December 29, 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.”

Psychologist Resmaa Menakem works to understand and heal generational trauma.  The first sermon below is based on his book explaining generational trauma as it relates to race in America.

Commentary

Written by Orlando Montoya

For a long time, I didn’t keep good track of my work.  I just figured that if I continued doing good work, I’d continue to be employed.  That all changed one year when, out of the blue, I found myself writing a resume for the first time in 15 years, presenting as best I could, the best account of my work.  I now keep better track of it.  And so, this year, I led 232 history tours for Savannah visitors and wrote 15 articles, including a cover story, for Connect Savannah readers.  As those are my only remunerative activities, that’s really all that makes work by many peoples’ definitions.  But if I include work for this all volunteer radio station, I could talk about the radio that I produced: 82 public service announcements, 39 promos, 77 pledge scripts, 84 sermons, 44 commentaries like this one, 12 interfaith calendars, 36 hours of volunteer time scheduled and 312 hours of religious programming curated.  But numbers can’t describe what it was like standing on Hurricane Ridge or walking in the Ho Rainforest in Olympic National Park, finding a waterfall on a winding road near Asheville or sitting in a hushed concert hall waiting for “Pictures at an Exhibition.”  Numbers also can’t quantify the people who recognized me, whether I recognized them or not, from the good that they say that I bring into the world, even if it’s just some off-key notes in the karaoke bar, from where people recognize me now, separate and apart from any of my media work that I do, an interesting occurrence.  I don’t know what, if anything, will stand out from 2019 far in the future.  But I suspect I’ll be the only one keeping track.  You are the only person who knows you completely.  Keep track.

Sermon

“Keeping an Open Mind” (8/25/19)

Rev. Bridget Spain

Dublin Unitarian Church, Ireland

Sermon

“A House Called Tomorrow” (4/7/19)

Rev. Guelen Guengerich

All Souls Unitarian Church, New York City

Sermon

TBD

Sermon

TBD

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