king gave that speech in 1961 he didn't realize and. Two people did realize. That in many ways that was the high point of labor activism in our country. And look what's happened since. It's almost as if our country has been pay playing the tape backwards membership in unions labor unions has declined at an appalling rate. The national. Membership in labor unions has something like 7% today. And corporate power is at unprecedented levels. The recent book by malcolm gladwell call david and goliath he takes the biblical story and analyzes what was necessary in order for little david with his slingshot to fight against to the giant goliath that are the philistines sent against the hebrews malcolm gladwell write to this. We are losing. The democratic structure of our society. The people have no power to control the policies of huge corporations because our legislators decline to bring them under strict control. We go through the charade. Hubbell lighting legislators but too many of those turn around and vote to grant license to corporations to do whatever they can to do. And prey upon the ordinary citizens this is not democracy it is plutocracy. The entrenchment of an aristocracy of the moneyed class. He goes on to talk about the way that corporations are ravaging our land and our lives and the thought of ravaging put me in mind. I'm dragons. You know about dragons dragons were used to be in in medieval times are in fairy tales there was always periodically a dragon that would pop up in the kingdom and what would the king do the king would send out the prince or maybe he would send out stay george to go and kill off the dragon to protect people it was the king's role the government's role to protect the people from dragons. If you've ever looked at old medieval maps do you know that the known world was often represented in the center and then out at the edges or nobody had any idea what was there they would illustrate it with sea monsters and dragons. But what i have to say this morning is that the dragons are no longer at the margins. Of our world or our lives they are all around us above us. Controlling our social order. Power of giant corporations and their pursuit of greed and their ignorance of the living conditions of 99% of the people. Devastate our lives. Corporations have broken down the protective walls of our democracy they ravaged the landscape and lay waste the cooperative and communal bonds of our lives they promote a view of individualism and a view of human beings as what once caller has called homo economicus. Economic. Humans. People interested only in self-interest. And getting what they can and competing with their neighbors. The traditional notion of cooperation is. Becoming weaker and weaker in our lives and in our consciousness. Like i said. I can use to send out saying george to protect us from such monsters. The latest george we had in the white house didn't do much along those lines in modern times corporate dragons are to be restrained in siri. By regulations that hold their worst excesses in check. But we know. What is happening with that. With the supreme court increasingly an ally of corporations and corporate power with democrats and republicans almost equally. Spineless and in the papas. Of moneyed interests. And one dragons like this range across our land. People live in fear. People hunker down inside their homes. And the main concern of too many people. Becomes simply surviving. We lose the blessings of devotion to the common good. And the satisfactions of shared work and play. We discussed the very notion of banding together that. That's solidarity that is required. If we are going to successfully oppose the dragons. Now maybe i'm exaggerating here. I don't mean to say that there aren't important areas of fulfillment in our lives important respects in which we still live satisfying lives but i am alarmed. Alarmed at the insidious way that's controlled by corporations and the ethic of greed worms its way into our values into our everyday consciousness and we need a new kind. A new vision of solidarity if we are to reverse this trend if we are to take back our rightful. Troll as informed citizens of a democratic state. Now. Most of you know all this already i'm not saying anything new here in davis there's long been a proud and feisty spirit of unconventionality of marching to a whole variety of different drummers and of taking up causes. I remember when i was kinda dating for the ministry of this church when was that 19. 8529 years ago the message i got from the search committee was that the rush-hour and davis is at 7:30 p.m. for people going to ban the bomb nuclear freeze save the planet slow-growth the list goes on and on you remember all those causes. And what we need to do. Is really not anything so very new. We need to. Reanimate some very old values. Values that are found in the hebrew prophets. What does yahweh require of you but to do justice love mercy and walk humbly with your god. Or if you prefer an alternative language to walk humbly in the light of the common good. Whose vision leads us forward. As unitarian universalist we have historically been. In the forefront of political activism. Our forebears i think of. The women of the suffrage movement in the 19th century the people who led social revolutions of. Around the time of the civil war and afterwards. People who have let us in civil rights legislation in gay and lesbian cbt rights we have been in the forefront. But i also know that is easy to become discouraged. By the. Insensitivity. The blindness. Of the oppressive power. That the corporate dragons exercise. We all need i certainly need. To be reminded from time to time the people pumped up. 3 strengthen for the fight. When the monster monstrous of the thread sometimes seems to overwhelm i hope. That's why we need each other in congregations like this that's why this congregation needs solidarity with other congregations not just unitarian universalist congregation in sacramento or auburn or down in the bay area but other congregations here in davis progressive christian and jewish. And maybe muslim congregations i don't know what the muslim population and davis is right now. But there are progressive elements in all these traditions. With whom we need need to make common cause. Infinite courage. Buy some few things. Maybe you've read about this new book by thomas kakheti called capital. A rather revolutionary book coming from someone usually identified with the conservative side of things talkin about how we need to suppress wealth through higher taxation it's amazing how much press this book has gotten over the last maybe years since it was published their other examples i don't know if you're on the same email list that i am but i get about 30 emails a day asking me to sign this petition or send money to this organization i don't know how many fcc petitions i've clicked on in the last 3 months and apparently it is working president obama came out 2 weeks ago appearing to come down on the side of. Not allowing the fcc to destroy our internet freedom there are citizens. United citizens groups united against the citizens so-called citizens united amendment supreme court decision that was handed down last year declaring corporations to be people with religious views and religious liberties. Corporations want all the rights and none of the responsibilities that people have i remember. Musta been about 20 years ago and ralph nader stood right in in this pulpit in this room and said that corporations are actually in favor of both capitalism and socialism they want the capitalize the profits and socialize the risks. Most of us are workers in one way or another we expend our most precious possession our time the hours and days and years of our lives. In exchange for material goods that sustain our lives and provided we hope a few extras to bladon or existence. Are you at one of the problems i think in uu churches is that maybe we are a little too comfortable. We know that most of us have not had it hard as hard as many people at the bottom rungs of our society. We haven't. Get that bottom of despair. Or outrage or righteous anger. That we need to kick ass into a higher gear of radical activism. We have. Strong tradition. A political activism as i mentioned earlier and of. Theology. Now you may not think of theology as being. At the base of what we do but i think it is. Are universalists tradition proclaimed a radical equality of people. There was no such thing the universalist said as. The elect and the damned. Everybody would be brought into relationship with god eventually as they settled in their knight in their 18th century language and bye-bye translation into more modern language there. Is not to be. In the commonwealth in a proper commonwealth of society. A division between the haves and the have nots. Such as we see today. Universalist love the love that universalist proclaimed as the foundation of their vision their understanding of god and later their vision of society and which we now in body in the raised the interdependent web of all existence to which we belong and which embraces us that love is a radical kind of love that goes back far longer than our tradition here in america some of you may know that in my retirement i've become mostly a historian of unitarian universalist history and one of the things that interest me is the earlier the earliest. Sources of unitarianism in europe back in the 16th century. That happened first in poland and poland had an amazing tradition of. International. Coexistence. In the early 1400s. Poland and lithuania signed a treaty and in the preamble to the treaty. Here's what was said. No one receives the grace of salvation. Who is not sustained by the mystery of love. Which does not work falsely. But shining by his own excellence conciliation discord. Unites adversaries transforms hayden's diminishes anger and provides for the ground of elected peace love brings together the scattered. Straighten his crooked lift up the downtrodden smooths out what is rough sustains virtues and all. Injures no one. Esteems all that is whole. True love laws are established kingdoms are governed studies are organized and the highest good of the commonwealth. Is achieved. Remarkable language for a political treaty. Between two nations in 1413. There are other. Sparks of hope. You remember the civil rights are up when so many of our unitarian universalist ministers including the minister of this church at that time robert sang hast. Travel to selma at a doctor king's call 1/3 of all the ministers of all the uu ministers in the united states answered that call and assembled in birmingham to march to selma. Excuse me to birmingham when i go down to the richmond detention facility in san pablo. Icy unitarian universalists in huge numbers wearing our yellow and orange standing on the side of love t-shirts and those t-shirts have become known among methodist presbyterians disciples of christ the the interfaith gathering that that shows up for those actions of witness at the detention center to plead the cause of fairness for immigrants and undocumented people is in truly. Inspiring. And i find strength in remembering what i started out talkin about. How things were a century on a quarter ago when the solidarity of labor unions. For challenging the robber barons. That was a dragon's of that gilded age. It's good to remember on this labor day weekend this holiday celebrating the strength of ordinary people to rise up against oppression. Against domineering well. It's good to remember the success that the labor unions had when they joined together and the success that lies within our hands to recreate if we will only join our hands. Together with all kinds of organizations. This i think is what it means to be faithful to our covenant. When we gather like this on sunday morning we re-enact our covenant. Our covenant is are the promises. That we make to one another a promise of solidarity. I promise to stick together to work together to walk and laugh and cry together. Promise to stand side-by-side with one another not just here but with like-minded people all across the country. To lift up our vision rise to a vision of a humane and inclusive future it's time for all of us. To reporting for duty. Can this greatest challenge of our time. And so when we gather with. Friends and family tomorrow as we may likely do at home or in the park at the beach around the barbecue grill. It's fitting and proper that we should enjoy that time together because that is the goal of human life. That we are celebrating. But it's important at the same time to remember how many people are not able to enjoy that how many people. There are. For whom that kind. A friendly gathering is beyond the reach. We we re-enact in that small gathering of families and friends the vision of the human family. That lives in peace and justice. With a bounty earned fairly and honorably from the toil of our hands and our hearts and our minds. We are celebrating our togetherness our solidarity as a metaphor. For the vision. Of a world of a larger human family. For whose hopes and happiness we pledge. In thomas jefferson's words. Our lives. Our fortunes. And our sacred honor. At the end of the prayer nancy is going to begin softly playing the music for spirit of life and i invite you out when that happens to at the end of the prayer simply to remain seated in join me as the words come up on the screen or will be number 123 in your hymnals and i invite us now to join together in a quiet time of reflection and meditation and prayer find a comfortable posture. Feel your weight resting on the seat your feet on the floor take a deep breath and let it out and deeper breath and let it out close your eyes or soften your gaze look out on some object of beauty. And as we are in folded in the gathered presence of this. Beloved community. The sanctuary of memory on hope let there be some moments of silence among us. We gather in this sacred space. Open ourselves to all that is holy. To the divine spark in one another to the sacred web of life that embraces us. We are we invite into our hearts the spirit of life and love that binds us together by whatever name god the buddha nature at the center of all the divine vision of goodness that draws us forward to create a world of ever greater justice. And compassion. We gather also to remember. Those many joys and sorrows. Better woven together in the fabrics of our lives joy is that are multiplied and sharing burdens that are eased and sharing. Some people who have written notes. Shannon snow says our family attended a fabulous family camp last week 1 highlights was teaching our camp song teaching our camp ruu song we give thanks and then being asked to lead at the next night. Judy morris says i hold in my heart all the people of the napa city vallejo area whose lives were affected by the earthquake last sunday especially the child critically injured by a falling fireplace. The briton says that lisa britain has managed to overcome all obstacles and on august 25th started teaching starting student teaching and in the davis school k through 6 she is studying for a master's degree at uop in stockton. Karen susan sisson dart says that she just had knee surgery and will have to go through wheeling rehabilitation and cards would be most welcome. I asked us as we hold these individual joys and sorrows of this beloved community in our hearts those spoken and the many more that have gone unspoken to remember the reasons for this religious community to share our lives with one another that we may grow and spirit in compassion and envision for justice we remember also all of the many people around the world who are suffering and violence of many kinds in the middle east and ukraine in ferguson missouri we remember all of the injustice has unresolved hope for a better day for all people. House we go forth from this community i invite you to join hands touch a shoulder has nobody nearby raise your hand in the air as a reminder that we are. Connected with so many people whether physically or across the entire range of the human family may we carry the warmth of this community with us out into our lives and remember that we are joined. Forever across time and space and the silence between the stars go in peace ahmed.

uudavispodcast_org

Worship-2012_07_22-10a_ED-1.mp3

Look up to sunday sermons another recording from unitarian universalist church of davis california www.org for further information. Listen. Listen. Standstill. Standstill. The trees ahead and bushes beside you are not lost. Stand still the trees ahead and bushes beside you are not are not lost wherever you are is called here. And you must learn to treat it as a powerful stranger asked permission to know it. And be known. Listen. The poorest freeze it whispers. I have made this place around you. If you leave you can come back again saying here. No two trees are the same to raven. No two branches the same two wren. Before the tree does or branch does has lost on you. You are surely lost. Standstill. The forest knows where you are. You must let it. Find you. Remaining silent. Slowly return to your seats. As we listen to the music of nancy. And virginia. Plato's the republic. Like in the condition of a human being to that of a man in a cave. With his back to the entrance of a cave. Looking inward against a blank wall. Over his shoulder comes the light from outside making images of himself on the wall and he takes those images to be reality. What he can see to be all there is to see. But. What if he turned around. To see the source of the light. A grade teacher long before play-doh likened our existence to that of a man. With frogs. At the bottom of a very deep well. All he could see of space of sky of the universe. Was just that little point. Of light above his head. That was revealed he therefore interpreted the world. By what he saw. The walls of the well. The water that was in it and those little frogs that croaked beside him. Yet. Let the man wonder. Just once. Where the light comes from. What more there might be to see. And he may leave his cave. Or climb out of his well. And find an entirely new reality. Before him. This morning our chalice could symbolize that light from behind from above illuminating what more there might be to see if we look beyond what lies in front of us. What if we simply turn around. Or look up. And wonder. If we could taste one sip. Of an answer. We could break out of our prison. Arcade. Are well. So in an excerpt from the book free play the power of improvisation in life and the arts. A passage refers to lila. A sanskrit word meaning play. But so much richer than. R word. It means divine play. The play of creation. Destruction and recreation. The folding and unfolding of the cosmos. Lila free and deep is both the delight. And enjoyment of this moment. And the play of creative impulse many call god. The soul. Or spirit of life. Lila perhaps the simplest thing there is spontaneous and childish disarming. Yet as we pile on more and more complexities of life. Free play in simple truth get buried. We practice refine and critique our own skills we become a deft even masters in our field. Consult with leading experts. Research the finest schools read every book on our shelves. Our passions get buried in expertise. We forget to look up. To turn around. To find a source of that light. That life is sparked our passion in the first place. We lose our connection to our soul. But what is the soul. So many interpretations historically a common theory was that the soul resides in the body yet distinct entity separate from the body. The soul was generally considered divine and immortal. The stoics taught that all existence is material and describe the soul. As a brat. Pervading the body. They called the soul divine. A particle of god. And the atomist theory. Says that the soul consists of the finest grains atom in the universe. Fine or even than those of wind. And heat which they resemble. The exquisite fluency of the souls movements. Are found in thought and sensation. Imagine. The soul. Finer than wind and heat. Moving within us. Breathing through us. We now search for the god particle through physics. Could it be that recently discovered higgs boson subatomic particle is the material of the soul. Funny to me that we are spending all these dollars and years studying the god particle. Interesting our need to measure it read every book on our shelves. When we could simply stop. Disarm. And play. As if our ultimate questions could be answered by pure reason. A couple of months ago i pronounced from this spot that i have little attachment to this life. The death is not unwelcome. Afterward. A 90 year old friend came to me and said sincerely and simply. Karen it gets better. I didn't really know that before. What have i missed. Last month during a weekend of yoga and hot springs and soul research. I looked up. And i turned around. And i ask myself why not put my conviction into a converse statement that i have little attachment to death. And that life is welcome. My retreat leader charu spilled over with the recent conviction that she is joyful. That after years of resistance she feels free enlightened happy. All the time joyful. I realized i want to feel that. And we spoke intimately of not merely finding but embracing the light. Of engaging in divine creative play. Then we can choose to be awake. Facing the lights off.. And not only that. But once chosen one solidly on the path we can speed up the process. Tell the universe we are ready tell ourselves we are ready. For lila. Divine play. Take all this knowledge and skill and spin it into joy. Let go of the measuring in the studying and the work. Just simply stopped. Disarm. And play. Savor that heart. And heat and breath. The soul that's moving within. In these ensuing weeks. The mantra has been my constant companion. Don't go back to sleep. You see. The seduction of my default mode. Is great keep busy give heartily achieved accomplish complete work. But don't go back to sleep. So i'm practicing. Divine play. And rest. And connection. I'm ready for a homecoming to a divine soulful play. Are you. Are you. The following story was transcribed from japanese folk sources. It gives a taste of the attainment of freeplay. The kind of creative breakthrough from which art and joy and merge. It is a tale of a young musicians journey through life. And art. I knew flute was invented in china. A japanese master musician discovered the subtle beauties of its tone and brought it back home. Where he gave concerts all across the country. One evening you played with a community of musicians and music lovers who lived in a certain town. At the end of the concert. His name was called. He took out the new flute. And played one piece. And when he was finished there was a silence in the room for a long moment. And then the voice of the oldest man was heard from the back of the room. Like a god. The next day as the master was packing to leave. The musicians approached him and asked how long it would take a skilled player to learn the flute. Years he said. They asked if he would take a pupil. And he agreed. After he left they decided among themselves to send a young man a brilliantly talented flautist sensitive to beauty diligent and trustworthy. They gave him money for his living expenses and for the master's tuition. And sent him on his way to the capital where the master lived. The student arrived and was accepted by his teacher who assigned him. A single simple single tune. At first he received systematic instruction. But he easily mastered all the technical problems now he arrived for his daily lesson sat down and played the tune and all his master could say was. Something lacking. The student exerted himself and every possible way he practiced for endless hours yet day after day week after week. All the master said was. Something lacking. He bagged the master to change the tune. But the master said no the daily playing the daily something lacking. Continued for months on end and the students hope of success and fear of failure became ever magnified. A nice wang from agitation to despondency. And finally the frustration became too much for him. One night he packed his bag and clinked out. He continued to live in the capital city for some time longer until his money ran dry. And he began drinking. And finally impoverished. He drifted back to his own part of the country. Ashamed to show his face to his former colleague he found a hut far out in the countryside. He still possessed his flutes he still played. But he found no new inspiration in music. Passing farmers heard him play. And sent their children to him for beginner lessons. Any live this way for a long time. And one morning. There was a knock at his door. It was the oldest past-master from his town along with the youngest student and they told him that tonight they were going to have a concert and then they'd all decided that it would not happen without him. And with great effort. He overcame his feelings of fear and shame. And almost in a trance he picked up his flute. And he went with them. And the concert began and he waited behind stage and no-one intrude on his inner silence. And finally at the end of the concert his name was called and he stepped out onto the stage. In his rags. He looked down at his hands. And he realized he had chosen the new flute. And now he realized that he had nothing to gain. And nothing to lose. He sat down and he played the same tune he had played so many times for his teacher in the past and when he finished. There was silence for a long time and then the voice of the oldest man was heard speaking softly from the back of the room. Like a god. I am not. Hi. I am this one standing beside me. Whom i do not see. Puma x i managed to visit. Who made other times i forget. While i talk. And forgets gently when i hate. Who walks where i am not. Who will remain standing when i die. I am not i i am not i. This is a line in a poem by juan ramon jimenez. Expresses a common human experience that there is something more essential about each of us beyond our ego. Beyonder personality. Beyond the facade we presented the world. I am not i suggest. Avast interior world. This interior world is invisible to everyone including our cell. As we are mostly a mystery to ourselves. A spacious amazing mystery. Get out of this fast interior world this deep mystery. We sometimes hear a voice be recognized as are more authentic voice. A voice so different. Then our well habituated voice. Add restart alaska out loud who said that. We might even stopped in our tracks toward around. To see who spoke. The source of that vote voice is often called the soul. This soul voice can be disturbing. As it says things impossible to ignore impossible to retreat from. Such as. You must change your life. Tualatin rumi the 13th century sufi mystic philosopher poet. Was austin disturbed by that voice. He said. All day i think about it. For the night i say it. Where did i come from and what am i supposed to be doing i have no idea. My soul is from elsewhere i'm sure of that and i intend to end up there. This drunkenness began and some other tavern. When i get back around to that place i'll be completely sober meanwhile meanwhile i'm like a bird from another continent sitting in this avery. The day is coming when i fly off. But who is it now in my ears to hears my voice. Who speaks words with my mouth. Who looks out with my eyes. I can't stop asking. Like at a sponsorship of an answer i could break out of his prison for drunks. I didn't come here on my own accord and i can't leave that way. Whoever brought me here. Will have to take me home. This poetry. I never know what i'm going to say when i get outside the saying of it. I could very quiet. And really speak. At all. What is a soul. Do we have a soul. The soul in the body for the body in the soul. Is there a world-soul a national soul does your pet. Or rock in the garden have a soul. Is it even such thing as a soul. Or is a mere abstraction a function of synaptic brain discharges. I will make no attempt to ride a definitive definition. Assault other than to say are you for the word saw was intimately wrapped up and tangled in historical philosophical psychological spiritual religious and scientific inquiry and assumptions. Jeffrey carlos of our individual understanding of salt for the probability of soul. Every one of us has had an experience of an other nests and i am not i experience. I felt sent of a generative interior presence. Which holds our deepest values. And best interest. I felt sense. A generative interior presence. Which holds our deepest values in our best interest. For lack of better word i will call this the saw accept the mystery embedded in my not knowing. If we proceed in this discussion as if there is assault and assume that each person possesses a soul. What saint is the role of our soul how do we listen to it. Whether as a metaphor or a potential reality i think the union cycle analyst. James hillman. Acorn theory of the fall of the soul. Is worthy of consideration. Just as an acorn has within it the potentiality of becoming a great oak. Before within us possesses a governing wisdom and active force. Within it that is a seed of our potentiality. Don't like the acorn if properly nurtured. We can grow into what is inherently manifest in the seat of our being. This seed this acorn our soul is the force the immaterial dna. Behind our character development. It will manifest differently in each of us. Using this as a background concept let's consider three stages of individual development. There are many different ways that these three stages of frame. Well simply column innocence experience and integration. Innocence experience and integration. These stages rather than being linear. A circular iterative and mysterious. As you slip and slide between them again and again as we live to our years. The innocent stage is typically associated with childhood. A. of pre improvisational play. Artisan experience of life is primarily spontaneous. Curious. Imaginative. We are adventuresome intrepid explorers i'm concerned about outcomes and appearances. At the same time we are unconsciously taking on cultural rules and norms. As you begin to form a culturally acceptable ego. And approved personality. In our story of the flute player. We can well imagine toddling around the house. Coming across this thing we call a flute. He puts into his mouth into his joy and surprise. It makes a noise and he blows into it over and over again enthralled with pure experience of freeplay. He has nothing to win nothing to lose. This is a soul at play. An initiation. Are the child's potentiality. The experienced age is insidiously entered as we take on family and cultural rules and norms. Billionaire consequence fiesta no. Modifying our behavior to assure our survival. Cacique security love happiness belonging. It is here that we begin to develop. Strategic life. Which is the intellectual ability. Plan and create order. The strategic life the intellectual ability to plan and create order. Strategic skills are absolutely necessary. In order rational function in the complexity of this world. We do need them. Did what typically happens in our experience stage is that we repress our free. Play our innocence. As a strategic life assumed oppressive dominance over our soulful life. We slowly stop listening. To our souls voice and increasingly listen to the voices of other people. Flip a time we arrive at midlife. We may become deaf to the inner guidance of our own voice. Back to our flute player. Occupiers a flute. Are flute players parents may have heard him tooting on the flute. Heard a few few few terfel notes. Impact them off the flute lessons. To please everyone and maybe even himself he's dedicated his life to the flute. Eventually was shipped off to poop college. Charities parents and communities expectations. That he would become a renowned master flotus. Here's the rub. Just maybe. Maybe when he picked up the flute as a child he was in truth fascinated with the flutes wood. How the whole could make sound. He may have been 222 until they come to know. Aerosoles desire really wish to become a master woodworker. I'm not a flutist. If you questions here for us to consider. What brings you alive. What brings you alive. What is your wholehearted genuine call-in. Are you on your rightful path. Your souls path. This leads to question if depression or the so-called midlife crisis might actually be an unrelenting call of the soul. Adjust free call to awaken to acknowledge and unexpressed desires. For the person may be strategically successful. Just so like maybe shriveled. Here's an example from the book the heart aroused by david white. A philosopher poet. In a meeting the co is asking the executives what they thought about his new business plan. Cu ceo made it very clear that on a scale of 1 to 10 everyone to say. He was in no mood for any answer other than 10. As the other executives in the boardroom repeatedly pleaded like sheep. 10. One man knowing the plan was bad prepare to write the plan low bike. 2. He squeaked out in a little mouse voice. 10. In that instant i felt his soul step back into the dark cave of his mouth. We're frightened and angry is shriveled even more than it had it all the years before when he was climbing the corporate ladder. He knew then he had to change his life. Fire in the voice. By david white. The mouth opens. And fills the air with its vibrant shape. Until the air and the mouse become one shape. And the first word your own words spoken from that fire surprises burns grieves you now because you made that pact with a dark presence in your life. He said. If you only stuff singing. I'll make you safe. And he repeated the line knowing you were here i'll make you safe as a comforting sound of a door closing on the fear at last. But his darkness crept under your tongue. Became that dmk will you sheltered in your crew in that small place too frightened to remember the songs of the world. It's impossible notes. And the sweet joy that flew out the door of your mouth as you spoke. If you only stopped singing if you only stopped singing all make you safe. And he repeated the line knowing you would hear. I'll make you safe. That's a comforting sound of a door closing on the fear at last but his darkness crept under your tongue and became that dim cave will you shelter and you crew in that small small place too frightened to frighten to remember the song of the world it's impossible notes. With a sweet joy that flew at the door of your mouth as you spoke. If you want to stop singing i'll make you safe. The first stage of development is integration of the innocence and experience stages of our life. Perhaps the first step of that integration is to recover our full voice. A voice that speaks with deep inner integrity. Prince david white says. My voice is a powerful arbitrator of our inner life. Our relationships with others. And a touchdown of faith. In the life we wish to live. How do we recover the integrity of our boys are souls voice how to refuse or innocence and experience so we can play like a god. This is essential question embedded in the story of our flute player. And the answer to the master is repeated instruction to the student. That there was something lacking. What is lacking with the integration. The food players innocence and experience. Express to the music of the flute. Do we cover the souls voice requires a radically acquaintance with silence. Which is what i was asking of you when we began the service and i asked you to stand still. Mythologist joseph campbell said this silence is an absolute necessity for anybody today. You must have a room. For certain hour or so a day we don't know what was in the newspapers that morning. Were you don't know who your friends are. You don't know what you owe anybody you don't know what anybody owes you. This is a place where you can simply experience. And bring forth what you are and what you might be. This is a place. A creative incubation. At first you may find that nothing happens there. But if you have a sacred place. And use it something you'll eventually happen. There's a face. In entering this kind of radical silence. A face at the soul and personality for ripen and natural time. That's not doing can be more productive than doing. I trust in yourself that by releasing conscious defenses. Unconscious integration will become manifest. Cops who the father of taoism said. To a mind that is still the whole universe surrenders. The silence. The surrendering is not a passive process. Is it action in non-action. Is entered into in a state of quiet mindful alertness attention fluidity of thought. And self-compassion. In which we can ripen into a full human potentiality. And our story this ripening process is depicted with a flute player finding a hut far out in the country. Did he is still part of the community is still part of the community. As a teacher's beginning flute lessons for children is adults to teach experience indirect intimate communion with the innocent experiences of a student. The story says rather than necessarily quitting your day job. Filing for divorce. Getting a red convertible sports car. You need to stay involved with your life reimagine it in an integrated and wholehearted way. Ultimately the point of the story is about a ripening other. Two-player stole diffusing of his innocence and experience. Defusing of your innocence and experience. Unlike the flute player when we enter into our version of the hut in the country are sacred space. Are gently held task is to listen for harmony and integrity between our interior voice and our exterior voice. To listen for harmony. And integrity. Between our interior voice. And our exterior voice. The voice italy project out to the world. If there is distance between our inner and outer voice like a bad cord of music. That is where we need to direct our attention to begin our work of integration. Each of us will begin from a different place of dissonance and discord. And as we progress we will have to stop again and again to listen for that voice recalled our very own. Then adjust our thoughts actions and behaviors accordingly. Bringing her unconscious knowing. Into conscious action. This is no easy task. It requires courage intentions. Patience commitment. It also requires surrender the giving over our well habituated modes of thinking and being. Requires openness to the innocent and free improvisational play we knew as a child only this time supported by our full life to teach experiences. Inclusive of all the lessons we've gained from our successes and failures joys and sorrows. This is what a flute player took a lifetime to accomplish. It is the gift of agent. It is the gift of agent the ultimate gift of the soul. May you live a very long life. Mou cheese at in your life. Effusion of your strategic life. And your soulful life. You're innocent and experience. So that the music of your full voice sings. Like a god. And to that i say amen. Let us take a few moments meditatively. To bring ourselves into reverent mindfulness. What time does stop. And simply breathe deeply. A few moments together. For we have nothing to gain. Nothing to lose. A time to reflect on your own life. And a life of others. In the silence. This stillness. This simple breathing. We hear the voice within us. And the voice of the world around us. We recognize that we aspire. To bring these voices. Indo full. Wholehearted expression. Sticking to create a vibrant source. Of love. Compassion. Justice. We recognize this task can be arduous. As life is often complex. Confusion. Frightening. And we hope for the strength to stand firm. And go forward. We recognize that the staff can also be joyous playful and thrilling. Let's try for the wisdom to remember with gratitude. Wondrous times of our life. Whenever the pendulum of events swings too dark or difficult times. We recognize that each of us has an individual responsibility to fulfill to creative potentiality we inherited. From the great mystery. And we equally recognize our responsibility. Travanse the creative potentiality. Aurora home community. And the community of the world. May we evolve in our courage convictions. Integrity. Inability to love the good. The beautiful. And the true as we go forward remembering. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships. When one of us celebrates to joy or gries lost the web of life moves. To a new shape. We are a part of the turn of the earth the shift of the stars the pull of the sea and all changes and blessed be. Please reach out and join hands with the person next to you so that your soul connects to their soul and connects the great soul. Tualatin roomie. Everyday we wake up empty and frightened. Don't open the door to the study and begin to read. Take down a musical instrument. Such a beauty we love be what we do let the beauty the beauty we love be what we do. Go forth and take your beautiful voices with you into the world. Common. Beautiful.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-07-13-Touching-Hearts-through-Bullet-Proof-Glass_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. When we come here on sunday morning we bring the gifts and imperfections of who we are this is a community where we challenge each other encouraged each other support each other our work is to keep our sights on the best that we can be in this place we are surrounded by a diversity of religious beliefs god or whatever it is which we place an ultimate trust is different for each one of us and comes from our life experiences. Today we like this chalice a symbol of our heritage as unitarian universalist to celebrate the inherent worth and dignity of every person may the light we now kindle remind us of the sacred spark of life in each one of us to do our best to bless the world. Connections are made slowly by marge piercy or make love. Good morning. To willingly enter uncertainty. I think that for some people for many people one of the barriers to visiting detainees. Is the entering into a situation of the unknown. You go into that jail with a piece of paper it tells you the person's name age and jail number. You are unsure whether you will speak the same language both literally and figuratively. After more than a year of visiting immigrant detainees i do not embrace uncertainty but i do accept it i have visited age of the undocumented inmates in the past year-and-a-half. So my sean lee one. Others i visited bi-weekly from two to a dozen times. At first all had been born in mexico more recently guatemala and el salvador have been their countries of origin. Jose and pablo i met only once each both in their forties they grown up in the central valley both had worked and egg related fields. We spoke of their families their work and what they expected to happen i wish them well and they thanked me for coming. Then i began visiting cesar age 42 same age as my daughter. In our our long visits over almost three months. He spoke of his mother is bad marriage is three children especially his daughter with good grades and the worries he had that his son might fall into bad company. In jail he found jobs helping to serve food and translating for other detainees he learned about my adult children's lives and the joy i get for my grandsons. We often laugh together. He told how working his way up from dishwasher to waiter in napa valley and a job still awaited him. He gone for technical school in mexico and fix cars on the side. When i went to a family reunions in the midwest i sent him a postcard from the corn palace in mitchell south dakota it was mystifying to him. Then suddenly he could post bail. Funniest last day he sent me a thoughtful letter telling me he looked forward to getting back to his job his family and thanking me for my kindness and visiting him. Saying they were a good breaking his week and gave him something to look forward to. And that was it. Party with a very different story. Age 33 he'd been in prison for 13 years and has sureno tattoos from chintoo wrist. At first all i could see where the tattoos. Later i didn't see them at all. He'd been raised in los angeles forum age to his mother has serious mental problems his father work long hours so hard he and his brothers and sisters kind of raise themselves. He was the only one to get involved in bad company. In the latter years of his prison since you started reading as much as possible and had changed his way of thinking. His brother had found him a job as a laborer in the oil business. We spoke a bit of his son and his wife but mostly had long talks about religion and history. He was curious to know which countries i've visited. As an ex-felon he was separate from the other detainees one day he told me of a television program he'd seen. Where the term agnostic was used he said that because of me he knew what it meant he was terrified of going to mexico and ending up in michoacan where he might have relatives and they might or might not want to know him. On our last visit he said he thought they deported been about 6 weeks. A few days later i received notice that he was gone. We have not had time to say our farewells i was surprised at the shock i found. I learned how much the visits man a couple months ago when i visited salvador only 19 who'd grown up in parlier. On my second visit his eyes lit up when he saw me in the visiting room he said alright i told those guys knew was coming to see me today a few days later i again received notice that he was gone. Most recently santiago from el salvador has been my detainee friend. He said last week that he expects to be deported shortly. That he hopes to meet up with his brother. Advanced pain to seventh-day adventist church that he liked and he was going to look for when in mexico. I will continue visiting as long as i can as long as we have these detainees in our midst. It has come to feel like a calling. All of the visits are only an hour every two weeks is clear they mean a lot to the inmates. The list of people requesting visits is far far longer than there are people to visit them. I don't know who i will see next chances are they'll be in their twenties or thirties coping with the idea of leaving behind their family and their work. They will fear the dangers they will face. Their uncertainty will be so much greater than mine thank you. Good morning. My first experience visiting rio cosumnes detention unit in elk grove was life-changing. I have never stepped foot inside a jail or detention center of any sort. I was lucky to be accompanied by faithful friends amigos fearless volunteers who had been there many times before and when were able to walk me through the process. I am not someone who usually complains about being treated differently for any reason but this was the first time in my life. Firefly was automatically placed in a category by the guards. The lack of common respect was shown to me from the moment i asked for a visitor's card it gave me a first-hand experience of what people go through when they're visiting their loved ones. On my first visit i met a young man named nelson. Who was only two years older than me. Should have been held in detention for over a year-and-a-half and have been living in north carolina with his wife and two small children when he was taken into custody for driving without a driver's license. Nelson was brought here by his family at the age of 15 from inside load. He started going to school he has uncle offered him a job doing construction work he decided to drop out because of money he couldn't me which really benefit his family. When he was stopped in north carolina for driving without a driver's license he was deported to instead by the world within a few months. The time you spend in his old neighborhood was frightening because he was her best to join street gangs and was threatened. That's when he decided the dreams back to the us would be worth it for him he was able to successfully returned to his family north carolina unexpectedly his home was raided at 6 in the morning and he was returned to instead of. He was not sure how immigrations custom enforcement had learned that he was back at his old house. Nelson explained that he cannot live in until about the lord because his life was at risk and because he had the responsibility of two small children here. Who depended on him. Nothing once again tried crossing the border to get to his family attempting to cross at the texas border with the help of a coyote or smuggler he had paid he was kidnapped. And taken prisoner with the other group he was with. There was a total of 12 people trying to cross with him at the same time women and children made up the majority of the group she said he was lucky to be alive. His entire group was eventually found by the us marshal and he was transferred from texas to california where he had never been before. When i met nelson and detention he had been there for 18 months. He said he had given up. He no longer had the will to fight his deportation case. Being held prisoner said defeated him. He was surprised to see me the day i visited him and asked the guard several times if he had the correct name when he was being told he had a visitor when i explained to him that he had signed up. Visitation program through faithful friend he began to laugh. She said i signed up for that months ago no one ever came to visit me i had given up hope. I explained that was one of the new spanish-speaking fighting volunteers therefore it was hard for him. To get any visitation. He was so grateful when i met with him and could not stop talking the entire time. When i asked nelson how he stayed joyful and happy he explained to me that it was very challenging but he had created a bunch of support with the other men who were also being detained he said he had lost 60 lb since his. Beginning of the detention not only because of the lack of good food but because he was so depressed about being away from his family. It was especially hard whenever he spoke to his sons over the phone when he had to tell them that he was away at work. Going home at night for me was very difficult i felt a tremendous amount of guilt. Guilt because i wasn't able to walk freely out of that prison into my car. Drive home and sleep in my comfortable bed in the comfort of my own home. I was lucky enough to go home and talk to my best friend's debriefing with them was what gave me the peace of mind that i was doing what i could. To fight for people who are being put in detention for wanting to live in this great country. When i returned to the detention center months later nothing had been deported to another. It was hard to know that he now faced harassment and possible death in his country. Even though he had been part of the united states for more than 10 years and had a family here that he loved and who depended on him. Faithful friends has truly opened my eyes to the injustice has in this country i began working with sacramento immigration alliance because i thought i could not complain about the system without trying to do something about it. Being part of a community organization group that advocates to inform the public about their rights has been very fulfilling for me but at the same time it's very frustrating. The biggest takeaway i would like for everyone to go home with today is that we are all human beings. We each deserve basic human rights and respect. I'm committed to the social justice issue because i believed that people were coming into this country and documented are not doing it by choice. It is a necessity. The poverty and dangerous in their native countries are so great. But they're willing to leave it all behind. Sometimes travel thousands of miles to seek a better life. Not only did he go to extreme situations while attempting to get to the border. The experience of crossing the borders also very dangerous. I leave you with this. On the other side of this current humanitarian crisis are people who want to help. Many churches are stepping up and helping children. Together we can build a better world so that all people are treated with dignity and respect. I hope that you all consider joining faithful friends amigos feliz and visit a detention center soon to get a first-hand experience. Thank you. Good morning. I met him in june of last year while he was being held at the downtown sacramento county jail. Where i was visiting as part of the faithful friends and migos felize visitation program you been in jail for about 6 months and hadn't had any visitors and he was very glad to see me. He believed i'd been sent in answer to his prayers. We had several great conversations about my dog and about outdoor activities we both enjoyed and we both look forward to our visits. After a few visits anthony was transferred to a jail near bakersfield. And then to tacoma washington. We kept in touch through phone calls and video visits pictures and sent them to me along with these christmas tree ornaments that he made out of sheep rappers friends. After anthony left i meant miss al he had been working in the fields outside of modesto when he was stopped for a traffic violation. It was discovered that his driver's license was not his and he was also using a fake social security card. He was charged for the felony for social security fraud and is subject to deportation because of that felony conviction. He's now being held in etowah county jail in alabama and we continued to write and talk on the phone. It's been a detention for four years but he's afraid to return to el salvador and will continue his appeals for as long as he can. Also believed i was sent to him an answer to prayers and he calls me his angel. He sends me pictures of myself where i have wings and i'm holding my dog fiance and through letters and phone calls were sometimes we see each other. Both of these men spoke of a powerful faith in god that helps them stay hopeful. They both told me but they believed that god had a plan for them and they would accept whatever that plan was. I was visiting detainees partly because my uu face calls me to work for justice but i begin to wonder how my face would sustain me in such difficult circumstances. I don't believe there's a supernatural being who has a plan for me and who's watching over me but i can't find spiritual strength in connection with 11 community. The challenge is to find loving community wherever i am. It hasn't been easy for me to feel connection 211 community when i'm visiting the jail. The place we visit now the rio cosumnes correctional center in elk grove is a soul-sucking environment of chain link fence razor wire and bad lighting. The rules for visitors seem arbitrary in the first place change constantly in a randomly enforced. The corrections officers show little regard for the quality of the visitation experience and it was hard for me at first not to feel anger and resentment towards them. Somehow it was easier for me to feel loving kindness and compassion for the detainees even though some of them had committed crimes of violence. It was hard to see inherent worth and dignity and corrections officers who seem to be participants in an unjust system of immigration enforcement. But i knew i needed to be able to make the transformation to stand on the side of love with those men and women too for my own sake. With the help of the volunteer visitation community i found ways to be able to do that and now i'm able to see past the razor wire and the rules and find connection and community within those walls wherever i can even with the guards. And the employees there. Mission of faithful friends amigos fearless is to encourage spiritual growth and emotional well-being of the volunteers i would be a great success story but that's not our mission our mission is to work send the isolation of some of the men and women held in detention centers right here in this area. And i can only do that by working with other people and other groups i need to work with advocacy groups such as the sacramento immigration alliance that jenny is part of. I also need to make my voice heard with lawmakers and those who determine immigration enforcement sportsman's policies. I email and call my representatives in congress regularly to ask them to move forward with comprehensive immigration reform. I live in placer county and my congressional representative is conservative republican tom mcclintock but i continue to write to him and to attend his town hall meetings and conferences and to give him my opinion the prospects for immigration reform at the national level don't look promising right now so it might be. But i've been motivated by people like anthony and me style to have faith and continue to hold out hope even when things look hopeless. I'll always carry the inspiration i got from knowing these two men of face. And it does my heart good to know that there are fifteen or so men and women around the world who i have visited and who carry the memory of the gray-haired woman who talked about her little brown dog. And who knows their stories and cares about them and won't give up hope thank you. If they suspected someone was undocumented. I was among the tens of thousands who gathered in phoenix to march against such racial profiling in the in the main 29th national day of action. We join the uu contingent for the five-mile walk to the capitol. Ever he took its toll i sat down to rest in the shade. Jalapeno family set near me and ask me. Where was i from and why i had to come to the march that day. I found myself sharing that the story that was ingrained in me growing up in my small farm town in north central illinois. About how my irish ancestors left their homeland and came to find work to support their families back in ireland. Are they worked as laborers digging the illinois michigan canal and struggle to be treated fairly. I also shared that is a person to save this was a moral issue for me and that i believed i had a responsibility to support justice and respect for all people. I went to phoenix again in 2012. Where are denominations justice general assembly. Hot june evening thousands of you use traveled on school buses to join together for a public witness at the tent city jail were over 2,000 immigrants were in detention some of you may have been there. Ten city with disturbing. But the public witness was truly inspiring. I took the heart the message. From the local community leaders. The bean inspired in phoenix wasn't enough. As people of faith our challenge was to go back to our communities and discovered what needed to be done. To do something. To support justice partner against where we live. To go back home and find a way to stand on the side of love. When i got back to sacramento. I was shocked at what i discovered via google search. I definitely found something to do. Just a few miles from where i live for than 100 emigrants were jailed in an immigrant immigration and customs enforcement unit and ice unit in our downtown sacramento county main jail. Most had come to this country seeking a way to support their families back home. Just like my irish ancestors. After about four months of unsuccessful conversations with the sacramento county sheriff's office and a lot of persistence. Faithful friends amigos fiorelli's was approved by the san francisco homeland security office in january of 2013. You use for my sacramento auburn davis congregations have been visiting immigrants in detention in sacramento county and members of our grass valley and chico you congregations are visiting days detainees in the yuba county ice detention unit. By clustering together. Local uu congregation make a difference. More than 30 other detention visitation programs exist across the country and with support and guidance from civic a national organization working to end isolation and abuse of women and men in detention immigration you use have been playing a very important part. Here in sacramento as was with stated request for visits from immigration in detention immigrants in detention far exceeds our current number of volunteers and the demand continues to grow. I want to explain that while i felt called to start an organized this program. I had to address some of my feelings and assumptions before i became a visitor. If i only speak a little spanish i wasn't sure that i would really be needed. Plus i was hesitant to visit a stranger with such a different life experience than mine. What would we ever talk about. As it turns out about 70% of the detainees requesting a visit speak english. It must have been in the united states for many years. And come from many different countries. We are hearts we are however talented as jenny noted. Recruiting spanish-speaking volunteers cuz some of our speakers are monolingual spanish speakers are volunteer our detainees making some truly amazing connections why separated. Buy bulletproof glass. I was also unsure about volunteering in a jail. It is true that being in jail even as a volunteer visitor can be a creepy demeaning experience. I have learned a lot by taking the stuff out of outside my comfort zone. My eyes are open to a world that has been hidden from view i was also raised to be a law-abiding citizen and it has been disconcerting to witness how unjust some laws in the systems that enforce them. Canby. I have been deeply moving transformed by the profound gratitude i have received from the immigrants whom i have visited. I know i am making a difference in their lives and they have made a difference in mind. Getting to know them has open my hard and deep and my commitment to the ending the injustice has in our immigration system. The daily news brings heartbreaking stories. From across the globe. Right now the attention of the nation is on our southern border for tens of thousands of central american refugee children seek asylum. Across the globe people of all ages lee war. Collapse of rural economies poverty and gang violence. Some who have come to the u.s. and search of safety and opportunity. Are now being detained behind barbed wire. Right here in our valley. They are now our neighbors. Isolated and afraid. With your help. We can make sure they are not alone that they are not forgotten. Please join us after our service today and learn more about how you can touch a heart and be touched. And in so doing the inspired to work together. To be a force for justice. In our community. Thank you. Now please join us in our litany of blessing by the reverend lindy ramsden i invite you to repeat mary helen's line in the litany. Who are separated from loved ones by a broken immigration system. May you be blessed with family. Four workers threatened with deportation when they demand the wages they are owed may you be blessed with justice may you be blessed with justice. For victims of crime who are afraid to call the police lest they be tamed and deported. May you be blessed with safety. May you be blessed with safety or detained immigrants isolated from their families and without access to a lawyer or due process may you be blessed with hope. May you be blessed with hope. For students and all who have boldly come out as undocumented. May you be blessed with community may you be blessed with community. For legislators in sacramento and washington dc who fear backlash from voters if they follow their conscience may you be blessed with courage may you be blessed with courage for immigrant justice may you be blessed with face. May you be blessed with faith. May we be blessed. And may we be a blessing. And let the people say. Let's hear it again amen. From the fourfold franciscan blessing. May you be blessed with a holy anger at injustice. And may you be blessed with enough foolishness. To believe that you really can make a difference in the world. So that you are able. What strength from the spirit. And in connection with the community. To do what others claim cannot be done. Go in peace and be makers of peace i'm in.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-11-03_Dia-de-los-Muertos_What-Will-I-Tell-You_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons another recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website at www.ge.com for further information. I love seeing the sanctuary is so filled and it is great to be here with you and i just want to say i can't see everyone because of the altar but i am with you in spirit on the other side here you are welcome here you are all welcome here with your certainties and your doubts and your strength and your imperfections and your cell phones to. Bring your friends you're welcome here and all of your fullness. Your race and your culture your sexual orientation or gender identity your religious views your political party the earth and the claim your spirituality and i have a few things to share with you if you have a personal joy or sorrow to share invite you to light a chalice to the back of the sanctuary at the milestone table and if it's a pastoral emergency i ask that you write a milestone and let me know that and i will get back to you before the end of the day people who collect those milestones carefully. is it until i invite you to write your milestones to come to me. Each person in this room has a piece of wisdom everyone of us if we look carefully look at each other carefully we can see what we share with others our smiles are different but with the same feeling of happiness or anger is different but it comes from feeling hurt. And our laugh is different but it comes from joy. Each person have a story to tell your story is not the same as mine i can hear your story and you can hear mine listen carefully and we'll find something we share when we get together we hear the wind the rustling grass and even the rocks in quiet we listen to what is in our heart and remember voices of people from our past. Come let us worship together on this sunday dia de los muertos. We have entered into this month of november with increase with its increasingly dark evenings and unsettled weather we have heard the geese cry overhead and their yearly migration and wash the leaves turn color and fall to the ground this is a time when we think about the journeys of our lives about those among us who have died. And the transitions we grieve. Halloween is behind us and now is the weekend of dia de los muertos this holiday. Is a celebration full of dance and music and flowers and candy with parades alters to the dab like the one we've built here together and graveside picnics. More than anything this is a holiday about our continuing relationship with those who have passed. This is a happy holiday. As well as a sad one when we welcome back those were gone from us. And honored changes in our own lives. We may be far from the graves of our ancestors. So we can still remember them with song and flowers and the smell of bread. We can share with each other the memories of beloved relatives and friends of pests of dreams let go. Of all that has died. Food is especially important in this holiday for it is the smell of red they say. That brings our brett are dead back to us. And so today in particular we are eating together a very special bread pen duerto which is eaten all over mexico in october every year at a different form every place. In this ritual we are about to share today you are invited to come down these aisles this aisle right here and this ramp time here. To take a piece of the bread to eat together. Suspend just a moment. Looking at our beautiful altar and then return to your seats. So as nancyplays i invite you to form lines one over here and one over here. Share the bread of the dead in this moment of life and death together. I remember tagging along chasing my abuela to el campo santo sell paper flowers to make the silver tubes right that was back in mexico only 7 years old here we do not wish to hold dialogue with the dead they remind us that we too will eventually join them here there is no loot and there are known to ignore the dead and even to avoid death in our conversations in mexico la muerte is well-known we had already died and no one had said goodbye or cried my dead friend. I have begun when i'm weary and i can't decide an answer to a bewildering question to ask my dad friends for their opinion and the answer is often immediate and clear should i take the job move to the city should i try to conceive a child in my middle age. They stand in unison shaking their heads and smiling whatever leads to joy they always answer to more life. Unless worrying i look into the vase where billy's ashes were is green in there a green face and i asked billy if i should return the difficult phone call. And he says yes phil he's already gone through that frightening door whatever he says. I'll do. Come yet again come so this morning soon to be afternoon. Handed history will become clear in time here so what we have learned this morning what we've experienced is the power of love how we need not be afraid of our grief and indeed we are not forgotten we will not be forgotten we have not forgotten those who come before. So many memories are in this room. And i could see it in your faces so when i need to think about should i return that difficult phone call or anything as small or even larger than that there are voices that i carry inside of me to tell me what to do. Here is one voice the voice that is is of my family i gave this book to my father when i was in college and i asked him to write to me in this without urine to know what was in his heart and it is pretty much empty there's some pictures in here and lots of very heartfelt questions. That's where the story begins. Because this is what i received back. Not necessarily in a timely fashion but i did receive this back. Your special book with questions and blank pages came today and i was most surprised. It shouldn't because i never thought about putting my past life on paper i'm a man who works with his hands and not with words. And you ask for memories ideas ideals. Words love beers. How does one go about doing this. I was in high school when our country was in the depression your grandfather worked in the textile mills so i left high school and got a job there too. For the time of growing up fast in a world of working men i will never forget the first day of work the words the men said to me neither will i forget their actions. My father wrote boy you are taking the job from a man with a family now your family has two people feeding only three people. You're taking the place of one of our friends you will wish you were back in school i was too proud erode and too much in need to say anything they made my life hell if there was a dangerous job i got it. And i never let up. And there was many days he wrote. When i wished. I wasn't school. I vowed i would never treat people like that i would help people when i had a chance. That's how we started. And so this was my father's story and what he did do. He made sure fit in his life. If someone came to him and needed help. He was someone. Who gave them a hand up. Mostly man. But always when someone needed to provide for a family. He did what needed to be done. They're twenty-one pages. Written in pencil. Words crossed out many efforts of starting again again my mother said she saw that he was laboring over something he was laboring over it and he kept it in the top drawer. And he never let her read it. Ever. So when he died. One of the first thing she did was ask me for a coffee so she could read it i'm glad he said very good things about her. And that was clear from how he told his life story but as he looked back on his life the voice that came through those pages was occasionally defiant which is really surprising because he was usually defiant but more often he was wistful. And humble. 121 pages written on yellow lined now fading paper a reoccurring theme with his vigilus vigilance to. Not pass on to others the harsh unforgiving unforgiving treatment he often received. Sometimes from his own parents. His effort to uphold his ideal help me to lean in the direction of choosing the high road when i could do otherwise and when i ask my inner voices the equivalent of should i make the really difficult phone call sometimes the answer is not clear like it was for the poet. A cloud of witnesses in my mind is really crowded in there and it's noisy my mother is there and she and my father didn't always agree if you can imagine that and there is the voice teacher whose advice comes the way music can speak to the emotions and there are great people admired in history sometimes i've only read their words. But i know what they stood for. And they come real for me. When i dig deeply enough into their biographies to read about their doubts and their questions and the voices that they responded to and then the voices of their inspiration become mine too and then all of those voices are clamoring to be heard about whether i should make that very difficult phone call writing. Reveal his own inner voices on his life at that point he was in his early 70s. He could feel how his own decisions and his outlook were influenced by a man he had not understood in his youth. They found they finally understood his own father. The letter refers back to his grandfather my great-grandfather who groomed and trained clydesdale horses and england his early death. Sent the family on an unanticipated trajectory that has brought my grandfather to the united states. Henry nelson wyman unitarian theologians that the human mind is created in history. The human mind is created in history to understand who we are in this very moment we look to the relationships in the events that formed us. My father. Thomas banks. And one of my colleagues who read the sermon said it sounds like the name you to find on a tombstone and old new england graveyard thomas banks with an only child of immigrants who had both left school at 11 years old. Both were driven to make great life in america. And during the depression. My father had that opportunity to work when other use for hungry. That's what he was given. And how we could understand him. And yet our theology says that we are more. Then what we received from the path it isn't that good news. Our histories are not always so wonderful. Our decisions are the culmination of ideas and memories and shadows that we bring together in a new way. I thought process and our actions are a source of creativity at the ultimate creativity the past. It makes use of all the new influences that are around us all in the cauldron of our day-to-day life everything we do in the here and now. As a youth. My father was often put in danger's way and the textile mill. Reaching through enormous looms and that is like a threading needle for one of the loom. Twist wrong with dreads he was the one they sent into the loom. Exhausted from working long hours he he managed to strategically find ways to make himself indispensable. To the man who wished he had just stayed in school. In his mind he took the anger in the aggression of the men who were frightened by the depression and he understood that they were frightened men. Heidi understood them. I transformed that anger and that fear. To become a vow. To give others a hand out when they needed it. 21 pages my father offered story after story in support of wyman thought that hope comes comes from remembering our history and the lies that touched hours. And matching that. With a freedom in this moment to refashion ourselves to become filled with life. Refashioning ourselves that we are filled with as much life as we can hold. My father there were specific aha moments moments of revelation long conversations and experiences came to shine a new light on the past and his present choices. He witnessed his own parents. Draw the circle of their lives smaller and smaller until they were reduced to watching the neighbors with envy and suspicion through the blinds of their front windows looking at those who are not. Purely. English. And that amounted to just about everybody he struggled to accept those who lived on the other side of a very artistically created stonewall in our yard tom banks created. This work of art. Serve two separate. Beautifully. But separate. People would stop along the road to admire has he taught all of his daughters all three of his daughters how to find rocks that would wedge together so they would be secure through the winters and we were the repair crew and many times we had bleeding hands as rocks with rough-edged and it but we knew we learned how to fit them together puzzle piece. But make no mistake. The wall was his own rendition of the blinds in his parents home. They were one in the same. My father arrived you are mother's family must have loved your mom a lot look up put up with me in those early years i couldn't understand their clothes and they would laugh at their differences and mine. They would understand each other's foibles. Or not. And still help each other. He continued. I still act like my own family sometimes if someone hurts me i walk away from them. I forget to look at their good points. But mom tries to talk me out of it and so my mother did with considerable success one day came when he worked with the neighbor to maintain the stonewall and it seems as if their cooperation would come out of the blue. But i remember my mother watching the two men leaning over the stone does if it was a master puzzle and i couldn't really understand it then. But she looked. So strangely pleased. Almost smog. In the recent years at this time. Of the year. I started to create my own private all through with mementos of my loved ones who have died. My uncle's passport. A blue heart. Persimmons remember some friends in south korea. Sculptures of a dog and cat in memory of their good companionship. My mother is hand-sewn pillowcases with crocheted edging that she gave all of her daughters. A bright tablecloths owned by manga refugees were my students and long deceased. I've added mementos of dreams that have been set aside or abandoned. How they all changed my life. Their words their deeds. They're alive in me. And i allow myself. The hold each thing. And feel sorrow and wistful manson. Sometimes joy. Because it all comes down to this incredible feeling of gratefulness. Gratefulness. For the thread of their existence in this big loom of life. Illume that allows us to weave new patterns from whatever it is. Whatever that is. Did we receive. Did that i say. Amen. Advise you and your time of prayer and meditation and did know that you will need your hymnals at the end of that an invite you to sing with the choir thing and you can know that's. 1001 a new hymnal. Invite you into time of prayer with me now. Some of this comes from the choir. When i asked whose voices do you hear. Who is with you who walks with you who who says go make that phone call. And some of. This prayer comes from you. And the week gone by. Spirit of life there are loving hearts among us who have found love. And their hearts among us. To have lost love. And feel alone. For those among us with children and youth who struggle with addiction and danger. May they be safe. For loving relationships that have come on woven. Husbands and wives who feel undone by grief of promises that has been made to each other that have been broken. May there be healing and peace in each heart. For those who have received a diagnosis and it is as if they have fallen and they have no breath to speak of it. May they find courage. To let us in. There are those who remember those focused presents that we. Have witnessed here today. Of those who have come before. We imagine approval from a mother or father parents who are present until there was true listening and not only hearing we imagined their voices and times of challenge protect her source of inspiration. Mentor there's so much we would say to them we remember their ideal set out for us to achieve commitment to making the world a better place. To weed digging deep for the route. The message to stand tall to be proud to interpret failure as a challenge to just try again. And your name we know your name show yourself in a voice in action kathy that some part of your wave of being bhasin. The world needs you i need you and joyful comfort. Whenever a moth comes towards the life the presence of a mother brings comfort remembering her way of being the smallest gestures and in celebration wearing their bright clothing and jewelry to remember their love of music and parties beauty. Each of us has a part in the intricate web of relationships when one of us celebrates its joya grieves the loss the web of life moves to a new shape we are apart of the turn of the earth the shift of the stars. The pull of the sea. And oil change. I'm going to do something i've never done before i just want you to take hands around the running see you right. Mattis gathering say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

Worship-2012_09_09-1115a-ED-1.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Cheerleader can come in. Videos of new heights everyone. Today is a celebration of joy. Naruto stories of where we open this summer. And how happened changed. Simple favor change nearby. We're all here together. All ages gathered in one place. Help one another and stuff. Enter rejoice and come in. Hello good morning everybody i'm going to picket and i am a lifelong anytime universalist. I believe i have been to this very water service every memorable year of my life maybe the first one or two and asked but it's very important to me it really starts out a new year for me so i'm really happy to be here yet again in this congregation. And i'm i just want to talk to you a little bit about an experience i had and something we're trying to do here, tied together. When i tried opana turn universalist and i got all the experiences that our young people get here learning other religions learning about other cultures. And really felt like i had a pretty solid respect for people that lived other places and thought other ways to say anything we try to teach our kids here i work with the youth group for this church and i try to instill that in them all the time. And then in college i had the opportunity to go to africa. I went to africa for a summer. And. Needless to say i found it i opening i went there vegetarian which i still am but very firm in my vegetarian beliefs i would argue with anybody about how you know we had animals in it on justin. I got there and i tried to talk to people about it and they said. Yeah so we ate the food we have. I see that's a different looking at it though and i was there to do research on mental illness i was a psychology major. And i was working with professor there and. I had a lot of respect for the people there i really thought we were there to instill some knowledge about the way that we deal with mental illness in our culture. I've been studying it for years at university and i live on medications and their season. I was really surprised to find out that wasn't what we were doing there we were there to learn how they do things because there are their recovery rate for a lot better than ours so it was really eye-opening for me and i was a different person i was re-reading my journal from that time recently. So i want these lines i've been wanting to take the youth on a trip like this for them to experience something like this for a long time. And we did do a general assembly in portland and took them all there to meet you use from all over the country and that was really great we did a civilized tour of the south where we traveled all around the south and. The pick time we want to leave the country and that seemed like a slightly bigger thing than we can manage abusive on our own so we have invited and hopefully all of your family's notices because anybody who's a youth friendly adult who would be interested in going on a trip like this and interacting with you to join us. And so we we've met twice and we're going to keep meeting over the course of the next year and unfortunately you're going to see. I mean all of the things because we're going to start fundraising so the first fundraiser will be today after the service we're going to have a lunch for you and we have to do that really often i'm going to try to find a lot of creative ways to fundraise outside of the congregation to so we're not constantly asking for money here. I haven't decided where we're going to go yet but we will be deciding by october so we're still today we're going to actually sit down and look at some options from powerpoints made of choices. And so that is still an open invitation for anybody who's interested to get in touch with us and also to ask us about it ask about how it's going you're going to see teenagers a lot more than you have because we're going to be in here serving lunches and trying to get to know you guys and so. He just kind of wanted to invite you to be a part of it and to feel i feel like it's something this whole church is doing and to look for regular updates. Felt adventure support please eat today and happy water service to everyone. It's raining comes to us from the poet langston hughes. Who was an african-american marin and an icon in harlem in the mid-twentieth century. Called i've known rivers. I've known rivers. I've known rivers ancient at the world. And older than the flow of human blood. In human veins. My soul has grown deep. Like the rivers. I bathed in the euphrates. When dawn's we're young. I built my hut near the congo. And it lulls me to sleep. I looked upon the nile. And raised the pyramids above it. I heard the singing of the mississippi. When abe lincoln went down to new orleans. And i seen its money busam. Turn all golden in the sunset. I've known rivers. Ancient. Dusky rivers. My soul has grown deep. Like the rivers. I think it's time for me to do something now i don't forget something. I just did it. Who wrote invite you. Two-timer quiet. Quiet in your body to think about what suzanne just said about. Disconnecting. Being still within. That even when we are completely silent we believe we are silent there's still. Something going on and if you are quiet enough. You hear your own breath. Invite you in exact kind of silence. Sharif behind your beginnings and your endings and. Even all that needs healing to be in that deep. Silence. Together. John. And breathe into the bottom of your being right now. And breathe out. Debris. Down to your toes and hear your neighbor. And breathe out. An amen. In custody. Hey everybody my name is alex solorio and i'm part of a high-school group here at our church. I joined the high school group last year after going through abilene koa. Kill the junior high corset are here. Once i joined i suddenly felt very close with everybody in high school group. And they'll chase me like that know me forever. Everybody there is always extremely nice and thoughtful. Italo's accept you for who you are and what you believe on. Even if your beliefs are contrary to their own. Another reason why i love high school group is already scussion that ideas that would come up with together. What are school sports beliefs or quantum physics. We're always able to have great conversations. One idea that we've been talking about for quite a while now. Is going on a big social action trip. I used to just be something that we would talk about in our free time. But a couple months ago we realize that it could actually be a possibility. We decided that if we didn't act now or idea would forever remain just an idea. So we decided that this coming summer we would all go on a trip. African high school group we meet the plan ideas for fundraising and plan where we might want to go or what we might want to do that. Toronto scussion. The high school group decided that we would like to travel out of the country. And we would like a large majority of the trip to be social action work. We think that going on a trip to another country to be a life-changing experience for all of us. Might be able to learn about communities far different from our own while helping them out. Example we could show the children over community fun games to play or sports. We can also fix buildings in a community or building rooms. Another reason why i personally want to go on this trip is because i love adventures. This summer i went on a backpacking trip with my dad my brother and our friends scott in austin for 4 days. It was very challenging but it was all worth it when we got back and we talked about what we did. We work hard to meet the challenge of the steep climbs in long heights for having a lot of fun. This is what i plan to get out of this trip. I want to be a big adventure for all of us in the high school group. The challenges along the way that we try to overcome so that we can come back to davis and share all that we did with this congregation. The final thing i want to do on this trip is learn more about myself. I want to come back from the trip with a different view of my surroundings and feel much more grateful for where i live. And taking a trip like this we have to run together work together and strengthen our friendships at the same time. Thank you. Remind me to take hands around the room. Take from this water and to bless the grounds outside. We can open these doors all the beauty that has been planted all year. Kum & go instagram. Malibu cups if you don't have them. Blessed be the living things that will be touched by these waters. Define are staring of this water will be to return it back to the earth. Advanced we take water from our lives and bless our favorite places on these grounds we all of our dreams the tears the celebrations that this water represents become apart of all. That is this place. Each one of us here has the power to bless the world let us begin in this time and let his congregation say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-01-19-_Let-Us-Not-Wallow-in-the-Valley-of-Despair_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Pacific community here where you are welcome other. Encourage each other we support each other. And i work is to keep our sights and the very best. That we hope we can be. And that includes being courageous and i want to appoint to you when i tell you that there are these little pieces of paper at here and there laminated and things to autumn laberinto and her children who hung them out on these trees out the first sunday in february and they are hung out there for all the world to see. And i don't need to put your name on it but some people did. 2 people dead first name but if you want to see what people are striving for with courage go out there and read those things. The district board was here on saturday and steve i'm sorry i didn't have them go out but there was a wedding here but hey that's okay. And i could have seen people out there looking up into our trees during their wedding ceremony might have made them wonder about this place a little more. But on some of those cards out there it says this. Courage. Speak more quickly about my concerns. To build common ground where none exists. Courage to speak up for lg pete dtq rides the courage to stand in front think about all the ways that could be interpreted the courage to stand in front the curry should be more open with my personal relations. The courage to turn my rage into something more positive. The courage to do what i say i'm going to do. The courage. To be in right relations with my parents. That could be somebody. Have any eggs right. In this place we are surrounded by a diversity of religious beliefs and the secret is known to us and in many ways. Michelle abrate those of different sexual orientations and gender identities. And welcomed people of all races and classes. And we will continue to work together to build the world that we dream about the cherish this living earth is our secret home. We light this chalice reminder of the fire within us all the flame of hope strength against despair the flame of love warm in the cold the flame of courage purpose in the midst of turmoil these flames and together work make our precious world a better place. Against the wishes of his wife marie with whom he had four children. James reeb answered the call. He joined the ranks of clergy who gathered in that city and then 2,500 people trying to march from selma to montgomery. He promised murray he would come right back. But on the evening of march 9th he's changed his mind. And decided to stay. One more day. He went out to dinner with two of his minister friends that night to talk about youth service trips to russia. One of those ministers with was the reverend clara olson. Brevin olson often recounts the story of that night two groups seeking to learn more about the civil rights movement he tells us that after dinner at the desegregated cafe recommended to them. The three ministers take a shortcut. On the way back to their hotel they were attacked by men with clubs and lead pipes screaming profanity. Anthem. James of the three was not able to get his arms off in time to protect his head from the violent attack. He didn't have a chance to get into the defensive position that they'd all been taught and he was badly hurt. His friends carried him to a doctor and then into a vehicle the black protesters have been using as both ambulance and hearse. The kkk pounded them on the road and it took a long time to reach a hospital. James reeb lost consciousness that evening. And he died. 2 days later. The death of this young gentleman white minister. This family man. Sent a wave of shock and grief across the nation. Martin luther king jr himself gave the eulogy at the funeral service held in boston. President lyndon b johnson personally and send her roses and his personal airplane. The media was full of images of her stepping down from that plane to claim her husband's body. Looking sad and proud. The next week the legislation for the federal voting rights act was finally introduced to congress it became law later that summer. James reeb went down in history as one of the martyrs of the civil rights movement whose death was the final impetus needed to stir the nation to action. Carlson tells me. So. That reverend reeves wife never really forgave him for the choices he made that day. Risking his life and leaving her a widow. With four children to raise. She didn't want roses from the president. She wanted her husband. And carol corbett is going to speak to you about loving life deeply and i want you to look at that fashion statement she is making with her yellow t-shirt and to tell you that these are for sale to shift gears ever-so-slightly in the social hall because we are going to wear these fabulous t-shirts and hats when we're out in the community. On our give yourself away they weekend and when people say what does that mean then you can say well i'm from the love church so carol fashion statement please. I love this church. The people. The work we do. The place. I love how this community. Has helped me grow over the past 20 years. And help me raise to really wonderful children thank you early on i volunteered for the caring committee at the request of jeanette robertson and i also worked in my children's already classes i had to learn to be generous with money as i was with time. My ex-husband jonathan how many of you know explained to me that the church was dependent on the people who came here whether or not we were members to support the facilities in the program's so we started giving money regularly as a family and as our resources grew our donations grew. I would say the most meaningful work i've done with this church for me has been with the pastoral associates. Several years ago that began is programmed with the help of peggy dawson and sharon thompson wilson and is a member of the first team of ea's we were all very lucky to be. Also taught by claudia mopan who is really the model of the heart centered listening presents we were trying to learn this is a different way of working with people than i was used to in my nursing career we were trying to listen with our hardest without offering advice i was not always successful relationship where they could field heard and cared for i remember meeting with a mother of young teenagers who was struggling with the pain a mother feels as her children push her away as they are growing into the individuals they are becoming. I was familiar with this pain and so i could truly listen with my heart. I hope she felt our time together with as meaningful as i did. I can report that moms and children all survived those tumultuous years i also visited with an elderly member of our congregation for several years until her death. I started seeing her shortly after her husband died. I was with her when she moved from her independent living to her assisted living and then to her nursing home care she told me of her life and her loves and her glorious times and her losses. We looking forward to our visits i still miss her. But my life is richer for knowing her. Unfortunately this pastoral service has not been able to continue because we need a professional. The train to administer the program and to encourage the congregants. Who could benefit from a caring listener to use us this is just one of the reasons we're asking for a 10% increase in the budget to pay for a part-time pastor or minister. Find where i am the minister will help make sure that the patent that the password needs of our church are met. Including working with the password associates and working directly with church members. And there are so many more ways that a professional casserole minister can help us inform the kinds of relationships that i have been so lucky to have. The new minister and beth will share offering pastoral care and this time we'll allow bat to serve us in other ways as well including increasing our visibility in the greater community and our voice in the greater community i understand that not everyone feels they can increase their pledge right now. But for the rest of us. Please consider putting your money where your heart is. Where your values are and where your friends are. The cost of a dinner out you can help promote the uu values. That we hold so dearly. Thank you for being here. In this amazing place. With these amazing people. How could the black people at the south. Gamepower if they could not vote. And how could they vote unless i had the power to get the right to vote. In june of 1960 for university students we're preparing themselves to go into the spouse and support black americans voting. They studied non-violence and civil disobedience. But at this gathering they are waiting. Three civil rights workers james chaney. Andrew goodman. And nikki schwerner. Had made the trip to begin the work for voter registration. How does time pass. Everybody's anxiety rose. Perhaps james and andrew and nikki had been killed. The continuing the lack of communication is silence with evidence. But there had been foul play. At the training students that in clusters outdoors on the lawn. Beer with rising. Sense of adventure. Privileged because one was white or young or middle class or working together in a group and therefore invincible. Or from the north. And therefore untouchable. All of this evaporated. And the organizers walked among the circles of its students on the grass and they said you can go home. There is no shame. And going home you have done so much already by showing your conviction you have mothers you have fathers who love you you can go home. And there is no shame. Spontaneously here and their voice is quietly started singing kumbaya my lord. Come by here. Someone is crying lord someone is praying lord. And suddenly this gathering was one of discernment in a way it had not been before the facade of bravery was gone. Some of the young adults did go home. And many stayed. Happy hours stretched on the civil rights. Volunteers burned-out car with scuppered. But no persons dead or alive have been found. 44 days later the bodies of those three young civil rights workers were found by a nearby dam. This was just one of many times in the civil rights movement at when waves of despair and anger and helplessness and hopelessness undermine the result of the l. Even as they continue to do their work. Kumbaya was son to calm the fearful heart i did give them courage so if we remember kumbaya moment if we hear that phrase kumbaya moment it should be one of deep discernment when life hangs in the balance. It should be song when we are saying. Come by here faith and hope and love and spirit of my life bring your presents to my innermost thoughts and call me. To make the right decision. I'm thinking of a young student who chose to go to their families in that moment of courage when they've picked themselves up off the grass in front of the other students and they said goodbye their companions. And i'm thinking of what went through the minds of those who choose to stay and what they must have said to their families who waited for them at home. I imagine the moment when james reeb. Decided to join the other ministers. The courage of his wife who did not want him to go. And had to live with the consequences. There's so many ways to understand courage the courage i have been considering for this hour that we have together. Is when there is a moment the decision to be made and no matter what decision we make. There will be consequences to show the imperfections of life. I've known x like that. And i imagine that you have to. Try as we might there is no crystal ball of certainty for the consequences of our actions traveler there is no path right spanish poet antonio mikado. Traveler there is no path. The path must be forged as you walk. As members of his congregation have discussed the focus question that is in the monthly journal i've heard your answer sometimes and watched how your eyes have been opened to each other as you sit and discuss the question. How have you been courageous. You shared your moments of courage. Standing up for family. When it was dangerous. Disappointing family to live your dream. Taking a job that puts you in a friday friday and exhilarating position of saving the lives of others. Choosing silence. When you could have spoken and speaking up when you could have been silent for just some of the answers. Taylor branch earned a pulitzer prize for a three-volume history of the civil rights. Movement during the king years. His life experience and research shows the many threats of justice as a developed and wool together for decades he excavates the many conflicts that emerged among the leaders that he reveals but doubt that were rarely shown. They couldn't be shown in real time. It would have been just too dangerous. Two weeks ago i mentioned the spine of consequences a term that i learned from taylor branch uses this language to describe the moments in history and it can be a personal life or a big social moment. Their identifiably pivotal moments when you can look back in your own life and figure out where are those moments is pivotal moment. Consequences radiate out from them and in retrospect it is clear that one event opens the way for the next event and the next. I had a forced to it didn't it's our intentions in our actions creating this backbone of consequences and we create the paths of our own lives. With the force of life. That is known by many names. Our actions always changed the trajectory of life. It's just that sometimes there are too many variables in play to know with any kind of certainty what the outcome will be. It is our job. To set our intentions in motion. That is the job that we have. The main job. Of life. It just said our intentions in motion. In 1963 the civil rights movement really gained momentum the march on washington is one of those pivotal moments in the spine of consequences of the civil rights time. Thanks to the new media of television the experience was brought into america's living rooms on national broadcast and everyone was able to see and to feel the dream. White america ocean. Of peaceful black american stretched out across the lincoln memorial 250,000 people were gathered on that plaza on a hot august day. The demonstrations and marches in 1963 and those that followed and increasingly high-profile white allies walking beside those who were black theologians of many faiths marched movie stars show their support and emerging folk musicians. Became famous. In these years. With every successive civil rights act of 1960 for the voters voting right acts of 1965. There was a matching reaction of violence by those who oppose the changes toward equal rights. The montgomery church bombing. President kennedy's assassination. The murder of those three civil rights workers and the violence in response to the marches from selma. Are there so many more. So many more. Terrible losses grief that we rarely had known as a nation came to visit us. And the violence became seen as unleashed hatred. The courage needed was magnificent in size and i don't say it magnificent like in wonderful. I mean in. Amazingly large. But by the time the march on washington happened there was this new certainty. I mean you've got all these people. Marching with you in on the actors in the musicians in the famous theologians. It was a new certainty. The certainty was if people work together they would overcome. And not be overcome. Taylor branch concluded that the king years should serve as a reminder. Its citizens and leaders can work miracles together despite every hardship and great odds and he said this knowing. The internal struggle that were going on he is not a naive. Historian. They just believe in the power of people working together. There remain many times would martin luther king jr. felt that the fight for equality was losing momentum. He considered leaving. He spoke with conviction to his public face with one of conviction. Famous filled with uncertainty about the results of his decisions. In some ways despite the crowds that surrounded him and others who shared the message. He was really alone. No one matched his influence. As the moral voice of america and had become known as the moral voice of america not the president. Now the supreme court judges not even other leaders around him he was the moral voice of america. The very lonely position. There was no one. Who could tell him go home to your family who loves you. Go home with no shame. No one. Tell him that. Yeah but this time in washington dc was one of those moments when he saw a response that shifted. His feelings to hope and determination. I honor the courage of the king years of 1963 and the challenging years that i described it the followed however the courage that makes. A shiver go up my spine was shown in the very early years of the movement with efforts seem to hopeless and i am very grateful to the historians howard zinn and taylor branch whose research tells the stories of hundred thousands of people who set their intentions in motion. And you didn't have tv coverage and martin luther king jr's backing those who did not have the benefit of being part of a growing ocean of people walking together as was witnessed in those later demonstrations they didn't have the benefit of feeling fear together with others the euphoria of dissenting together. Well there's just one of those famous moments. 4 students sit at the woolworth's lunch counter in greensboro. There was no plan. There was no training or drill. They might be arrested. And the response of the citizens who oppose their action could cost them their lives. And like the many small similar protested already happened just like this. In over 16 cities. They would likely never make the news. And yet they acted with the hope against hope that their efforts would add to the cause. Senator john lewis who was in the student movement that time reflected recently that waiting is an elegant way to prove a point. The well-dressed students sat at the counter and waited for a response. They said their intention. In-motion. But instead of arresting them woolworths managers were confused and embarrassed the students fear turn to elation. The days ahead the protest group over 80 people. Just in that few days and then it spread to 31 cities. Nashville woke up one morning to find a 500 very well-organized black students dressed in their sunday best and it's not what we think of is sundy best in davis sunday best they're wearing their heels and they've got their hosiery and they've got their fine clothes and it got there ties and suit jackets there looking like they're going. To the most important meeting. In their week. 500 black students dressed. Crafts beautifully filing into downtown store is to wait for food service nashville had never seen anything like it at their food counters. These 500 students had courage and still my heart. Clinches. At the courage of those first four students who are not riding a wave of support. They may have been foolhardy and their courage but i can't help but to believe that they felt the weight of the uncertainty of their future. It was only after the leaders who accompanied martin luther king jr made a phone call to him and said martin. You must get with the students. What is happening. Will shake up the world. Only then did he support them it was his presence. And they changed him. He had been waiting for opportunities to practice this non-violence they showed him the importance of making non violent confrontations happen. Not waiting for it to come to him he went to the situations now. In the midst. Of speaking his famous sermon. For the march on washington about equality and jobs and interesting to know that this last week was the 50-year anniversary of the war on poverty starting. Experience one of these pivotal moments of doubt. Believe it or not he was working from his manuscript and the nation was listening the whole nation was listening and energy had been building with every singer with every speaker and then midway through his message was clear to him that his words were not moving the crowd. When he moved to his closing remarks he challenged the people. To go back to alabama go back to south carolina go back to georgia go back to louisiana to the slums and the ghettos in our northern cities knowing that the situation can be changed. And taylor branch says it would watch and kings face at this moment there is this expression of uncertainty. He had been really nervous about the speech and he really didn't like what he had written. We put his concluding remarks aside and began to improvise. On speeches he had done. In the six months leading up to this day. He began with let us not wallow in the valley of despair. That point we hear 3 refrains. Basically. Most of what is remembered. In his speech. I have a dream. With this faith. And let freedom ring. With these phrases he said his intention into the world again hit done it before he said it into the world again. He was heard. The. Kumbaya. Come by here. Faith and hope and love and spirit of my life. Bring your presents to my innermost thoughts. And call me to make the right decision. Oh give me courage. And to that i say. Amen. Invite you into a time of prayer. And meditation. And to say that next week we will encourage you. Into that place. In this worship service. Huarache g here. And the piano will move to the center of this room. And you will experience a different worship and i encourage you to have the courage to come here. And be apart. I might you to rest. And anyway that. How to listen. And if breathe deep. In a way that we don't allow ourselves to often during the week because we are carrying so much. So much. Spirit of life. The simplest intention of being loving can be so difficult. I become misinterpreted to the point that it no longer resembles. The good thought. That started and then fell off our lips. The most direct act of helping someone who needs our care can be seen as insensitive. And it isn't received with the hope that started. That wish for connection. Sometimes our yearning for changing the world gets tangled and struggles of power. And we bring about more harm than good. Spirit of life and love. Maybe make the choice the courage to ask to act in our best intentions. Until they find their intended good purpose. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships when one of us celebrate to joy or grieve the loss the web of life moves to a new shape we are apart of the turn of the earth the shift at the stars the pull of the sea and all change. Amen and blessed day. If you take hands around the road to remember that the love t-shirts are waiting for you the courage flags are out in front of you and concerts and wonderful lectures during lectures a way to kumbaya come by here. of life give me courage.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-12-22_The-Wholly-Holy-Wonder-fully-Human-Family_11_30.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. This is one of my favorite sunday's that we do and you'll hear me talk about this later in the service and i just want to say that all are welcome here this morning. And this whole service is about you the american culture what i thought was a counterculture is not and so you'll hear more about that in the course of the service but no matter what form your family takes. You are welcome here. So very completely. Clear and the christian advent season of waiting. As part of the advent ritual each week we light one additional candle. The final candle is lit on christmas eve. For 4 weeks with be instilled. Each one contributing to what we most urine for in this world. We light the first advent candle for hope. Hope can be seen any action that i can use. We're living in tradition of compassion and activism by doing volunteer work and speaking up against injustice. You like the second advent candle for love. Love resonates. The small moments of kindness and attention we give those we encounter. And the generosity and caring that lives in every gift we give to nonprofits our church and those we care deeply about. You are the third advent candle for joy. Joy shines from the record number of marriages that happened in california this year we celebrate the same says sex couples are finally accorded the level of respect and recognition that they deserve. We like the fourth candle for justice. Justice sounds in the work that we do to ensure the inherent worth and dignity of the immigrants who come to our community is respected. We stand together for everyone to be treated equally. On christmas eve we will light our final candle for peace. I'll be reading advent poem by an author who goes by roses near running waters. Waiting. Waiting with joy without hope with great anticipation. Waiting for the peace waiting for love. Waiting for joy. We wait. The loved ones to come home. Four words to end. For peace on earth for romance. For love. Renew life we wait. To be together. The last together to cry together to remember the past to look forward to the future. To celebrate. We wait. Celebrating our blessings. Are hoes. Are dreams. Together. We wait. So i'm doing a reading. But you are going to be doing it with me and that is why you have your teal hymnal because your part is in here. With everything possible number 10 19. 1019. And this is written by fred small. Coup. Started as an attorney. And then decided that he would become a unitarian universalist minister he before all of that was a fabulous and continues to be a fabulous musician this is his song. About. Families and you can imagine that he is seeing this too. To his own children if you would read through all the lyrics he's talking about you know talking the children and and and answering their questions and this is his answer and you're going to be singing the refrain with me and last year i told the story about how i was backpacking with the sierra club and way out way out and yosemite and i hear a young teenage girl who is jewish singing this song. And i thought it really couldn't be fred small song but. It was and so. I could catch him to her they just no way she was a teenager after all but when we stopped i started singing it next to her. His kind of quietly i thought well i wouldn't say anything and maybe she is if it really was the same song you know she'd say something to me and she did and it turns out that her father had found that album back in the days when there were such things and it brought it home because she was a baby and he had the night shift and was walking her at night and that he had memorized.. The refrain is on page 2 of 110 19th if you look at says oh you can be anybody want to be you can love whomever you will you can travel any country where your heart leads and no i will love you still. You can live by yourself you can gather friends around you can choose one special one and the only measure of your words and your deeds will be the love you leave behind when you're done that's your part. Okay alright. Started having the service on the holy holy family wholly and then holy. The new york times recently ran an article saying researchers who study the structure and evolution of the american family express unsullied astonishment. I love that unsullied astonishment how rapidly the family has changed in recent years the transformations often exceeding or capsizing. Those same experts predictions just a few journal articles ago. The new york times went on to say that increasing numbers blacks mary weiss. Atheist married baptist men marry men women women. Democrats marry republicans. It is not only the male partner who is the breadwinner. But sometimes the female that actually. When it's the same sex couple these issues of sex and income and who brings in the income becomes. Moods. So let me just say that sometimes. Bringing in the income is shared and sometimes it's the joint responsibility of one partner. And there is something called the voluntary ken movement when good friends share medical directors will even adopting one another legally. There are sperm donors and couples with children by that donor and far from hiding this from the children there is a big family gathering once a year even though it is a cross-country trip. They acknowledge. This family. Single people live alone and proudly consider themselves families of one and get across all whom were involved in the studies there's a belief. In the value of marriage and family. We marry divorce and remarry at rates not seen anywhere else in the developed world. The article referred to our families is. Tarte ducking. An all-american seasonal combination of a deboned turkey duck and chicken. I think i've lived it. The times quoted comedian george burns the saying happiness is having a large loving caring close-knit family in another city. And still. We love the model. Of a partner. Love. Commitment. Children. Love. A home together. Love. It's just that there are so many more possibilities now. More than ever before. And there's not just one model of family there really isn't just one model of family and we are not at the end of the change. But midstream these experts say. So i expected this service held before christmas will continue to remind us of a mini kind the many kinds of coley families. And what is important is love. And connection. And if you are a family of one. Or a blended family that has blended over and over again. Or family in a form that is just now emerging. In our society you. Are welcomed. In this place. And we will have a series of reflections the service is really theirs. Awesome small portion. Of that diversity that we have within our congregation. And we start with erica kenny. Who has been a worship associate with us for years and has graduated from uc davis and is moving on in her life to other things but we have her for this one sunday. I remember wake me up with a friend. The morning after a sleepover we were young i'll look. Poppy seeds. She stared blankly at me. I repeated sleepy seeds. The corners of your eyes when you wake up. Talent she hadn't heard about sleepy seeds. Turns out my family made that word up along with sleepsuits. Den den. The concept that there is always room inside the desert stomach and dinner consisting of quesadillas with cheese on both the inside and the outside of the kate of the tortilla. We're a little quirky. My family consists of me. My mom my dad. Meijer me under sister allison. We're just your average nuclear family besides one thing. My sister. Ali was born with apert syndrome. I can general this order which luxury physical deformities in a intellectual development. Growing up with her was alright but. We never really connected. She's always in her disney fantasy world. She's watched every disney movie in existence at least 10 times. If there was ever a disney trivia contest. Shooting everyone hands down. She's 19 now. And taking a few remedial classes here in there at the local community college. She's been isolated since graduating from high school. And having to stay at home with our parents has been hard on her. In the past few months she's been institutionalized twice for depression. There isn't an easy solution to having a special needs daughter with mental health issues. The doctors my parents. Struggle to know how to help her. And i hope they find a way. I too have struggled. I've always had an idea of what it's like to have a sister. Having someone to play dress-up with. Share secrets with. Did they go to laugh to cry. Someone that can feel intimate intimately close to. Knowing they're always there for me. I never got a sister i can be real friends with. After graduating college. I was hit with the realities of being an adult and the difficulties of finding a job. I felt lost. Scared and alone. I said it to go home to the comfort of family. However. My parents were already busy trying to my sister. Attempting to unlock the puzzle. For depression. My concerns help petty in comparison with our worries. Accepting that my family can't always be there for me. But i found ways to reach out to friends. In creative support network i need. Eventually decided job. And. I'm excited to be traveling south america for three months to work on cocoa plantations and learn about organic farming. A service project for others. And myself. I still appreciate my family. Fastenal. I know i'm more observant. Empathetic. And strong. But i would be without a special needs sister. And for that. Ungrateful. Do you know what no family is perfect. The concept of the ideal nuclear family is a myth all families have challenges. That's okay. Because. Despite their imperfections. All these families are still holy and beautiful. My family is pretty cool. Hilarious inside jokes. Made up words inside stories. I know now my family isn't always going to be. I want them to be. And i accept and love them anyways. Because. Cui2. Her holy family. What's it like what's it like to be a grandfather. It's one of life's great experiences. To be a grandfather one first has to be a father. Judy and i have three children geneva brian and catherine. All at the school in davis. And attended this church i'll have some experience living abroad. We're sabbaticals and research took the family. I love my kids and i tried to spend time with him every night. I decided that evenings were for them. And my career could wait. We have three grandkids. Call geneva's kids. Corwin is 16. Jasper 12. And marlborough 10. All are bright and accomplished. But they live in arlington virginia. We don't get to see them as often as we would like. However we do try to see them. Two or three times a year. For a decade. We have joined them and their parents annually in a different national park for a week's camping. Jasper and malva. Have regularly brought their violins along. And their practices have mostly been for serenade judy and me. Nice experience. As the years passed all three grandkids develop from toddlers who needed help on the trails. Too energetic. Carpeted hikers faster than their grandparents. I've loved watching the kids develop from infants. To young individuals with unique talents and characters. You can interact with them without having to worry about the day-to-day stressed of raising them. And most of the time they seem to look at me with unrestrained adoration enthusiasm at affection. Most. I chortled when at age four and i'll 16-core and referred to me as an old geezer. Honey honey ask is mother mom why does grandpa get to talk with his mouth full college level lecture on computer algorithms. He was working on them for a national high school student competition. Jasper is more of a free spirit. When he was a toddler i saved him several times from running out into the street. On his visit to davis 18 months ago he played violin here in this church. And this past week he won a major violin competition. In the washington area. Having outgrown his wilder streak. He was a joy to entertain for a week. Enthusiastically camp. Hike. Rockauto.. Went whale watching and insisted on seeing every exhibit in the monterey aquarium. Surprising to me. He was also fascinated by california missions. Mama is the youngest. She's a creative compassionate person and warm fuzzy kid. For example. In march 2011 she insisted that her mother take her to play violin in the local washington metro station. She wanted to raise money to help children who are victims of the japanese earthquake. Pure and about $100 in 12:20 minutes before the metro security shooter away. She was seven. Being a grandfather is a great experience. My heart fills with love and pride just thinking about my grandkids. Was them so far away. We have adopted two young children that lives next door. Hazard in town grandkids. If you don't have grandkids nearby or even if you do you might think about doing the same. Visit or get involved with our religious education our religious exploration program. Talk for children and youth. Corbett, secret buddy. You'll be glad you did. Like her older sister. And i think that she should meet you my son benjamin is in southeast asia volunteering in different countries. We adopted him from romania when he was 2. And it's been a long road with him but he's becoming a mature. Caring young man. My oldest daughter gabrielle agave is 27. She is a chromosomal deletion syndrome which makes her severely mentally retarded. She doesn't talk. She has seizures she doesn't sleep very well at night. Sixth grade percent. When my father was alive he told me that i should have been born with extra arms and legs to manage all that i have in my life. He could have been talking about the indian goddess durga. Who's the warrior spirit of the divine mother fiercely protecting her children. And i am that a protective mother. I've had my challenges balancing caring for my children working full-time as a psychiatrist. And carving out a little time for myself everyday to take a walk. And to seeing into wonderful tires. My disabled daughter gabby has been my greatest teacher. Little did i know that she'd be my girl. Can't talk she wakes up in the middle of the night because she is asleep disorder she's thirsty or she misses me or who knows. At 27 she loves to string beads. Finger paint and play with legos. Her favorite tv character still barney. Although scooby-doo is coming in now pretty strong slow down and to be patient. She's taught me to be more extroverted i used to be pretty shy. But not anymore. She's taught me to laugh at myself until a fat little thing is in life. She loves to spill milk. She loves to mess up her toys. And she loves when i trip. When i hear her giggle i know that something has happened that's kind of. Unpredictable like. Everything all her toys are her shoes. She's taught me about love because although she cannot talk she smiles and hugs and actually this is her gift. She waved everyone she meets even people. Hoosier doesn't know we're out the window of our car. One of her funniest moments was when we were at a movie and we are eating popcorn we ran out of our popcorn community. She's given me perspective about things that are important to me such as living with an open heart. Trying to understand people even if they can't talk. And has open myself up to little pleasures like eating with my fingers when we have dinner or when she eats off my plate i ate hers. We enjoy holding our hands when we walk and swinging arms like two little girls. And she's definitely cut miyoung and spirit although the long nights without sleep make me pretty tired sometimes. At 62 i'm the mother of a child who's related to year old. I'm good at crawling at my hands and knees keeps me limber for hopefully when i have grandchildren. And i know lots of children songs. I used to be really sad when i compared gabby to other kids like our babysitters who are younger than she is. But mostly i appreciate gabby's for who she is and all she's brought to my life. I love being the mother of all my children it is the most enriching thing to be mama mapa. And mom. I feel like i'm growing more deeply everyday. When i hear the fans experiences in asia. And i love being a sounding board for him if he tells me about his relationship problems and his struggles with choosing a vocation. I love talking to sophie about her friends or studies in her research and i love her enthusiasm about life and her deep desire to be a surface as a physician. I'm grateful that my children trust me. And value me as i trust and value them. This is my holy family. I also need to include my gabby helpers who come in and out of our family. Taking care of gabby while i'm here while i work while i sing. They are. Instrumental in keeping me sane and balanced. And my family also includes my dear friends and my sweet dog sunshine loser sheltie. Too much hot to hug me. I'm also grateful to this congregation. I never set out to join a church. I came here to sing and it's i have come here every sunday. And have song and listen to the service i am so moved by the kindness of all of you. The wisdom of the leaders of the church. And to the commitment to community and to making the world a better place. These fit in with my values and. I couldn't ask for anything more pics. Those who are brought. Into a family. Because there is more left offer and adoption and fostering a child is their hearts desire the chosen family who is gathered for the years accept others as their own. Sharing values and kindnesses that grow into becoming kindred spirits all the circle of love and we end our prayer that are with us no more. Kahil gibran sufi mystic wrote this about death. And it applies to barbara who had been failing for a long time. What is it to die but to stand naked in the wind and melt into the sun. And what is it is he's breathing. Butterfree the breast from its restless tides. It might arise and expand. And see the unencumbered. Only when you drink from the thing. Hands around the room and i just have such a brief thing to say to you. The only thing that matters. At the end of this life is full of you leave behind. When you're done. But this gathering say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2015-12-13-Prophet-Mohammed_The-Story-of-a-Pure-Vessel_09_30.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california website at w.w. org for further information. So welcome. This is a community where we challenge each other and encourage each other and support each other. Our work is to keep our side on the very best that we can be. We welcome people of all races classes political parties sexual orientations and gender identities. In this place we are surrounded by a diversity of religious beliefs. We know ourselves to be atheists and agnostics felix and mystics. We bring our personal religious heritage and culture of judaism christianity hinduism buddhism in humanism. Earth-based religion islam and those who are spiritual but do not identify with any names religion. We gather in respects inspired by shared sources and guided by a covenant that reminds us to honor our differences and acts from shared values. So let us continue to work to rebuild a world that we dream about and cherish the living earth as our sacred home. Come. Let us worship and celebrate together. This morning we light three candles for the third sunday of the christian holiday of advent. Jesus was one of the prophets recognized by muhammad peace be upon him. These words are adopted by an advent reading by rev leslie takahashi. The first is late for hope. The second lights is for peace. This is the season of anticipation. Of expecting of hoping of wanting. This is the time of expecting the arrival of something or someone. We are waiting for the longest night of the year to come and invite candlelight. This is the time of living in darkness of being quiet of reflecting on a year almost passed waiting for a new beginning for a closing or an end. This is the time for digesting the lessons of days gone past in anticipating the future. We are waiting for a time when religious freedom is never challenged. We like the third pink candle for joy. We are waiting to see the look of recognition that lights up faces when friends greet each other. For all of these things we are waiting. Today. You will hear stories of a pure vessel. A human vessel. From which poured the message of the quran. The teaching of the quran were radical. Radical and how societies vulnerable retreated respect for women economic equality and religious tolerance. The appointment calendar follows the lunar calendar and this year the birth of muhammad peace be upon him is christmas eve. This month we are honoring his birth in the way recommended by the muslim tradition. Telling stories about him as a man. And as a prophet. Christianity's message tells us that the world was waiting for their messiah to bring a new world order. Before islam. It was not a messiah that would save the world. But the message itself. Which is the muslim sacred book. The quran. Muhammad peace be upon him was not the focus of a new time to come but rather the words that poured from him as if he was a vessel. Pouring forest pure water. In a parched land. So the birthday of this pure human vessel. Who would be the one who is above reproach for his kindness and his honesty. That is what we honor. Only a person known to be above reproach with solid judgment and honesty would be entrusted with a message that challenged the social structure of the time. And income all met with us to share their devotion to the message of islam they also. Helped us to select some of the pivotal moments in muhammad's life peace be upon him that shaped the teachings of this face. The pure message of islam untainted by local cultures may be surprising. Because it is not what is popularized in the media. We are on a journey to deepen our own understanding of what is sacred. A part of that journey. Is to learn what a sacred for other people of faith. This is a teaching service. So. No big surprises. Just to make sure we all are on the same page. And understanding. And so we begin. It is the seventh century. It'll and the romans called arabia felix. Fortunate. Arabia. Fortunate. Arabia. Caravan traffic is the single most important source of wealth in the desert. Had a caravan across the land carrying spices and silk. Rare jewels precious metals sweet dates medicine and frankincense to anoint newborns. And perfume religious altars. Weather is well. There's danger. Families cluster into clans and they are in a constant state of warfare as they avenged murders retaliate stolen for stolen property or protect natural resources not infrequently. Along the trade routes of a caravan actually almost constantly. There is strength in being in a clan for protection but even within the clan. All but the strongest and the wealthiest men. Are vulnerable. And the death of a male leader of a family means a sudden shift of good fortune anyone. Can lose status and power in a moment. Orphans are abandoned or sold into slavery certainly there are no guidelines for the treatment of slaves and women. And more about the plight of women later. The worship of competing gods and their idols that demands complete loyalty. Well this is also one reason for the battles between the clans. Or individuals. Zoroastrianism worship of a god of light and fire judaism and christianity exist on arabia felix. But they are described as shifting like the dunes themselves. Early christian communities are developing their teachings about jesus as human. And or divine. And mecca is a centre for trade and worship. It is taught that abraham had a dream that one day this city would be the center of a great religion of one god. However. In the 7th century. 360 idols symbols of god worshipped by families and clans are housed in mecca's black. Cube. The kaaba. One day. In a year only one day. There is a truce. And peace is declared for that. Day. And every person who worshipped a nikon can come and walk circles around the kaaba. Offer public displays of adoration buy and sell in the market. For the right to come on that day of guaranteed piece. All participants are taxed by the city. Idolatry is not only the reason for strife. It is big. Business. Which is. Perhaps why. Perhaps one reason anyways. Why. When islam emerges in the next 200 years. The worship of idols is prohibited. Into this land upshifting and tenuous fortune. Muhammad peace be upon him is born. He's a child of an influential family of moderate wealth. If father dies before his birth and although she recovers his mother your health is weekend. It's common practice to send infants to the countryside to stay with a wet nurse of the desert rumours the bed wins. Sometimes babies are kept with the caretaker and an open-air the desert for almost a decade before returning to the city. Muhammad peace be upon him is sent to live with a bed wins if an infant through early childhood learning their language their skills are customs. He learned obedience graciousness hospitality. And when he is still young his mother sends for him and they travel together to visit relatives his grandfather. During this trip his mother dies. And he's taken care of by his family. His grandfather dies and the responsibility for his care transferred to his uncle would you can imagine this actually seems kind of. A good fortune. From what i told you about the time. Muhammad peace be upon him. Have a different character from other children of his age. Even when he's very young he is given the responsibility of caring for his uncle's flux and camels. His uncle send a caravan to syria to increased his fortune. How do you send this twelve-year-old muhammad. Peace be upon him. With the caravan. With symbolic tasks just to keep him busy send him along. But he advanced is quickly as. What we would think of as a preteen. Honesty becomes the asset. The changes his life. As he travels he focuses on the religions and how their practice the poverty the inequity found in society. He is illiterate. And fascinated by the annual contest. Poetry that's recited. And the music. At weddings. Because of his orphaned status and his vulnerability he feels a great sense of responsibility for the plight of the poor in mecca for his whole life. He cherishes relationships and he is very humble coming out of this past. And so perhaps it is not a surprise that an important message from the quran it's just a fourth those who are without family and money or status. The quran verse 93 6211. Didn't he find you an orphan and care for you. Didn't he find you lost and show you the way. Therefore be kind to the orphan gentle to the poor. And declare the mercy and blessings of your lord. At 25 muhammad peace be upon him. Was hired by a successful businesswoman in medina. Catia to represent her in a caravan. Cynthia has been married and widowed twice before and had decided not to marry again despite many offers from wealthy and successful meccan businessman. When she heard of her young representatives character and conduct in business. She reconsidered. And so she asked a friend to approach him. To ask if he would be willing to marry her. At first he refused to see had no means to support a wife. But could you have the means to support herself. And with her family's blessings they married. When her husband later came to her with tales of incredible revelations. She listened to what he had to say. She knew that he was honest more honest than anyone she'd ever known and so despite the incredible stories that he shared with her. She believed him. She never doubted him as he shared the knowledge given to him through god in the years to come as they were persecuted for their beliefs. The pair relied on each other as equals as they shared the islamic faith with early believers with muhammad peace be upon him contributing strength of character and the prophecies revealed to him. Encantadia kendra beating her wealth her business experience and her support. He never asked if you had to restrict her business activities or share her property. Any help to keep house even sewing and washing his own clothes. Prior to the rise of islam because women were seen mostly as property it was very common for female infants to be buried at birth. Spousal abuse was the norm women had no control over their marriages or their property. When a woman was widowed or divorced she was often left with no monetary or social support. And she might be inherited by her son or another relative. There were no religious or cultural laws to protect the well-being of women. The islamic face provided women with unprecedented rights and protections. The quran describes men and women as having equal status and complementary roles in society. Under the law women were able to own property. Work be educated and assume leadership roles in the community including in local governance and commerce. After kennedy's death the prophet eventually married ten wives. Several were socially vulnerable widows or slaves that muhammad peace be upon him married in order to provide them with safety and financial security. Other marriages were arranged to establish ties between tribes and further the spread of islam. The quran does permit multiple marriages but only. If the husband can treat each wife equally since this is nearly impossible in practice having more than one wife is strongly discouraged. But due to his responsibilities and travel and the fact that his marriages were primarily for the protection of the women that he married muhammad peace be upon him was able to honor this directive and his marriages. These marriages also served as a model for the growing muslim community of how women of different ages and circumstances should be treated by their husbands. The prophets marriage with aisha provided one of those models of a marriage of tenderness and mutual respect. Are you sure was known for being spiritual but also scholarly. And assertive. The prophet instructed his followers to consult her for her advice in his absence. And after his death she became a prolific scholar. She was involved in politics and war delivered speeches and provided both men and women with information about the practices of the prophet. She was also an extremely strong advocate for education for islamic women particularly on the law their rights and the teachings of islam. This quote from the prophet muhammad peace be upon him. The most perfect believers are the best in conduct. And the best of you are those who are best to their wives. When muhammad. Peace be upon him is about 30 years old. It becomes more introspective. And he asked what is the purpose of my life and how can i discover the truth. Over the next ten years begins to withdraw from business and the crowds of the city. Increasingly devotes his time to his family. And visiting the hillside outside of mecca. He discovered a small cave in a low mountain and spend a month at a time in this refuge. Wondering about the cosmos and why the patterns of his life unfold as they do. And all life unfold with something's happening and other things not. It's the year 610. And one night in the cave. He experiences what becomes known as the core mystical moment of islam. When is almost asleep. Helix. Someone is in the cave with him. And whether you believe the story are not. Is moderate and thoughtful man. Is transformed on this night to become a radical messenger of social and economic justice. This is what he experiences whether the source is in his own mind or from a god beyond this world. There. Before him is a vision of light in the form of a man. It holds out a scroll and says read. Muhammad. Peace be upon him explained i can't read. I can't read. And the being spread its arms around him and squeeze is the breath from his body with such a tight grip that he is numbed. And the vision insist again. Read. And again i can't read. Muhammad peace be upon him is squeezed again and a third time and division whose form is all light. Does reid. And this time he responds. What should i read. The being resides arabic verse in a melodious voice. And muhammad peace be upon his name. Repeat the verse. In the cadence he heard. Until it's memorized. Division disappears and the cave goes dark. Was it a hallucination. Perhaps he thinks he has been possessed by an evil spirit. And he is so terrified that he considers throwing himself off a cliff to escape his fear. He is not filled with conviction. But with doubt. And a terrible. Not a wonderful i terrible. He has lost control of his mind and his spirit he runs down the mountain path stumbling over the rocks. Does he flees toward mecca the vision appears again in the sky above him saying i am the angel gabriel and you. You muhammad are the messenger of god. He burst into his home shivering from fear and calls out to his wife cover me. Cover me. She warms him with blanket student him to sleep. Multiple researchers from different religious background say that muhammad reaction peace be upon him is a foundational characteristic of islam. Have the true islam they say. The prophet of islam is filled with doubt. When he received the first message in the cave. Psychologists in middle eastern reporter. Lesley hazleton. Says the way he hears and ultimately accept his call to leadership. Is. Doubting. Filled with questions and onat the arrogance she says of closed-minded certainty. At the heart of any religion. Act with humility. I respect for other religious traditions indeed in our own hymnal there is a reading about doubt that says it is the handmaiden to truth. It is the seed of fly when islam came into its power under muhammad peace be upon him his leadership. Those who are muslim didn't force christians and jews to follow the teachings of the koran. And they were free to worship in their own way. For 23 years he serves as the pure vessel and verses are revealed to the man who trembles in a man who becomes the lips and the tongue of god. And this from the koran 60 16. And when jesus the son of mary said o children of israel i am god's messenger to you. Bringing affirmation of the torah before me and giving the good news of a prophet will come after me who shall be called the praised one. See if i can get my technology going oye so. A little later in the story. The arabian tribes being who they were. Members of conflict end. Military coups. Constantly attacked muhammad and his followers and. At a certain point in time muhammad fled from mecca to medina. The story goes that. When he migrated to medina. All along the rooftops. Kingdom women with their drums. I know you don't speak arabic but the words are in there so. If you are interested at all in joining in. Pretending you're an arab woman standing on the roof with your drums. It is vr-615 the followers of muhammad peace be upon him live within the city of mecca. And as their numbers have grown they are increasingly persecuted. The more the prophet speaks of greed and morality and idol worship. The harder life gets. They are verbally abused boycotted in business. Met with demands to give up their face and in some cases physically tortured and killed. One day 12 muslim converts from the city of medina arrive in mecca to speak to muhammad peace be upon him. They promised their protection if he and his followers relocate to their city. The profited long for a city where he could establish an open community and where his followers would be free from the persecution of city officials and rival tribes. He begins to encourage small groups of them to begin traveling. When officials learned that the muslims are planning to leave they create a plan to assassinate the profit. Muhammad peace be upon him please to the cave outside the city hiding from the officials and the bounty hunters that have joined the search after being promised rewards for finding him dead or alive. Slowly using rarely-used paths and often stopping to hide from his pursuers. He travels the more than 200 miles to reach the city of medina. The city is no peaceful oasis. It's been flagged for years by tribal infighting faith-based conflict. Muhammad peace be upon him works to manage that discord and create his open community. Kid rock's the constitution of medina which specifies the rights and responsibilities of all of the citizens toward one another. Particularly of the growing muslim community to other people of the book. Some conflict continues both within the city and mecca and other neighboring areas. But the prophet and his followers work hard to improve life for both the muslim and non-muslim inhabitants of medina. They build a water system. They build agriculture and gardening projects and encourage relationships between the jews and christians and growing numbers of followers of islam. The governance created under the constitution of medina fosters a greater sense of community and safety and security from the theft and violence that were otherwise very common in the region. The pilgrimage to medina represents many things to the islamic faith. It was the beginning of an era where muslims moved from being a persecuted minority to a political and religious power in the region. And the first government created based on the principles of islam. But also. The story shows the importance to muslims of bringing goodness to any land where they may settle. Weather by working for peaceful community. We're contributing their labor toward projects to benefit their neighbors. Of all faiths. And this from the quran those who believe and have emigrated and have struggled in the way of god with their possessions and their lives are greater and agree with god and those. They are the triumphant. Islamic theology. Will help you to understand. Then i'm just going to talk a little bit for a minute about the concept of the divine names. Sew-in aslam. God is. Cena's the divine. Loving. Intelligent and creative force in the universe. But we being people of limited. Understanding and. Caught in the world of duality. Can't possibly comprehend that. Call. Sing the closest anybody's ever come is probably the idea of the prime mover aristotle and. Socrates and company. Plato. So our only way to approach the divine or even begin to comprehend it is through. I like to think of it as vibrational frequencies or energetic frequencies. That are. Limited enough so that we can. Sunset in some way. But not so. Unlimited that we can't comprehend it. It's said that if we actually experienced or. Understood god is he truly is we would cease to exist. So there are these divine emanations that come. From that creative universal. Place that has no place. In the form of the divine attributes are the beautiful names. And sufi practices to. Meditate and contemplate these names individually. Sometimes you'll have a teacher who will prescribe a certain name for you have a character defect in my sales recite this name and it will help you develop to be more merciful with your unforgiving. So that's a little bit about these names in the story of store a hasher. Is. Now there are many places in the quran where it says the entire quran is contained in this single verse but this is a this these like 12 or so divine names are a distillation of. All of the names. In a certain sense and that when it's recited 70000. Angels to send. Row upon row into the congregation. So any don't frequently hear women reciting quran. I'm sorry my voice is a little at cuz i've had a bug i'm just getting over so it comes and goes but. And you usually hear someone reciting the qur'an without any kind of accompaniment. But there's a. The sufis being the renegades but they are not liking some of the rules. Frequently will have people chanted drone. Especially underneath this sora. I'm going to invite you if you're willing to you're not fine just didn't listen. To just hold a single note. And the word that you're going to say is who. Which is. The transcendent pronoun for god not the. Eminent one but the he she is and it's a genderless that he she it god that's. Out there instead of the one that's close. So. You can just sing the note for as long as you can. And take a deep breath and then start back up again and hopefully everybody won't breathe the same time and we'll just get a nice continuous note going. So we'll start with a. Bismillah rahmani rahim. Invite you to join with me in the spirit of prayer and meditation. And we have already begun. It's prayer holding many of the names of god. Spirit of life and god that is known as love. There are times when. It seems we need some of your attributes. More than ever. In our human lives. Compassionate. Gracious. Merciful. Giver of life. May we know your presence as we co-create this world. With you. Is the watcher for justice. A source of peace and safety when religious freedom is challenged. We join our sacred force with you. Source energy of the universe. You who give life and bring death. You. Who are the force to put away and to bring forward. You. Known as strong and steadfast. May we. Be steadfast in supporting religions that bring the lonely. And the vulnerable inter-community. Serve those who are bereft. Food and shelter. Cherished learning an offer to all. Who honor the many ways the sacred can be found and seek. Peace. May we all. Be a part of god who is named. The guide. To the right. When an income all we're meeting with us. They described the salon center as the unitarian universalist equivalent. Of. Islam. And i told them that if ever they needed someone to be with them. To be a witness for them. They should. Speak with me. And monday night. There will be such a gathering at the salon. Mosque and community center in sacramento and i will be there and. I welcome you to join me there. And this afternoon and come all will be here at 3 in the library to continue. But you've just begun to learn here. This from the quran. Second chapter 164. In the creation of the heavens and the earth. And on the alternation of day and night and in the sailing of shifts to the sea for trade. And in the rain allowed to fall. For the parts land to live. And in the diversity of living creatures and in the changing patterns of the clouds and winds. In all these signs are signs for the wise. Let this congregation say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-07-28_Worship_Got-Religion_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons another recording from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. We're having a bit of a spirited service today so it seems appropriate open it with a african american spiritual i have the pulpit today and that means i have the freedom of the pulpit and beth was a little concerned put a couple restrictions on me i was not allowed to sing in tongues diane said she expected to see me up here in my colonel sanders kentucky fried chicken white suit on too much at the ga and louisville this year. Just wait for the month of july sun study leave she'll be back with us next week as some of you know i am john ashby i'll be leading service today i'm joined with nancy lauer on the keyboards. The official got village in julie bell's bell choir the back of our sanctuary our worship associate charles halsted and the entire team sunday welcome. Change. Sometimes it sneaks up on it happens to us sometimes we seek it out because it. Mostly of both. Because we're going to be looking closely at religious change today. We're going to start right out with a demonstration. Buy greeting you. As you might have been greeted. A few years ago entering the first unitarian church of portland. Challenged by their original unitarian covenant of the 19th century. If you notice any. Slight differences between then and now. In this solemn presents give up yourself to the true god in jesus christ and to his people also. According to the will of god promising to walk with god and with this church of his in all his holy ordinance is andrew healed obedience to every truth of his which has been or shall be made known to you as your duty the lord assisting you by his spirit and grace. We then the church of christ in this place. Do receive you into the fellowship and promised to walk towards you went to watch over you was a member of this church endeavoring your spiritual edification in christ jesus our lord. I will again radio with a welcome that fits our current world and religious view a little bit but after we spend a few minutes. Greeting each other. Especially welcoming knows you haven't met enjoy greeting you each other for a few minutes until i bring this back so you all can sit down and then listen to me go on and on and on and on. Welcome back welcome safehaven of liberal faith where we come to celebrate. The center woven web of our existence to find comfort in the familiar to grow in new ways and friendship and wisdom sharing our joys. Helping each other with our sorrows. Building our beloved community in this place and enlarging our circle of caring to the world beyond. We are certified green sanctuary caring for the earth. We're a welcoming congregation that celebrates diversity differences of sexual orientation ethnicities different ways of naming that which we find sacred here we value these differences as parts of what makes you unique. And you are welcome here. Here with us for the first time please stop at our visitors table if you have a milestone a joy or sorrow you'd like to share. Please go to a milestone table in the back of the sanctuary where you can light a chalice and let us know what your concern. Please indicate if you wish this remain confidential or if you'd like to share with the congregation and do know did you like to be referred to our pastoral care team. My early childhood was spent in dedham massachusetts in suburb of boston that was founded in 1636. By english settlers escaping the rigidity of the church of england and in 1820 became an integral part of our unitarian history when the when is church was legally awarded to the minority of congregants and declared themselves unitarians when i was 6 to 10 years old i attended sunday school and church in dedham with a minister was now a man named vivian, why is reading unforgiven 477 integrate hymnal. Here i learned about the life of jesus first as just as in any other self-proclaimed protestant sunday school except for one critical point of confusion i could never understand why my non unitarian christian friends bought palm fronds to school the day after the palm sunday that preceded easter sunday. Later i learned that island why. Even though i had been christian doesn't infant the resurrection and divinity of christ we're not going to be part of the unitarian faith and i was taught. And i was disappointed by the lack of this mystery in our church doctrine. As i grew older i stopped attending sunday school and my parents let us know that church attendance was not mandatory in our unitarian family. Much later as a student as a college student i took a comparative religion class and encompass judaism hinduism. What is a muslim and christianity including all the gospels of the new testament. Yet church-going never took hold in my young adult years. My second wife and i joined this church soon after a marriage on this very spot in 1986 because we considered ourselves progressive and liberal thinkers as we embark on our new life together and davis. My spiritual journey has taken many turns since then. Bars become immediately meaningful in my last two years as worship associate when i've had to grapple with my personal religion. Before her departure from her internship andy gonzalez offered the quote elevator speech answer auction item. And i most recent auction this year. Meeting in a small room off the social hall. This turned out to be a challenge for the three of us signed up. When annie instructed each of us to define our own versions of the elevators speech namely. Apartment wiitala perfect stranger. Converses of unitarian unitarian universalism what really tell a perfect stranger about our religion. During an elevator ride and maybe 30 seconds but most 2 minutes here's what i came up with. Specific protestant denomination we aren't organization of individuals who practice of liberal and non-dogmatic religion. 500 years ago early leaders question the trinity is christianity and and declare there could be. Just one god one two of our medieval ancestors were burned at the stake for their unitarian heresies james reeb and modern-day uu minister made the ultimate sacrifice for social justice. When he was martyred in selma alabama in 1965 soon after participating in an african american voting rights march together with martin luther king day. Ours is a tolerant religion that is open to all face. William ellery channing and nineteenth-century american unitarian minister. Profess the unity of god and the perfection of jesus teachings. Everybody successor ralph ralph waldo emerson express the universality of god and nature and in all souls. Theater parker went one step further and proclaim. The isaac reed of all truth and his ritual works of love. Best by john to perform reading today which is from the reverend doctor galen gingrich's new book god revised how religion was involved in science. Doctor gingrich is the senior minister at all souls union church in new york city. Is there ever a time we need to spin out a new fabric of belonging and a wider wider sense of we the human community. Is certainly noun. Developing a consciousness of our growing religious interrelatedness developing and moral compass that will give us guidance in the years ahead. These are certainly among the most important tasks of our time. You have a theological awareness toward the oneness and mystery of god that is essential for the world's religious difference in which we live. You are in my estimation. Church of the new millennium. Initiator on unitarian universalism is not the lowest common denominator but the highest common calling. I was i was just in d.c. this weekend it's possible although all the false that i met personally with michelle obama who was encouraging us all to get more exercise so we split the him into part so we got a little about justice rolling down like water we have a tendency to think that this is all good stuff that's coming when you read the full chapter in the bible. It's not all good stuff it's justice. A lot of it's in the old testament since that's what gives it. Got religion. Well i remember the first time that religion got me. It was a big deal we lived in st louis. We're just at the western edge of the city. And i was now about 12 years older so i was allowed to walk the mile. Down wydown boulevard to the glazer drugstore. Nickels and one penny. Would get you sick snickle candy bars. Hi yeah i don't have time to explain what a penny is and how a penny could get poke to go just say in the olden days not walking back home. And i saw the most amazing sight. But flying nuns were walking towards me on the sidewalk. I mean finance because this was around the time that sally fields had her first big break. As a star of the tv show called the flying nun. Was sally fields was a nun on puerto rico who wear those shoes none hats i don't know if you're seen a really big that did look like wings and sally fields would use her ability to use this have to fly. Hendersonville convince your friend who ran the casino in puerto rico to give her money for the orphanage sally's character help run. Don't sound like a pretty bizarre concept for a 60 show i'm just throwing a vampire and a zombie and you got a hit right now for sure but the nuns really freak me out. And both of them looked sternly atmos. I walked by and i'm sure i was staring at them too. And they sort of barked at me one of them said things and felicitations greetings and felicitations. This may have been the beginning of my becoming a nun. Not an n u n nun like them i mean they couldn't even fly so what but a nun. N0ne. Like i was until about 20 years ago. When i discovered that unitarian-universalism existed. This weird flying nun encounter. What's the time when i had to go to presbyterian sunday communicants class. And i really. Didn't like it at all. Ultimately leading to. Show me say being allowed to not continue to attend communicants class. I wasn't excommunicated per se but no one including my mom was encouraging me to continue. Assign. Perhaps high school i was pretty much a nun. N0ne. My definition anyway. And if none phenomena shakur up today's worship service. The massive and powerful a rapid change in our spiritual religious environment there are all sorts of surveys of religion some sources of information are flaky at bath. Many such as research done by depute ross the huge comprehensive survey done by the institute for the study of religion at baylor university and others. He's a rigorous and comprehensive surveys of what americans think. And do. About religion. Aspects of these kind of surveys. We need to look at to better understand what. If not why i'm able to the y. These changes are occurring. The first is the nuns and ones. When asked what religion are you affiliated with the person responsible civically none. Brandon presbyterian catholic jewish whatever. End up no fair thinking of you you version of the will rogers joke i don't belong to an organized organized political party. Unitarian version without have to wait till after this. Second religious the word religious. And what it means in terms of these surveys is associated in some form. With a religious institution or some form of institution of belief system. And spiritual. Which isn't necessarily associated. Within institution could be more personal experiential mystical experiencing and ways of engaging with the world. What do not require association with an institution. So what's going on. The nuns. Was it turns out are specifically identifying as spiritual. But not religious. Exploding. Back when i experienced my flying nuns very few people would self-identify as none almost everyone would lay claim to a label of some form of institutionalized religion i would have said presbyterian. No matter how tenuous my connection to it might have been not everybody would do that but the number would have been really low would have been in single digits. Nephew look at most surveys be kind of averages out about 5 years ago. The nuns were around 10%. Little over one maybe two years ago the nuns were at 20% in the most recent poll. Bonanza not the 28%. And for the most part these are identifying as spiritual. But not religious. This is a group that on the whole alliance with our unitarian universalist principles of inclusion of seeking community. Working for a better world and accepting of many different faith. And beliefs systems. They might be able to just partially interpret chuck's path is he discussed in his opening words. It's having begun as spiritual and religious. Ventral while spiritual and not religious. Somewhat none like. And now. Xperitas a spiritual and religious. My path would have been more. Religious and not spiritual. Then. Neither spiritual nor religious. Turn this regard not none like at all. It's not at that point gradually becoming spiritual. Then after finding unitarian-universalism finally enabled to grow both in spiritual and religious pass. Explosion in nuns as a lot behind it just probably two main sources. One is a growing discomfort with many of the religious institutions that exist. The second is. But the nature of our believing appears to be changing. Peter morales our former intern minister from our church and now president of our unitarian universalist association. Talks about the first. The discomfort with religious institutions. The challenge for our congregations and our movement is to engage people in an era in which people see religion as rigid. Backward. Hypocritical. Given all the scandals in religious denominations and the violence in the name of religion in the world the growing skepticism. About religious institutions. Is understandable. But it's not just discomfort with the institutions causing this massive change. But the ways that we believe that are evolving. As well i don't mean just us in this church i mean just us as unitarian-universalism this appears to be the us. At least as all of the. All of the polls and surveys united states of america showing from. God provides a religion must evolve in the scientific age addresses this change in believing. And how religion must change. Not just for the mere purpose of remaining institutionally relevant in this new world. In order to serve humanity to helping us to find meaning and purpose in this life i have two religions most significant and most needed roll quote. Does galen gingrich. Has a child at the age of science i refuse to place blind faith. Any scripture. It contains obvious scientific and historic error. I won't worship a god who clears parking spaces for favored believers. While allowing innocent children to be rabbits by cancer or swept away by a tsunami. Yeah. I also believe in a mystery that lies beyond human reason. There is more to the meaning of life. Then can be determined by using formulas in microscopes. This is an evolution in believing it's not a massive old sudden stepchange that came out of nowhere. Kind of makes sense. Lego at-at real quickly if. If you look at before gutenberg made printed books sort of more available. You kind of had to go to your spiritual leader because they were the only ones who really knew the religious stories in the secrets. They're basically the only ones who possess the books and the ability to read them. And it would only ones mostly freed from spending every waking moment. Find adjuster vibe. They had time. Did you spend pondering the mysteries of the universe. When the monopoly on this knowledge was broken by easier access to the books to the secrets. Then people can start bringing their experiences to the interpretations of the meaning of the books. It becomes less easy to control the message. When the average person has the same access to the secrets of the spiritual leaders. Reformation subjugate all sorts of interpretations that is different denominations now you've got choices. And then by the time you start watch ackley to me eliminating hell. Emma's hell is a motivating control factor. And it gets easier to see how people could start to feel more comfortable. With their own interpretations. A bit more complicated than this. Are the large group of people who want to creed. Fully-formed prepared for them but the group rejecting this in favor of their own views as becoming larger. And fast and this is that 28% of spiritual-but-not-religious. Nuns. Reverend gilbert also talks about the shrill polarized debate on this issue. Way over on one hand you have some scientist. I am a scientist i'm not dissing scientists i actually have even just recently been certified as an official food scientist me and only 1,000 of my closest friends. I'm not dissing scientists as a group. But there are some scientist who insists that since god didn't create the world genesis says it did. But they're for all religions and any aspect of them are stupid. Fsm necessary. And you have the extreme religious zealots on the other side. I'm a bit religious perhaps bit of his element for you to turn universalism but i don't think i get too crazy. For the most part. Science is stupid. Obviously seeing the human footprint in the fossilized footprints of the dinosaur with us proving. The dinosaurs existed together a couple years ago science is therefore stupid and clearly the supernatural god is directly and controllable. In control of everything that happens on this earth. Tell reverend english in this book. Call. Charge the third way. One that partly agrees with the critics of traditional religion who rightly insist that the supernatural god doesn't exist. And wrongly relegate religion to the dustbin of history. But also partly agrees with the defenders of traditional religion. Rightly insist that religion is a necessary dimension of human life. And when we cling to the idea of a supernatural creator and controller. In other words f*** the critics. And the defenders. A traditional religion. Or a hundred percent. Half right. No. Reverend english goes farther in that quote. Danny wood as the minister of the church in that he weighs out pretty directly the specifics of his personal theological position on exactly where god is or isn't. In his scheme of things. Specific is not the most important part of that quote because it does leave space and the rest of the book supports the space. I want to fill in their own exact definition of how supernatural their vision maybe and leave us open to the most important theme of a quote. The importance of both acknowledging the realities of the world if they exist. And importance of religion. How much we need religion as humans to help us. With those mysteries that lie beyond human reason. Hi before discovering that you knew existed was becoming sort of like this current group of spiritual-but-not-religious nuns. If anything i was way less spiritual than they has a group appeared to be. But i was becoming more spiritual i was very skeptical of religious institutions. The ones i knew of. Sort of like the nuns. I was highly resistant. To the strict creed's. That i knew of. Sort of like the nuns. The idea of a strict hell existing jesus's actual god and jesus as the only way to avoid hell. Didn't fly with me anymore than my flying nuns flew decades ago. Insurance. I have. Some things in common with the nuns other than being a whole lot older. I did not believe that jesus is the way to stay out of hell. I mean that's pretty easy because i know it doesn't exist. I don't believe that jesus was god. More godlike than many of us. But no less human than any of us in my worldview. But i do believe that our unitarian universalist religion has a lot to offer this world in part because of our wide range of acceptable theologies. And these include atheism agnosticism and many many other isms. That fit within our principles and purposes everything doesn't work. And i do believe that the world needs. What unitarian universalism has to offer. And at the fit that unitarian-universalism office to the nuns. Is clear because i've experienced if myself yes we have got religion and we've got it to get abs. We need to strengthen unitarian-universalism as a service to the world. And as a service to the nuns that have not discovered us yet not because it is a good idea. But because it is as diana act the actual source of the quote. Taken out of galen gingrich's book. And she was saying this as she was giving the sermon at galen gingrich's installation as minister at the all souls church in new york city she's a famous. Theologian at harvard. The reason we need to do this. Is as diana said in her sermon. At reverend doctor galen gingrich's in insulation the highest common. Calling. Do that. I will say amen. What everyone take hands would not only got religion we've got religion to give. In our service to ourselves unitarian universalist in a hurting world and in service to our highest calling to that let the congregation say amen and blessed be.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-03-19-What-If-We-Broke-In-Style-Through-Ritual.mp3?_=2

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california website at www.sec.gov org for further information. Worshipper lover of leaving you are welcome here. This community strives to be speakers. Listeners supporters and activists. We welcome those who want to make a difference. Those who want to celebrate. Time to heal. We hope that you can find what you need here. Whether you have been coming for years or if this is your first time in a church of any kind. Our church community are services and our programs are here too. For you for you to be enriched by your participation. We doing together in the strength. Community. And i'll introduce just briefly minister today. Galiardo is a minister from the philippines she serves the congregation in manila and is this year's visiting scholar at starting school for the ministry of the program called here and the philippines from outside of transylvania. When we come together as unitarian universalist we light the flaming chalice. Of the community that holds us and the fire of commitment that we share to each other and to the world. Share these words from ralph waldo emerson. Nineteenth-century unitarian minister and transcendentalist. We have a great deal more kindness than is ever spoken. Human family is bathed with an element of love like a sign ether. How many persons were in houses we scarcely speak to whom. In the streets or sit with in silently warmly rejoice to be with. Read the language of these wandering i-beams. Stand right here and hear all of your voices coming together. Out of our separate lives we come together for an hour or a day. Boris series of months and years. For this space of time we travel together making much or little or nothing at all of the fact that another walks beside us. Protecting ourselves from the pain we risk whenever we allow an another human being to touch us. Living safe little lives inside are sterile wrapping. We can reach out. Risking a little or a lot or every coin we have because we believe that loving and being loved is the only game in town. The choice is ours. Those who risk match. Blues match. But they are also the only ones. Whoever win. Linden california. And i'm happy to announce their diverse revolutionary multicultural movements ministry. Is launching a global majorities the question. Churches field taste and look if it was not at the center. So please support. This is a question. And i'm happy that we have come to this point truly a heavy and painful load i have been through. Sunday. Huizar. Limits of being a welcoming church. Was last sunday's i'm happy to this week i learned this honest conversation. Because i am in the business of truthful conversations because that's so. Conversations are the currency of organizations. Is there no money in the world it would just be conversation conversation and it's like. Efficient conversation or conversations that get to the bottom of things. The challenge is that conversations are not always. Article. Sometimes. Let's go. Get a timeout. And then discover ideas that we did not entertain in our meeting. If you look at it is really just meeting. This breaks. Converse with each other. These meetings are confrontations. Conversations are best ways which conflict. Indian conversation very liberal middle. And then we go to war so we come to conversations with holding so much is too much information. Can we sync as a community for comment. With competition for his is being competitive and saying ok google. Somebody first. Racing to deliver. So there is such a thing in business they call. Diversity intelligence. And i don't know if we have this inability. Different voices and perspectives. Send graham stephan. Today our democracy is beleaguered. Probably one dominant voice and. So maybe some of them. Majorities. And it's like the world is flat. I always get like the philippines is a young civilization. 641 ireland. At least 70,000 years ago. According to archaeology. We were hindus as far back as 980. Became muslim. And what's discover. 1521 number so-so there. Intelligence in this. Whiteness. People of color which is worse than the plague. The syrians the africans the rockies and other decimated seventh civilizations can attest. An englishman named samuel shenzhen in 1956 international flat earth society. Churches. Which has been practicing an open sea. For centuries we welcome foreigners in our paradise peace as a requirements. And in the toilet 20th century. We've extended our welcome to more than half a million vietnamese refugees. Those refugees. Truly became the biggest donors. And so they become so prosperous that they donated so much. And so we have been welcoming refugees. And president duterte has recently said. A global model for refugee intake. So people have gone to our country have not only been kept as still growing economy in the world. 7% of 7. In no way means that we are doormats. We have picked out the spanish. Is my lineage and revolution. So is it. Or am i looking at it from a worldview of so. I've been to the core. I've been to the women's march in chicago. I've been to our conversations. Are welcoming in.. I know what provocation. Wheel of provoking demons far and out of reach from real confrontation. Which makes me wonder about the confrontations were capable of. Justice does not start. Justice card with confrontations. And we can look around and examine so that we can confront whether our welcome is a reality or miss. A sociologist. The music is made of unconditional. Happy ever after. On the other hand forsake love is tested. The perseids you it seems view. People hard with trying to make a marriage work. His loss over his eyes. These are magical moments refreezing specially in times when the experience of life is testing our notion of happily ever after. We arbitrarily ship frames in this habit is not limited. I would have said that it often happens when we invest in something that has seized. Been informed by what's happening around us. Never freezes get very far with a member of the westboro truth. But if we look all around us. We see our churches are white washed. What about women leaders. Whiteness is not an ethnicity. It is about a culture that is supposed to communicate sophistication privileged in class. In a complex behaviors suggest fragility and comfortable cluelessness which can be used. Home of the brave. Independence. We hold these truths to be self-evident that all are created equal. But this is no longer. Just the home of the brave in the land of the free. Is it still showing evidence. We are all created equal. Can we do a reverse evangelism to reach out to people's event. Have you reached the end of our longings. Could we truthful conversations and confront the elephant in the room. So. The lighting of the chalice is not like clocking in for work. The ringing of the bell is no longer resonating with a visit of life needed it is time for urgency. The mysterious thing about a conversation. Conversations have a social dimension to them. Conversations that changed the way we look at things can help us be different in many other aspects of our lives. David weitz s. No selling survives conversation. And when did you self comes out into the world. The world needs to confront this to yourself. We need to invite josephine differently to come over. Breathlessly wondering we don't know. May wander caesars again and drove this. We are imaginations be nourished by surprises. If we could start in our breaking together between us and among us in prayer. In discomfort. In irony. Instyle whatever takes the changes changes. Question. Maybe coming the pilgrims ring the bell. Thank you. Modesto. Challenge all of those. Looking at us as we enter into a time of prayer and reflection. Invite you to send to your cells into yours. Close your eyes. Connect with your breath. We come into this space. The sacred time of togetherness. Notice the places we are less than our best cell. The promise to. Work at it. We forgive ourselves for those imperfections. How to take action. To ask forgiveness of others. To act differently. Complicated. We come from different stories from different places we earn our behaviors and our words and our deeds. And sometimes we must unlearn them. This community. Supports aston that work. This community supports us in all that is our lives. And we know we cannot exist alone. We give thanks. For the people in our lives challenge. Who make us better friends better parents that are spouses. May we always remember. People the communities that support us. May we always remember the joy. Found in those places and so much more. For all of our successes. The joys for all the little reasons to smile. And the sources of great joy. People in our lives. Sony dash today. Who need our prayers. Recall their names. We think of their names. We send our love. There are so many people in our lives communities. Nearby and far away. That make us who we are. Turn our hearts and minds. The places around the globe. That need our healing love. Places that struggle for justice. Insecurities. And understanding. May our prayers. Action. Heather create. World. Now let us sit in a moment of silence that we might each in our own ways. We are parked of all change. Kansas benediction please. Cultivated boundless goodwill. Received another. None in anger or ill will wish another harm. Even as a mother watches over her child living beings. Radiating friendliness over the whole world. And all around. And the people say.

uudavispodcast_org

2016-12-25-A-Taste-of-Heaven.mp3?_=1

Welcome to sunday sermons another recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov org for further information. A gentle kind of madness is it with the end of december. The winter solstice when people forget to remember. Suddenly they lose their mind and beauties grace needs demands and beauties grace. Christmas day honoring the birth of jesus it is a season of yearning for a living green reads represents the circle of eternity for the transforming power of love religious communities that understanding communities. Christmas story. They were interested in. In the moravian church group hired by the stories and the blessings that they had experienced in their worship. Hesitate. They mingled after the service hour. And share their stories. Noontime meal. His manner he had a meal together. Is a continued conversation. Their prayers. So much like those early church stories. And he has a good tradition to continue in the earliest church. Celebrations anniversary moravian community and the first moravian love feast on the north american continent. The tradition has become. A sweet and at that point coffee but it's expanded now it might be. And they gathered with candle candles are part of the christmas moravian love feast. Initially the beeswax considered to be the purest of all the animal or vegetable boxes. Christmas spirit. They took their candles with them. They carried out into the world. Sometimes we need to step outside of fat just experienced joy. Return to it and we need to have the strength to engage with it. Put joy is what we need will sing in the bleak midwinter but is the perfect. Carol's for this. To my first experience with me. At least. Introducing yourself. Mississippi. Interested.

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2016-07-17-Dumbledores-Army_Courageous-Love_10_00.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california website at www.sec.gov org-mode further information. Welcome to the unitarian universalist church of davis i have amanda caudle larkin our senior minister reverend beth banks is on vacation and will return in august this is reverend dr. lisa hike reverend lisa was an ecologist to work in sustainable agriculture research and education for 20 years before being called to the ministry but in this space we sent her ourselves and come to know that we are not alone been a burden becomes flight welcome. These words by sarah eileen the wall out of the flames of fear we rise with courage of our deepest convictions to stand for justice inclusion and peace out of the flames of scrutiny to proclaim our face with hope to heal a fractured and hurting world out of the flames of doubt we rise to embrace the mystery wonder and awe of all there is and all that is yet to be out of the flames of hate we rise with the force of love love that celebrates our shared humanity out of the flames we rise alone into the dwelling place to collect remnants of from fear that all is lost we come to discover what will save us into the comfort of each other's arms we come to find the strength that is not getting banished from darkness we come from. And are reading this morning is please call me by my true names by tick not han do not say that tomorrow because even today i still arrive look deeply i arrived in every s to be a bud on a spring branch to be a tiny bird with wings still-fragile learning to sing in my new nest to be a caterpillar in the heart of a flower to be a jewel hiding itself in a stone of all that are alive i am the mayfly metamorphose in the surface of the river and i am the bird which when spring comes arrives in time to eat the mayfly i'm the frog swimming happily in the clear water of the pond and i am also the grass snake who approach silence feeds itself on the frog i am the child in uganda all skin and bones my legs as thin as bamboo sticks and i am the arms merchants selling deadly weapons to uganda i am the twelve-year-old girl refugee on a small boat to throws herself in the ocean after being raped by a sea pirate and i am the pirate my heart not yet capable of seeing and loving my joy is like spring so warm it makes flowers bloom in all walks of life my pain is like a river of tears so full it's filled up the four oceans please call me by my true names so i can hear all my cries and my last at once so i can see that my joy and pain are one please call me by my true name so i can wake up and so the door to my heart can be left open the door of compassion. I grew up in marin county in novato population somewhere just shy of 50,000 it was not a particularly diverse place to live according to the 2000 census the population was about 83% white but it my high school san marin that number was a little bit higher in 1998 when i was a junior san marin made the national news ballgame at least one section of the crowd to racial epithets for the black players on the other team the administration for facilitating a climate of intolerance around the same time my openly gay friend adam colton was attacked by three other students just off school property a week after. All right you're invited to take hands if you like or be in touch in some way if you can't quite reach hands and now people of this beloved community martin luther king jr said darkness cannot drive out darkness only light can do that hate cannot drive out hate only love can do that go forth from this place on fire with love goes shining blessed be.

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2016-05-29-Kennedy_Emerson_-Frost_Oh-My.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome to our unitarian universalist church of davis where this month we've been exploring the theme of transcendence. We are moving into the theme of awakening next month. And will be looking a little bit of both of these themes through the lens of memorial day. I'm john ashby here with our senior minister best banks in a worship associate alex lijo accompany us on the piano is molly patrick thank you molly. After years of serving us in this capacity laura soon passing the torch of sparks car leadership to others that she looks forward to being with us as a member of our congregation we thank you. So welcome this sunday this memorial day weekend no matter what path is brought you through these doors we welcome you to gather is people of diverse beliefs and we represent different political views we are people of a diversity of sexual orientations and gender identities. Question the mysteries of life yearn for what could be and come to know the power we have to make our ideals real. Blessed is the fire that burns deep in the soul by eric heller wagner blessed is the fire that burns deep in the soul it is a flame of the human spirit touched into being by the mystery of life it is a fire reason the fire of compassion the fire of community the fire of justice the fire of faith is a fire of love burning deep in the human heart the divine glow in every life i would stand outside during the afternoon sun full of questions yet feeling peaceful i felt light weightless. The road not taken by robert frost two roads diverged in a yellow wood and sorry i could not travel both and be one traveler long i stood. And look down one as far as i could. The word bench in the undergrowth i took the other as just as fair and having perhaps the better claim because it was grassy and wanted wear. Though as for that the passing there had worn them really about the same. And both that morning equally lay in leaves no step had trodden back oh i kept the first for another day yet knowing how way leads onto way i doubted if i should ever come back i shall be telling this with a sigh somewhere ages and ages hence. Two roads diverged in a wood and i. I took the one less traveled by and that has made all the difference. From nature by ralph waldo emerson in the woods. Is perpetual youth. Within these plantations of god and decorum and if sanctity rain a perennial festival is dressed and the guests he's not. How he should tire of them in a thousand years. In the woods. We return to reason. And faith. There i feel that nothing can befall me in life no disgrace no calamity leaving me my eyes which nature cannot repair. Standing on the bare ground. My head bathed by the blinds are and uplifted into infinite spaced all mean egotism vanishes i become a transparent eyeball i am nothing. I see all the currents of the universal being circulate through me i am part or parcel of god. Memorial day when we honor those who have died while serving our country. The first memorial day celebration is right after the civil war may 1st 1865 during the civil war union prisoners of war were held at the hampton park race course in charleston and went at least 250 of them buried. African-american residents of charleston and honoring the union soldiers who gave their lives in order to make them free. Created this first celebration that was attended by more than 10,000 people mostly freed former slaves including around 3,000 schoolchildren then able to go to school. It was actually reported at the time in the new york times. And other papers. They're actually was awareness of this then but this event is relatively unknown today and unsurprisingly virtually no credit. Is given to them as being the first. Instead the credit for founding of memorial day is given to an event in waterloo new york on may 5th 1865 four days later created by the esteemed local citizens henry seawell's in general john b murray may 5th 1865 i'm pretty sure that neither of them were former slaves this is perhaps another thing to think about when we dedicate our black lives matter banner today. Today would be president john f kennedy's 99th birthday he was commander and chief of our armed forces and he died while serving us. And for those who did not experience jfk's loss. Generally. It's pretty hard to understand the impact. He was a politician so beloved that his administration was referred to. As camelot the mystical beloved kingdom somewhere over the rainbow that is beyond our normal existence somewhere else. Imagine today imagine a politician inspiring quotes love. Jfk's camelot was real why america still loves john f kennedy road. In the most important ways. What was called camelot. Was real. Inspire the post-war generation that returned from the second world war to enter politics as a means to improve america. Inspire young people to help the poor at home. By working to lift them in the poverty-ridden regions of the nation and inspired them to better the world by serving in the peace corps and inspired them to be part of a cause greater than themselves. By defending our security in the military or dreaming of soaring into space as astronauts with the american flag on the shoulders of their space suits unquote. The following is from dr. martin luther king speech at western michigan university december 18th 1963 not too long before dr. king suffered a similar fate as john f kennedy quote. Delete president kennedy great late president of our nation who face the tragedy of an assassin's bullet just a few months ago stood before this nation and said we face a moral issue in the area of human relations every american must be treated as a person. He went on to say that equality of opportunity must be a reality for every american if the american dream is to be a reality. Immediately after that he recommended to the congress of our nation the strongest package of civil rights levitz late legislation. The most comprehensive ever presented by any president. Of the united states. Black life needed to matter more. Back then. I need to matter more today as well john f kennedy was inspiring people. To rise above what is. To look beyond what was to look beyond. What is. To rise above the status quo and this is in many ways the definition. Of this month's theme of transcendence to surpass the usual limits. Extending beyond the limits of ordinary experience trans beyond. Skenderi to climb. To see beyond well at the very least. Too often we're so busy that we can barely see beyond where we're going to put our next step and sometimes so distracted that we can't even see that. But more importantly this means and kennedy was enticing us to raise one's vision to what might be. To transcend present circumstances to allow us to see and get us closer to what should be similar to the famous katharine hepburn line to humphrey bogart. The classic movie the african queen queen. Necessarily moving above nature. Perhaps beyond our normal. Human nature. But perhaps more so in some ways moving further. Into nature. Has emerson said in the re-reading the currents of the universal being circulate through me. I am part or particle of god. This emersonian level of transcendence. Might seem out of read something that's only for the most gifted spiritual mystics. Maybe. Maybe not. And what if. Not. Realize this surpassing the usual depends on what the usual is. And depends on what the usual is for you. Well then starts to place the idea of idea of everyday transcendence closer to reality. Price. Even if only to pause and smell the roses. Or maybe like the traveler in robert frost poem. To at least look ahead and try to see around the corner be one traveler long i stood and looked down one as far as i could. To where it bent in the undergrowth. In 1997 robert pinsky with poet laureate of the united states. And almost right away he conceived of his favorite poem project. Better than the us were let's face it poetry is not such a big deal. Visible role of poet laureate to ask americans to submit their favorite poem. And the runaway favorite 18,000 entries absolutely eclipsing second place with frost poem the road not taken. A poem titled for what did not happen. A poem that song interpret. As an ultimate statement of rugged individuality. Then took the other is just as fair and having perhaps the better claim u-see-it shows to go this way because i made the right decision incomplete self-reliance i conquered the woods well this is the virtually helpless leaf in the wind. Ending up where we are only by pure chance. 2 no effort or wisdom on our own after all. Noel's for that the passing there had worn them really about the same. Doesn't mean that we can completely know what we should do often we have to make decisions with great uncertainty. Sometimes with the knowledge that we don't know what the best thing to do is like that great line by captain kirk of star trek. I don't know what i should do. I only know what i can do. The road not taken doesn't really force either extreme of interpretation and at the very least does recognize our tendency to try to see beyond where it bent in the undergrowth this desire. To see beyond where we can normally see or at least as far as i could. Trying to divine what lies beyond the bend in the undergrowth to see beyond the normal. To see beyond or something and think of it as above what we can normally see. Perhaps coming to us from logic. Perhaps coming to us from intuition or. Samsung. Perhaps coming to us from another way of comprehending our place in the world other than what we define as our usual. Five senses. And when i wrote that line i initially wrote in the world other than what we define as our usual senses. As our usual seven senses and i didn't even catch it until this morning. Perhaps coming to us just as a result of purposefully slowing down. And allowing our awareness to see what is around us. That each individual person. Can excess knowledge themselves. Individually. Without anyone else having to allow access to edit. Was actually a huge part of the transcendentalist movement of the 19th century. Thinking about this week and see what this does to the power and authority of those previously in control primarily the rulers and clergy. That used to have a tight grip on access to pretty much everything. What does personal access to knowledge does something else to us as well. When we used to accept what are medieval priests and rulers turrell told us. We had a certainty. Do as we are told. Very certain. Now there's introduced an uncertainty to the world now there's more responsibility for us each to make sense of the world. For us ourselves deciding what to make of this world. And what to do in this world. And this is a big part of what transcendentalism introduced into our physical philosophical lies uncertainty. So much that there is to see. But we often don't see. And especially taking the power of access to the transcendent away from the powerful. And placing it within reach at least theoretically to all of us. Part of this desire to see beyond or above 4 into. Maybe our desire to feel. In control of our lives at the traveler in the fog poem decide that the path date individualistically chose made quote. All the difference. When actually choosing the path was not so logically explainable. At least not logically explainable conscious thought. Remember in reality the past. Had worn them really about the same. How often are our choices not the result. A brilliant analysis of the situation but just the path we happen to take. Or path that we happened to take very purposefully. But maybe are unconsciously certain why. The phone such a beautiful conflictual poem it doesn't resolve it questions it opens it begins with the negating title the road not. Taken. It is about the joy. On the road taken. It is about the loss. Of the roads not taken and it is about the joy. Of the roads not taken. So many roads. So little time being one traveler. It is about the individualism of being in charge of your decisions and scary part and not being in charge of decisions sometimes our choices just do happen sorta like you know yogi berra's famous statement. When you come to a fork in the road taken the actual result the actual path. Is perhaps more often than we might like to admit it's a prize. Our own individual path can be very difficult to discern. Sometimes we might see the goal way over there. And maybe. At least you might think one mighty leap could get you there. But most often not. Most often it's one little step at a time. And each of these little steps can be the most difficult to see at the moment. Sometimes you don't see them. You just have to take them step-by-step with each step forming your path to get there you can see a little of the path behind. You can see some of the path ahead. Then all you can do is one thing at a time realizing that every step. And every not stabbed. Also. As frost reminds us is creating your path. We may be staring at the long road ahead looking for answers but often there aren't any certain answers and we take the step anyway. Trusting something. At least trusting that at some point. We either stay put or travel on. Sometimes staying put is exactly the right thing to do. Yet even then things don't remain the same move on or not. We end up in a different place. And so being more present. Hazard him this morning will call us to do wake now my senses. And hear the earth call. Helping remind us to be more present to not let our life be from robert frost poem about what we didn't do. But to embrace our awareness as we travel our path. Even as our busyness. Often distract us from the real roses. That lie along the path. And around the bent in the undergrowth. To embrace our awareness so that we are more prepared to see what we might otherwise pass by unnoticed. To see that very road not taken that maybe we might have. If we had allowed ourselves to see it. And to allow into our hearts the grand division of what can be when we allow ourselves to let in. The wisdom that is there if we will allow ourselves to see it. Wake now my vision of ministry clear brighten my pathway with radiance here. Mingle my calling with all who will share work toward a planet. Transformed. Buy arctic air. Maybe song. John invited us to be presents. He asked us to consider. The discipline the benefit of being in this moment. For what it can offer us in the future. So i invite us to quiet ourselves. Because we are going to have. A day or two of. Activity. End up doing. Invite you to. Be a part of quieting our voices. No one is asking us to. Give the solution. To a problem. Cruzar intelligence. To be outgoing. Just quiet our voices. Invite us to quiet our eyes. Tristam. Does that mean that we close them. That's what it means for you. Do it. This is a safe. Place it is. A sanctuary. I invited us to quiet. Our mind. To allow ourselves to feel the stillness that gathers strength. Within us. For whatever it is that we face. And finally. Quiet our spirit. Spirit meaning the very breath. It gives all of us life. It is the breath of the universe that moved on the face of the water in the very first sentence of the hebrew scripture. The earth had not been created. The stars. Didn't exist. The rivers. Had not yet begun to flow. There is only the water. And the breath. The wind. That presence of creativity moving. One way and another. Is this movement. Before creation the gathering of resources imagination. Getting ready. Attentiveness needed for the details of creation. And then it happens. One day after another in quick succession to the stars the moon the rivers and all those animals. And finally humanity's resting. Inert. Play. The breath is blown into the beings nostrils. Awake. Imagine how amazing the world with scene. One would just stare at first don't you think. Amazement. Starts with noticing that dark red veins on a leaf. The foam on the edge of a wave and the many colors of the ocean. The throb of one's own pulse. No rushing to meet the whole world at once know taking both roads at once. So stunning if we pay attention. Every morning the breath of life the spiritual awakening can happen again. Almost as if for the first time. The lights through the window. The cool air on your face. With a promise. Getting closer. Something as large as black lives matter. Or what might be. Or what should be. Be ready. Let the congregation take hands. Wake now my vision of ministry clear. Brighten my pathway with radiance here. Mingle my calling with all who will share. Work toward a planet transformed by our care. May it be so let the congregation say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2014-12-14_Repair-When-the-World-Comes-Undone.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california website at w.w. org for further information. Welcome to the unitarian universalist church of davis welcome to this healing service in the advent season may be a time of joy and beauty for you may this be a time of healing for our country and the world may you find what you are seeking in this hour of worship whether that be a moment of quiet or fellowship or inspiration may you feel yourself a part of this sacred space and community you are welcome here whatever your ethnic or class background your gender identity or sexual orientation or political party we come together with many different understandings of the sacred and many perspectives on the divine together we can create the peace of love and transformation that we all dream about. Good morning everyone i'm here to say that we've got signups for hosting this year's interfaith rotating winter shelter happening right now in the social hall hurt right after the service and i encourage you to sign up to help homelessness is a systemic problem and opening our church as a shelter does not repair the system that will create the circumstances of homelessness when we host the interfaith rotating winter shelter we must be that the problem of poverty and homelessness is what needs to be fixed and not the people as we help we must be mindful of our own boundaries and also or fix to trust and collaborate with that person without wholeness that sounds a lot like ruu principle church. Every day brings struggle every day brings joy every day brings us the opportunity to ease the struggle of another to be the joy in another's life mavis flame remind us to carry our light to each other and to the world may the fire of this chalice lit in the mist of this welcome week of rain for an in each of us as we step together into this glorious day. A quote by andrew boyd compassion her when you feel connected to everything you also feel responsible for everything and you cannot turn away your destiny is bound with the destinies of others you must either learn to carry the universe or be crushed by it you must grow strong enough to love the world yet empty enough to sit down at the same table with its worst horrors in order to repair the world we must feel compassion we must speak out against the problems in the world it is our responsibility to do what we can to move towards a future free of violence against minorities a future in which poor children do not go hungry every night in the richest country in the world a future in which access to education and healthcare are basic human rights and the dignity of earning a living wage is not out of reach. Going to invite reverend beth banks to join me here for this time of sharing with you our clergy covenant this morning. Many of you know the name pema chodron she is one of the most widely known teachers of buddhism in the u.s. today and is a resident teacher of a abbey in cape breton nova scotia the first tibetan monastery in north america established for westerners on titled widening the circle further aggression on the planet rather than more bring this question down to a personal level how do i learn to communicate with somebody who is hurting me or hurting others how do i communicate so that the space opens up and both of us that we all share how do i communicate exchange begins through be willing to have a compassionate relationship with the parts of yourself that you feel are not worthy of existing if you were willing through meditation to be mindful not only of what feels comfortable but also of what pain feels like if you even aspire to stay awake. Now join me at a time of prayer both spoken and silent we join now in prayer holding in the light those within this congregation and our community lives enter woven with h by threads of joy and pain sorrow and hope the world's multitude of victims of violence and abuse systemic oppression and countless wars many of which we have funded those whose lives can seem distant from our own but only when we refuse to see we join our hearts and prayers perhaps most difficult of all holding in the light our enemies those hula a prophet more than justice those who wreak havoc rather than cultivate peace whose own comfort takes precedence over the basic needs of the world's multitude we pray for these whose image is often as near to us as our own reflection we hold all of these in the light even when it seems but a flicker of hope. Go now with advent like voices kindled in your hearts voices of uncertain expectation anticipation of we know not what and a hope against hope that though there is much to be done surely there is something that we can do all men.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-06-25-Waking-Up-Alive.mp3?_=1

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california at www.dav.org for further information. Welcome to ruu house of your longing a place of social spiritual and spirited gathering place where desire for peace love and compassion is embraced and spoken out for all of us to hear let's start off now and take a few moments to meet and greet each other be aware that some might like a very quiet reading and others well big wild embrace. Reverend jeff banks reverend morgan mclain and are departing internet elizabeth essenza are attended in you you a general assembly in new orlean hopefully they having some wild fun also in the french quarter my name is kirk ridgeway arranged and helping to make the service happen as a whole host of volunteers including a great pianist. Has recital instituted a service may remember that this place you are accepted just as you are at the same time you be open to changes that will enhance your life in the life of those around you perhaps that change will be simply a subtle change in conscious awareness. I want to share with all of you a moment that i personally awakens a moment that happened a long time ago some of you may have heard the reflection that i did last november where i had talked about having trouble conceiving today in my opening words i talk about the exact moment that i truly grasped that i had i'm finally the mommy that i had always wanted to be grace was born in july many of you that have brought new babies home will understand when i say that life seems to just swirl around you without you really realizing what's happening when you bring a newborn home with the lack of sleep adjusting to new routines and duties you put yourself into a fog and you function and machine like actions you barely have time to shower let alone take any sort of beauty around you i remember the exact moment stop i mean literally just stopped i was in arden fair mall during the holidays i was waiting in the most ridiculous line to take my baby girl to see santa claus for the very first time because the people standing next to me and internal emotions i needed desperately to grace up out of her stroller and hold her close to me so i did and i could smell her soft curls they smell like johnson's & johnson's baby shampoo i held her limp little body curled up close around my heart i could hear her quit breathing in my left ear and her smacking little sucking noises i was looking straight ahead through tears in my eyes and i can barely see the pastel colors of the ornaments and the decorations on the two-story tall christmas tree that arden fair puts up for the holidays they were lavenders and blues and pinks and the green of the tree how beautiful all the colors were with the lights my thoughts were this is it i get to play santa i get to give my baby the most anticipated day of the year for as long as it was a spiritual moment for me it was a realization that my dream had finally come true. The reading today is from the book of awakening by mark nepo like most people i know i struggle with taking too much on and doing too many things with moving too fast with overcoming with over-committing with over planning it seems we run our lives like trains speeding along a track laid down by others going so fast that what we pass blows right by then we say we've been there and we've done that the truth is that blurring by something is not the same as experiencing it so no matter how many wonderful opportunities come my way no matter the importance placed on these things by others who have my best interest at heart i must somehow find a way to slow down the train that is me until what i passed by is against seeable touchable feelable otherwise i will pass by everything can put it all on my resume but i will have experienced and lived through nothing. Please join hands for a closing words get up from your bed go out from your house everything you need you had the moment before you were born as you were invited here from another and greater night than the one from which you emerged on waking up alive remember everything that made you has been assigned to your growing enabling you to become visible while carrying what is hidden as a gift to others and to love all the things it is taking you so long to learn to love discovering that there is no house like a house belonging to that we say amen.

uudavispodcast_org

2013-09-29_Worship_Certainty-in-an-Uncertain-World_11_15.mp3

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at w.w. org for further information. You are welcome here if you are filled with joy or lost in the depths of your being. You are welcome here if you have a message to share or need to be quiet and listen. You are welcome in all your phone as your race and culture sexual orientation and gender identity religious views or political party. Come to connect with community come to honor the earth. Come to claim your spirituality. Come to build the worlds that we dream is possible. Come. To transform your life. This place and this hour can be a repository of the joys and sorrows of your week the place where you can bring your concerns to the world. And if you have a milestone close to your heart you'd like to be shared you're invited to write a milestone at the table in the back of the sanctuary and light an individual chalice. Please signify if you'd like your milestone to be placed in a pastoral prayer. And if it is an emergency please let us know. Reverend beth will call you before the end of the day. The flame of the chalice provides illumination to light our way as we walk the path of life. It lifts the darkness eases our doubts and gives us the confidence to step forward on our path. To create our story of our life. It represents the community in fellowship that is unitarian universalism. When were born we have so many potentials. Culture and socialization however close many of those potentials will nurturing others. Who we become is a function of the experiences that we have. These experiences are culturally prescribed. The further limited by parental upbringing. These experiences openness to new skills and opportunities but at the same time they closes off too many many others. For example a child has the potential to speak many languages but is usually only taught one. The doors to the other languages close. The other languages become foreign languages. They become other and not me. Furthermore human beings are also limited by the sensory inputs that we have. We are not able to experience the whole world because it is not available to us through our classical census is an example as i stand here i'm surrounded by all sorts of energy forms that i can't experience radio waves television waves colors beyond the visual spectrum and so on the real world is clearly more complex. Then what i can perceive. Taken together these things limit who we can become we become frightened of that which we do not know our parents have taught us not to talk to strangers we seek out opportunities to affirm what we already believe we limit ourselves to the familiar in the predictable weed-out. We are uncertain we develop artificial aids to tap into the unknown. But we construct our reality out of the things which we are able to proceed we often refuse to see other possibilities because they would have set our current outlook and understanding we become rooted in our real safe world to experience more to follow-up list. It's so often urged by joseph campbell we have to reach out past these blinders and find more there is more and it is waiting to be found and lived we are faced with a vast ocean of possibilities we have to step out overcoming our fears and let ourselves fall into this ocean we met flounder we may not have success. But if we do not try we will stagnate and not grow one of the seven principles of unitarian universalism is a free and responsible search for truth and needing to do this requires that we reach out to the unknown the uncertain to see what is there it is a never-ending search because truth and meaning our relativistic terms we cannot really know truth and meaning but only approximate them knowing that if we continue the search we will learn more and perhaps come closer we can learn from others who have also made this pilgrimage. We have gathered together in this face today as individuals with her own certainties and uncertainties joys and sorrows accomplishments and yearnings all of us know happiness and misery all of us have known love all of us are agents of change in the world and all are gathered complexity let us in turn down into a time of prayer and meditation. Each of us is a part of an intricate web of relationships. When one of us celebrates a joy or grieves a loss the web of life moves to a new shape. We are apart of the turn of the earth the shift of the stars the pull of the sea. And all change. I want to read to you. An essay by doug mutter i guess is his name it was published online in the new humanism and if anyone wants the web address i can give it to you. It's called living without an afterlife meaning and stories. Let me talk about meaning what are we talkin about. What kind of ants are people looking for when they ask what's it all about. I think they're looking for a story i think they want somebody to frame what's happening to them as something other than just a random sequence of events. I might ask. What is it all about. Is i-battle rush hour traffic. But if my wife is in labor and i'm rushing her to the hospital then i don't ask. I know what it's about. The scene is part of an important story in my actions are turning the plot in a better or worse direction. That's meaning. When people say they want to make a difference. That's what they're talking about. They want their actions to move the plot of some important story. They want that story to reach a better conclusion because of what they did. We live inside stories. Sometimes it doesn't of them simultaneously. And when our stories are working life is good. Even when life is bad. If you exhausted in pain life is bad. But if you're exhausted and in pain because you just won the boston marathon life-is-good the story created the meaning. Sometimes there are stories phelous sometimes the conclusion you're working towards it seems so unlikely that it doesn't inspire you. Sometimes you forget why you even wanted it in the first place sometimes you get so alienated from your story that you feel like an imposter in your own life. Yes i look like a success. But that isn't really me. That's when you have a crisis of meaning. Meaning of the afterlife. The inevitability of death rosa monkey wrench into our stories. Usually i short-term stories get their meaning from the longer-term stories they fit into. Studying into a.m. is meaningful because it's part of the story where i ace tomorrow's test. But the test is only meaningful is part of the longer-term story where i pass the class. And that matters because of the story where i get my degree and so on. But what if the longest term story i can tell is the one where i die. Doesn't that undercut all the others. Because i might die at any moment. The stories i think. I am in the middle of may never conclude in any satisfactory way. And even if my life is not cut off prematurely. Then eventually arrived at the crypt students ability. What kind of climate is that. So you see the problem. It's not just that i was i. Is it said at the beginning that's easy everybody does it. Forgiving than i am going to die how can i tell the story of my life in a way that engages me and motivates me and gives me a sense of meaning. Have you heard of the quarter life crisis some of us who were an attempt to capture the lost and frustrated feelings other generation struggling to find their way in the world. The millennials. As those of us born in the 80s and 90s are called we're raised with a hopeful vision of the future. Told we could be anything we wanted. Only to come up. Smack. Against the hard reality of a depressed economy and listless job market. 75% of new jobs are part-time. And it is hard to make ends meet. It's a difficult moment in history to be figuring out what to do as a career. It's a depressing time to be stepping into the responsibilities of adulthood. There are a lot of choices to be made. And not a lot of opportunities. The larder stories of career and family are overshadowed by the sense that things are not necessarily getting better. As a young adult. The story of the quarter life crisis has been my story is the story of many of my peers will be the story of many others. I have a lot of questions my peers are full of questions. All of us live in a time of questions questions about the future of our planet's ecology about our day-to-day choices as an ethical people and an increasingly interconnected world. About what we can do to make the future a place worth of dreaming about. What excites me. Is how many of people are asking these questions out loud. Begin thinking about what answers we can create together. The conversations that come from this indeed curiosity and sense of concern and compassionate are incredibly powerful and useful ones i'm always relieved when i hear people posing these questions. And not rushing to provide answers. Uncertainty. Is a part of our faith tradition i have fully embraced i strive to live comfortably with not knowing i revel in the act of thoughtfully critiquing systems of oppression and injustice i am eager to learn and i want to know how i can improve in my vocation. Questioning. Is a thing for me. So you can imagine how i felt on my first day in my new office here at the unitarian universalist church of davis when the? on my keyboard has stopped working for my first 24 hours with you i literally could not ask questions or at least couldn't type them i still needed information of course and i found creative and declarative ways to get it. What a beautiful. Skiff. You see. I am out of my personal quarter life crisis i had my long dark winter of the soul that time of rudderless uncertainty and unrest when i had to choose and discern and query everything. Everything about my life. I chose to go to seminary. Years discerning my path and i queried all the components of my present and my future and i will again i'm not done discerning or choosing or carrying. Put on that first day here i was given a reminder that i also need to sometimes rest. In certainty. I am certain. Set my choice to come here with a good and a wise one. I am certain that i love what i do that the risks i have taken and continue to take are worthwhile risks. There are no guarantees. None. No guarantees that i will be successful in my chosen career how is that my tomorrow is will be joyful ones how is it i won't mess up everything up. Get some things. Are worth commitment. Where is reverend beth pointed out last week. The risk of failure. I think that love is pretty much always a worthwhile investment. For example the philosopher os guinness who wrote love is the fundamental location of every human being. Love as a vocation as a calling that underlies the forms and choices of our lives now that makes sense to me. There is something that is something i can feel some certain about. I am not the only one either. Let me tell you the story. Another congregation. Very like this one in a number of ways far away on the other side of the country. It is also a midsize congregation planted next to a major university with a thriving re-program and some amazingly l. This is the congregation that helped to raise me. Tennessee valley unitarian universalist church. Or tvuc for short sometimes i call it. Started in the 1950s this congregation has long been full of professors and artists and activists seekers learners questioners humanist theology raised to think and query and ponder and believe in the power of people and the importance of questioning. We as a church were especially quick to question injustice. To put forward and progressive ideas to reach out to the marginalized in our hometown. First the black community and the women's rights groups. Later the lgbtq youth and migrant farm workers. It was because of this work this outraged. The congregation was labeled a hotbed of liberal politics and gayness and so it was towards us. Better disturbed man who blamed gays and liberals for his unemployment. Turn his hate. He walked into our sanctuary it with a shotgun hidden in a guitar case. Into insurance performance of little orphan annie jr.. An open fire. Killing two people and injuring many others. I wasn't in the room that day. But my life was changed forever. Tvuuc. Has long been a place that is many things to many people. And it still is. A place of conviction that is always ready to question question injustice and oppression a place where speakers and learners and uncertainty where and are welcome this is not changed. Get in the aftermath of that unthinkable act of violence that shooting like so many of the shootings that have happened since it was not with uncertainty. But the congregation reacted. There was no?. Federal response the? on her keyboard was jammed we had to choose. We had to be definite. We had to be certain. The moment. The need of all of us impacted by this tragedy demanded some certainty. We had to give an answer to the question of how we would react. What are choice would be. And we did. Love. Congregation said. Love is the spirit of this church. This. Which part of the covenant we is a congregation spoke aloud each week to each other. That summer it went from being a promise. To a declaration. A certain thing a clarion call. Love is the spirit of this church. It's on the tv you see bumper sticker. The children. Tour performing that day when the shooting occurred stood up at the worship service told later that week to sing again. They saying that iconic song from the musical the time that engine had interrupted and they sang it with all their hearts. They sang out to the crowd of hurt and bewildered folk the sun will come out tomorrow. The sun'll come out tomorrow. Love will go on hate will not quench our welcome to our conviction are striving toward justice. Love is the spirit of this church. In the face of senseless violence and all of the questions they brought this was and is our certainty. The following june at general assembly are denominations huge annual gathering every member of that congregation able to be present was invited up under the big stage and plenary hall. They were called up for the announcement of the launch of a new denomination wide campaign. The standing on the side of love campaign. Standing on the side of love campaign works for equality. Advise us as unitarian universalist to be in solidarity with undocumented immigrants and with those who are oppressed and marginalized for their gender or sexual orientation. It's asked us to discern where love is calling us where our vocation as a faith is guiding us to be certain. It is also made us as a faith visible in new ways. In arizona for instance where unitarian universalist have been on the forefront of challenging racist anti-immigrant laws the media has started referring to us as. The love people there is a story from arizona about someone from the unitarian universalist association staff who asked a reporter during the rally if you wanted an interview with our denomination president the reverend peter morales. The reporter wasn't sure who that was and started to turn away. Remember we're pretty small denomination. Not everyone has heard of us. He's ahead of a lot of people. Do you a person added that the reporter was turning away. We can create quite a stir. When i wear one of those yellow standing on the side of love t-shirts and walk behind those big yellow banners. I am standing up for my questioning and querying face. And i am standing with certainty. I believe in uncertainty and i believe in love. I should clarify. I don't believe that the power of love can fix everything. Or that romance is the answer to all problems the man who brought violence into the sanctuary of tennessee valley unitarian universalist church was loved. And still he lashed out. Hitler friend transform. Love as a vocation and cannon adderley transform. Love has long been the vocation of tennessee valley unitarian universalist church a love they expressed through activism and welcomed the creation of beauty and the questioning of the status quo. This was a risky thing to do in that conservative area the country. We're homophobia and white supremacy were once taken for granted. Love as a vocation is an opening up. Stepping forward in a place of vulnerability. Our boldness of a congregation with a risk. And after the shooting it was clear just how risky it was. Thailand's had visited us and our city. Rallied around us in a way i could never have expected. Gone with the denomination of politics of a townhouse for the first question one is asked after one's name is so which church do you go to. What's the sense that our congregation at with a strange fringe element. We were charged whose mission was love. And the time after the after the shooting our community embraced us. And all that we stood for. My hometown is a different place because of the way that tennessee valley unitarian universalist church and its congregants about love. There are now gay-straight alliance groups had pretty much every high school in the county. Most of them started by youth who attend our church. I found a copy of out magazine for sale at a grocery store checkout lane and for the first time in knoxville's history and the mayor is a woman a woman of progressive politics who regularly attends anti-racism rallies at our church. Certainteed does not have to be divisive. What it comes up with an open heart with courage and an understanding of risk. Curiosity and humility and dialogue. It can transform the world. In a world of violence. Psychological destruction of the economic downturn psychological destruction and economic downturns and injustice there are some things worse being certain about. Sometimes. It is a good thing. ? he is out of commission. I am not. Cannot be glad for the violence inflicted on my home congregation. For the shooting on that july morning but i will always be grateful to have been part of a community that could show the world what a vocation of love could mean. With a call to compassion could look like. I hope you will order one of those spiffy yellow shirts you'll see and the social hall i hope you will wear it proudly. Knowing that you. 2. Are one of the love people. We can make a difference if we step forward together with courage we cannot know the future. But we can learn and follow our bliss and shape the stories of our lives into something out early transformative. May it be so. In the words of the reverend wayne arneson take courage friends the way is often hard but the path is never clear and the stakes are very high. Take courage. 4 deep down there is another truth you are not alone. How to say all men.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-01-15-With-Intention_Honoring-MLK_11_15.mp3?_=3

Welcome to sunday sermons another recording from unitarian universalist church of davis california please visit our website at www.sec.gov or further information. Universalist church davis my name is elizabeth. Today. We need to know what financial resources we will have to begin. Rich a barracks. Liberty and justice for all. To come forward to write the check for the fundraising. Spirit of freedom. To the altar of isolated. To the universe to this community into each other. These are words from the autobiography of martin luther king jr.. Is a realization. Is reckless. Send it. Anemic. Justice justice at its best. Correct there are certain days we remember because what happened that day. 1968. Martin luther king jr.. I also remember the first martin luther king jr.. I was living in michigan be sociable staff. Is monday a holiday. The year was 1969. Define doubt. October 27th 1969. Ceremony. Maybe it was the ann arbor school district. The first mlk.day 69. 50 years ago. In 1994. When two friends. Introduced a bill to turn this day into a fraction. The bill passed unanimously. Territory. Fortunately this church affords many ways to respond this year. Search. He spoke of martin luther king as a. To make you feel good. And shed light into the dark places as this era of our national life. Disturbed to the challenges we face. Is too heavy a burden to carry and he said. Unless you. Are who you are to be that sounds real familiar. I've seen members of my extended family image of martin luther king jr.. It's become a common meme so perhaps you seen it to. An image of reverend dr. king arm-in-arm with other civil rights leaders during protest is placed alongside a contemporary image. During a protest over the killing of yet another black man. Desertion is twofold. The protests of the 1960s protest. The correct way. Cement for black lives. Beacon with the assertion that black lives matter. Seeks to perpetuate violence. But just as we know that the movement for black lives tells another story story of advocating for increased safety accountability. Mass incarceration. Martin luther king's life another story. We know the suggestion that the protests of the civil rights. Distract us from the work. Is embodiment. Was perceived as a threat. The most dangerous man in america. Ultimately. Because his. Is a really dangerous place to be. So we gather to share his words. His wisdom new inspiration from him as each year passes. Because we. Because honoring his legacy and our sanctuaries. This is a reminder i need to stay vigilant and racial equity. Birmingham. I have almost reached the conclusion has great stumbling block in his stride toward freedom. Is not the white citizens council are. For the ku klux klan. The white moderate. Who is more devoted to order. Vintage estes. Who prefers a negative peace which is the absence of tension to a positive piece which is the presence of justice. I agree with. But i cannot agree with your methods of direct action. Timetables for another man's freedom. Mystical concept of time. More convenient season. Different types of punch for me. Not because i don't agree with his words. Because in this raises so much the way i was taught to be. Nice white ladies from a small town. Avoid disruption. Flight. Set there will be an appropriate time for our words and actions. As masks. Knowing that in questions of racial i must work with intention. Creeping back in. Do we know all the details. But can't we do it without the destruction of property. These are not questions to ask. I'm at work with intention to honor the legacy of doctor myself. Human life matters more lives are more sacred than. Intention. Unitarian universalist history. 1968 at our general assembly today. Meetings of the usa brought to light the reality of finances. Money artist. Could not afford to continue its operations. The question of the black affairs council in 1960. Her sort the assembly is returning to business as usual. Black people app. Continue the conversation. Keeper of the 1369 delegates to participate in the general assembly walkout tensions continue. U.s. finances improve board of trustees voted to expand the time for funding the black affairs council 25 years. Seeing them up to seek external disaffiliation the promise of funds with was withdrawn and the black affairs council withdraw. Community. Universalism. This is chicken working with intention. And to work to repair the relationship. We live in to this commitment unitarian universalism. 300 thousand dollars of the sons are immediately available for use. Long-term commitment. Unitarian universalist. Actively or constructively. Human progress never rolls in on the wheels of inevitability. Tireless efforts willing to work. Without this hard work. Time itself becomes. We must work to use this time create time is always right. What is right. Control what we do with weather time. Universalist rebecca parker. When she says that our gift can be used to bless or curse the world. Like came before her with intention to use the strength we possessed the divine within us. Beautiful. Justice into our other work community. Immigration. Universalism. Satisfy justice. We must do so with a love. That works toward justice we can do this in acts of service on martin luther king jr. day. We can do this. We can do this. Conversation. With friends and family. We can do this. Women's march next weekend. Displaced into a place. Solidly in your chair. The energy of other people around you. Human community together. I just take a few moments of silence. Respect. The hearths and the joys of our hearts community. To care for our humans. Connect to justice. Harry together. The energy of this place throughout our work please. May we always enjoy of community community. Challenge. Relationships. The web of life. Of the stars. With one another. To be together in community. I would like to invite anyone who is one of these marches. Just join with other marchers across the country on saturday. People have gathered in unitarian universalist churches across the country to its community. With her all the way in maine this morning. From all harm. Asbury. You sense the presence of spirits. Whose hopes and heart are tucked into your pocket named your journey isn't purpose. Secret. May you encounter strangers as kindred and made that recognition of kinship. Bring you joy. Mcleod number in the hundreds or thousand. May you not only recognized. You also witness a dazzling tapestry languages. Testament display. Humana family. Friendly and patient. The spirit of praise for gestures of kindness. Vassals a spirit. Be treated as a gift that they are. Marchers at makespace. Different means of moving. Mazos bearing snacks are generously with others and hydrate. Accommodate your body's gender size and abilities. May you delight in the impulse to connect monday and profound. Amid the heady flurry of selfies and hashtags. Remember. That led you there. Said ones. Into you. Convey this congregation.

uudavispodcast_org

2017-02-19-She-Persisted_-UU-Women.mp3?_=2

Welcome to sunday sermons and other recordings from the unitarian universalist church of davis california website at w.w. org for further information. Especially glad that you're here today and we hope that you will stop by our memberships able to learn more and learn all the things that this community has for you we hope that you will find comfort and hope and a sense of belonging. You are all welcome here in the mess of. In the fullness of who you are becoming. This is a place of love and acceptance. A place where you will be called to action challenge. Respectful sharing and caring. Universalist. Unitarian universalist association. On this day of remembrance of executive order 9066. 75 years ago today. It ordered the relocation of japanese-americans. 60% of americans. Into internment camps. We know to will. Search executive orders are not. This morning. The challenge. Would you come forward please. You know joy takahashi. And a julie bell. Remember her. You may not know on april 19th. Transported by train to topaz utah. Her family was able to leave which was outside of internment. Home in berkeley. Japanese american children's museum in sacramento. Thank you joyce. Kendall inspyrus to use our powers to heal. And not to harm. To help. 2. To serve you. Freedom. Persistent. Uu women. Unitarian universalist church. Fortunately i love to do research. Unfortunately. A group of 21 women universalist unitarian churches. They faced many challenges. The physical hardship of life in the plain state. The challenge of bringing liberal religion. To settlers of the area. The negative attitudes of many male ministers and squares from seminary. Breaking the rules. It was a place where women were accepted for their willingness to step. For their tenacity. Ministry. Here's a bit of the story of one of these women. October 8th 1844 to february 5 1917. Was a circuit riding preacher who started. It was the circuit riding preacher that really appealed to me children as they serve churches in the west. 40 streams. Swatting mosquitoes in high collar. Making. In your face. Years later she proclaimed behind. 67. To the dismay of her parents and friends list. In 1871. Totally supportive of her ministry. Six children universalist unitarian churches in colorado. Minnesota. Dakota and iowa. A society which exists today. In california. When she was part of that. 1895 power system pastor in oakland. True intellect and affection. New life. Renew burst of emotion. Action alarm set. Destiny's are radar on hands. Ellie and i were learning about. Attorney over celeste. 4 days in. Asilomar state park in monterey. I was lucky to be there with international women's convocation of unitarian and unitarian universalist women. It was inspiring to be there and i'm happy to be here to share these reflections with you although they are very fresh and so i hope they are formed well because i only got back at 10 last night. History and philosophy. Women's convocation explore a bit more about the concept of intersectionality and social justice work. Gathering as we. Adjust future which was the theme. A little history first. Universalism is found in many countries and we distinguish between the one you and the two used because unitarian-universalism was a unique coming together of those two traditions here in the united states. Tradition spread into canada and in the philippines until. Speaking parts. Transylvania. Olivia in india in kenya and uganda and other places. Women have always been important in movers and shakers in our tradition. Traditions. For generations been the primary religious educators the values and rituals of their face. Any idea states we thought many unitarian and universalist women on the forefront of social movements literally on the frontier like eliza tupper wilkes. Their right to vote yes and we hear a lot about that and sometimes we almost as if that's the only thing that women never did. Not just fighting for the right to vote they were abolitionists. When slavery was ended they. Health advocates. Especially seeing the disease and physical injuries of the civil war. They supported labor unions and demanded safe working condition. Modern issues with leaders in the temperance movement. The temperance movement sometimes gets a bad rap that was a movement against alcohol consumption and regulated sales and distribution of alcohol. Alcohol. Domestic violence. Women and children were at risk. When their husbands and fathers drank too much or uncontrollably especially many of those men who were suffering. It was really an epidemic. It was dangerous for women and children. These nineteenth-century for mothers of our. Really looked at the complexity of identity. Of their own identities and the identities of their neighbors. Today. Here in this country in the 1970s unitarian-universalist startup women as movement within our tradition. Unitarian universalism.. It became really aware of the ways language and phrases were affecting people and traditions. The brotherhood of man. The progress of mankind. Referring to as mankind diminishing women. I'm so during coffee hour of the first parish of lexington massachusetts with some friends and they began to draft but would become the women and religion resolution which was passed in 1977 at the annual general assembly of the unitarian universalist association. Call can you use to examine their religious beliefs. Which that they used in order to understand how unitarian universalist. The resolution was passed. Unanimously. Which is a unitarian universalist miracle. Revising the principles and purposes which created the first we're going to open our language. Lucille and carolyn mcdade who wrote the hymn spirit of life. The water ceremony. Water ceremony where they have been. Ritual was used in creative for the first time for 1980. Its original purpose was to align the spirituality of that gathering. The waters were born into passed around a circle and each woman to be blessed by the sisters and then they blessed each other with it. Another person who has. She has been a leader in the unitarian universalist women's movement since then. And many others have collected stories and written resources and curricula. Feminine spirituality and the empowerment of women. Some of you might have been involved in the past or rise up and call her name. Especially starting in the 1990s that international partnerships began around. The world. American you use see the prominence of women in leadership in other places. And so by 2009 they were ready to get together internationally as women and first international women's convocation was held in 23 years later by one and transylvania and now we've arrived here in monterey. Unitarian unitarian universalist women. But our lives and experiences are vastly different. Tina this complication was weaving global partnerships 14 adjust future together. For example unitarian universalist. And one of those two is a woman station is a woman. Sandakozhi hills where most unitarians are in northeast india. Women are. L really important and in the president is also in their local ordinances women. Elected positions in different challenges however india is a country has an expectation in their constitution that's 30% of representatives will be women. Which is something we might hire to. Complication of women over our time there. Economic empowerment. Violence prevention. Education. Leadership development. Health and reproductive justice. Play swimming today. As it wasn't 1861 eliza. Pepper wilkes was figuring this out to. Sisters process and exploration and we might. Women s of safe might respond. Women. Because it is of course the work of all of us. To do that. Really wonderful keynote speakers. Approach social justice. With the assumption that we only use one lens to see our world. It's not our gender. Who is combined. Which inform who we are. Exploring those identities we also explore the concept of intersectionality. Critical theory method introduced widely by legal scholar kimberle crenshaw in the late 1980s. Intersectionality as a way of thinking about identity and its relationship to power. For example when we look at the experience of people of color within the lgbtq movement. Girls of color in the fight against the school-to-prison pipeline immigration movement or. People with disabilities fighting. Police abuse. Intersection of racism and sexism and transphobia. Does ice to look at systems of oppression as interconnected. And i'll invite you to maybe in some discomfort. As we look at the white dominated in the sixties and seventies experience oppression and discrimination. First world. Impose our sense of what's important on others. Very good work towards achieving equality with white men. Larger systems. Which prevents equality for all. This continues to be a real challenge. Intersectionality. At race disability class and the ways of those interact with gender. It also creates equals this result when you add gender-based compounds and one and one becomes 5. Example of this was given by celia conrad of the macarthur foundation and a scholar in her own right and she says she was helpful example that it's not enough to compare the wages of white women and black women because comparison. And stability and benefits and so on. Or intersect there. Opportunities legal racial segregation and housing areas. Grocery stores. An access. This is how these compound so it's not just wages. To recognize that the path to success and well-being in this country is paved with privilege. And there are many factors that prevent. Pursuit of happiness or make it extremely difficult. Bell hooks she's an american author of feminist and a social activist. Women and men american and international gas. Embrace paradigm shift. She says that when we recognize those interlocking systems of oppression. We can start good work. Can easily reinforce those other places instead of intersectionality she said that maybe we should call it imperialist white supremacist capitalist patriarchy. Social movements. Imperialist. White supremacist. Capitalist patriarchy. These are big. Intersecting systems of oppression. So. Here we are. Systems. We fight against them when we can when we see them. Embraced a culture of dominance. We. It's just dualistic everything is good or bad. Victim or oppressor and she says it's really more complex than that that we might shift. Culture of mutuality. Accountability. To self-reflection that leads to more responsibility. We must. First. Create a culture of. So easy maybe she says we have to broaden our vision. Violence are definition of violence. Sings like. Drug and alcohol abuse. Workaholics. People neglecting their physical health. Sports. Video games. Emotionally cut off. From the world. This is all violent self-harm or harm to others and it perpetuates a culture of violence. Is a big task. Use an example of living in a multicultural world that we have to be challenged to be in community percent of the time. Community the different places of our identity. And that helped us grow. She lives in a predominantly white. Town and she is african american and she said that when she feels like she needs some more time with other askanamerican she goes to the pentecostal church. And she doesn't agree with anything that said. But she's there. Community. Taking care of herself. And others. Within ourselves. Recognize those places of discomfort and those places. Experiences. And we all have them. So when we look at them. When we name them. We can get past them. We can live and work on this complex system of oppression can call it out. And we can change it. The women and men there were working precisely on that change. These women is international women are in very different places. The same. Issues coming back throughout the generation. Developing skills for your leadership development skills. More productive conversations. She talks about empowering women's voices and i know others talked a lot about that about how do we fight against the the my bolivian colleague that is kept and then my cheese mod. How do we bring women's voices to the dominant culture and i was reminded of that story about the women in the obama administration. Ministers. Told me that she has a really good like a district assembly. She would keep the male colleague would not say anything. Steps to repeat her exact words. And so. It was ignored. You repeated her. And he was heard. And given credit for the good ideas. So what are ways that we might simplify. Voices. Of people who ought to be heard more. Sometimes that means. We struggle through it. Cesar. Sometimes i think in this work. And then we come together in community and we share our lives and we practiced in this safe space we practice saying the wrong thing. Practice practice of justice and amplifying the voices. We come together in small groups. To accept this challenge of looking inward within a loving community and working together. I invite you to do this work with me. Congregation. Yourself. For your imperfections. And forgive others for theirs. Discomfort. And engage in really deep meaningful conversation. Hernandez. We need this more than ever. International this because our country is not the only country that is being a lead in a culture of fear and permanence. Our unitarian universalist cousins are facing the same sears. Have a strong voice. Americans aged place. We have the responsibility to expect accountability. And we have the ability to transform this world. With a radical. I'm really looking forward. Doing that with you. And i changed my. Favorite takeaway. From that weekend together. Was the age. Stage is the generations coming together. These conversations. The power of church communities that we. Who's the youngest person in the room here. In this section. 6. 7. Who's the oldest person in the room. 90. People from 6292. Lessons that we have to teach each other our lives. That is a really powerful thing that we do together. Sing that last verse saying every round a generation sisters brothers alita. Reflection and prayer. Find by u2 center your cells into yours. On the ground. Connected to this life earth. Feeling that rhythm of life. Pause in this moment. Surrounded by the spirit of life and love that moves. We sent her into this silence. The time of reflection to listen inside ourselves. The name the sears told. That they might. Others. We look inside and name those places we are less than perfect. And we forgive ourselves. We find those places of strength inside to. And as we breathe. Remember. That we must renew. The sources of strength and joy in our lives. So that when tomorrow and the next and the next day comes. We are ready to face it. We do not exist alone we exist in precious community. So we turn our hearts and minds to the people in our lives. Who need our support today. In recovery. Scarface scene. Challenges. Beyond our own understanding. Them. We asked for comfort. The people who are dying. Support. When we care for each other. Care for ourselves participate. In the joy of life unfolding wonder. Especially. List of stores in our community who are celebrating. We're happy that our. Church members, messi was appointed to be the first muslim and american officer in california. We are so happy that one of our use a junior high school. Be attending the summer seminary in july. Which gives us a chance to explore ministry. Allison and. Women. Be ready to change our face. Is our prayers and our hopes are toys and our fears. May we be reminded of our connection to the larger community. And turn our thoughts. Our hopes are prayers. The communities that support ascend to the places around the world that need us. Hope's peak action. So that together we can create. A more peaceful. World. Set in a moment of silence. We might each in our own ways named sorrows. And the joys of our being. Fastest part of an intricate web of relationships. Orgreave zalost. We are part of the turn of the earth pissed of the stars the pull of the sea. Important. People. To help education and leadership. Together in right relationship from personal experience with honesty and clarity. Listening to one another with open mind and open heart. Humanity together. We will return to our communities at with energy and commitment promising to act in ways that empower everyone everywhere. To celebrate and sustain one another in a world of justice and peace and love. And let this.