January 28, 2018
Love is the spirit of this program. The music spans many genres but has unifying themes of justice, love, learning and hope. The messages come from podcasts, sermons and readings from Unitarian-Universalist and other allied sources in liberal religion. The title of this program comes from the words of a beloved Unitarian-Universalist hymn, “Spirit of Life,” including, “Sing in my heart all the stirrings of compassion” and “Move in the hand, giving life the shape of justice.”
Braver Wiser
Mandi McGlynn
Sermon
"Let It Be Beautiful" (9/10/17)
Rev. Aaron McEmrys
Unitarian-Universalist Congregation of Arlington, Va.
Message
"Resistance as Prophecy" (1/1/18)
Rev. Emily Wright-Magoon
Unitarian-Universalist Church of Midland, Tex.
Published by Quest Monthly
Natural Silence
Andrew Skeotch and Sarah Koschak
ListeningEarth.com
World Religions
Today in Orthodox churches is Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee, the beginning of a three-week season that leads to Great Lent, which itself is a seven-week period before Pascha, the Orthodox term for Easter. Sunday of the Publican and Pharisee recounts a Biblical story, in the Gospel of Luke, whose themes are humility, pride and repentance.
Tomorrow is the birthday, in 1737 in Norfolk, England, of Thomas Paine. One of our nation’s founding fathers, his pamphlet, Common Sense, urged Americans to revolution by connecting independence with common dissenting Protestant beliefs. Paine structured Common Sense as a sermon, perhaps the most incendiary sermon in American history.
Wednesday in Judaism is Tu B’shvat, a day for planting trees. In Jewish Scripture, the day was simply a date for calculating the start of the agricultural cycle for the purpose of tithing. It gained symbolic meaning over time. In the 20th Century, it began to be seen an Arbor Day, with religious and secular Jews using it to promote ecological awareness.
Wednesday is the birthday, in 1915 in Southern France, of Thomas Merton. An American Catholic monk, poet and pacifist, he pioneered interfaith dialogue, found God in stillness and became one of the most influential philosophers of the 20th Century. He wrote about social justice, war and peace and the similarities between Zen Buddhism and Christianity.
Friday in Eastern and Western churches is Candlemas. Known by different names in different denominations, the holiday celebrates an early event in the life of Jesus, when the boy was taken to a temple. Many Christians bless their candles on Candlemas. In many Catholic countries, it ends the Christmas season, with special foods and festivals.
Friday is mid-winter in the northern hemisphere. Half-way between the winter solstice and the spring equinox, the celestial event has given rise to religious festivals throughout human history. Its legacy in the English-speaking world lives on through neo-pagan and Wiccan customs. Its association with weather divination gave rise to Groundhog Day.
Mid-winter is one of the most important holidays of the Hopi people of New Mexico, home to much of my family. On the Hopi pueblo, mid-winter ceremonies are known as Powamu and are designed to promote fertility. A ceremonial procession of bean sprouts offers an omen of success for the growing season. Sacred kachina dolls are presented.
Friday in the Ravidassia faith is the birthday of Guru Ravidass, a 15th or 16th Century mystic venerated as a guru in a still-emerging religion. The Ravidassia faith, in India and elsewhere, in 2009 broke away from Sikhism. The religion resembles Sikhism but is centered around a lower-caste guru who preached removal of caste and gender barriers.
Sermon
"None Shall Be Compelled" (1/9/18)
Rev. Mark Ward
Unitarian-Universalist Church of Asheville, N.C.
Message
TBD
Conclusion
Principles and Sources of Unitarian-Universalism
All readings and audio segments are used with the permission of the creators and/or publishers.
- 9:02am I Believe by Colby and Awu on Change the World (Colby and Awu)
- 9:11am Army of Me by Christina Aguilera on Lotus (RCA Records)
- 9:47am This Gift of Life by Teddy Pendergrass on The Essential Teddy Pendergrass (Elektra Entertainment Group)
- 9:58am One Step by Harold Payne on Power of Positive Music (Affinity Records)
- 10:05am Long Road Ahead by Dianne Reeves on Beautiful Life (Dianne Reeves Tours Inc.)
- 10:14am Prayer of Thomas Merton by Kate Campbell and Spooner Oldham on For the Living of These Days (Large River Music)
- 10:21am Soul Singing (Acoustic Version) by The Black Crowes on Croweology (Silver Arrow Records)
- 10:49am Never Too Late by Michael Franti and Spearhead on Everyone Deserves Music (Boo Boo Wax)
- 10:54am Turn! Turn! Turn! (To Everything There Is a Season) by The Byrds on 20 Essential Tracks from the Boxed Set: 1965-1990 (Sony Music Entertainment)
- 10:59am Unitarian Universalist Church of Savannah Worship Service_1-14-18 by Unitarian Universalist Church of Savannah on Worship Service_1-14-18
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