November 17, 2019

The unifying themes of this program are justice, love, learning and hope.  The messages come from sermons and readings from Unitarian-Universalist sources.  The program title comes from a beloved Unitarian-Universalist hymn, “Spirit of Life,” which includes the words, “Sing in my heart all the stirrings of compassion” and “Move in the hand, giving life the shape of justice.”

This week on “The Heart and the Hand” with Orlando Montoya: A lung transplant recipient explains why miracles do not accept our terms and conditions.  Also, biophilia, the urge to connect with life.  These and other UU messages of bravery and wisdom this Sunday in mostly words from 9-11am and mostly music from 1-2pm on WRUU 107.5 FM Savannah and WRUU.ORG.

Commentary

Written by Orlando Montoya

I often express some version of the idea “Bring it back.”  And isn’t it true that, when it comes to music, nothing today ever will live up to the glory of your music from “back then,” whenever “back then” was.  This week, I found myself down memory lane and thought of the pioneering electronica band The Crystal Method, one of my favorite acts from the late 1990’s, my early 20’s.  How many times have I said, since their last album, ten years ago, “Bring it back.”  Even if not the band itself, which broke up, as bands do, but something at least like it.  That sound, where is it now?  Would I even recognize it if it returned?  No one made that sound like the duo The Crystal Method.  Turns out, the band did return.  They released an album last year.  Except now, they’re a solo act and where was I?  Research reveals that their 2018 album didn’t show up in the online places that I frequent.  There weren’t enough reviews of it for it even to show up in online music review aggregators.  I didn’t know about it until now.  I’m not kicking myself.  Greater things concern me – like the larger question.  Am I too much into this idea, “Bring it back?”  In all spheres of my life, relationships and jobs, do I cling to too much or not enough?  If Jesus, the Buddha, Ghandi or my mother reincarnated, I probably wouldn’t find out it.  My algorithms wouldn’t tell me.  Perhaps it’s better to leave the past in the past.  We can’t “bring it” anywhere.  We can only live for this moment, finding new bands, and new people and new jobs, to love, and making plans to revisit old ones, as well.  I see The Crystal Method is touring.

Sermon

“Biophilia” (9/25/19)

Rev. Vanessa Rush-Southern

Unitarian-Universalist Society of San Francisco

Sermon

“The Miracle Does Not Accept Your Terms and Conditions” (9/22/19)

Rev. Barbara Gadon

Eliot Unitarian Chapel, Kirkwood, Missouri

Sermon

“It Depends” (6/3/18)

Rev. Bill Sinkford

First Unitarian Church of Portland, Oregon

Sermon

“Bodies, Binaries and Being Yourself” (5/7/17)

Rev. Matthew Johnson

Unitarian-Universalist Church of Rockford, Illinois

Braver Wiser

Used by permission of Braver Wiser, a publication of the Unitarian-Universalist Association

Quest Monthly

Used by permission of Quest Monthly, a publication of the Church of the Larger Fellowship

UUA Statements

Messages from the Unitarian Universalist Association

Natural Silence

Used by permission of ListeningEarth.com

UUA Principles and Sources

Our liberal faith as defined by the Unitarian Universalist Association

World Religions

Written by Orlando Montoya

Interfaith Calendar

Written by Orlando Montoya

UU FAQ

Written by and used by permission of John Sias from interviews with Rev. Steve Edington

Published by the Unitarian-Universalist Church of Nashua, NH