December 16, 2018

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.”

In the message called "Laughter in Carbonated Holiness," the Rev. Elea Kemler shares stories that both lighten and enlighten.

Commentary

Written by Orlando Montoya

UU minister Elea Kemler relates a story from her husband about an office assistant who leaves her job after decades of work filing mounds of paperwork.  Her co-workers then discover a file folder tucked away in her desk.  It was labeled “Too Hard.”  And in it were a career’s worth of messages, forms, cases and other work that she just decided she didn’t know how to do or overwhelmed her.  Kemler tells this story to relieve us.  And I find it relieving.  I’m going to create a “Too Hard” folder in my mind for difficult people who aren’t my concern and difficult work that isn’t my job.  Perhaps you should, too.  UU minister Meg Barnhouse described this idea in another way.  She told the story of a waitress, slammed with work.  A customer in another waitress’s area asks her for a coffee refill and, balancing trays of her own work, she turns to the customer and says, “Sorry, not my table, hon.”  I’m going to be more firm on my life’s table boundaries.  Perhaps you should, too.  For me, the biggest problem with all of this will be minding that more ancient and basic mandate, “Do unto others as you would have done to you,” because clearly, people have me in a number of “Too Hard” folders.  Many of my messages go returned.  Many of my ideas die for lack of support.  I don’t like being in the “Too Hard” folder.  I want coffee, not “Sorry, hon.”  And you probably feel the same.  So how to tell people that you care and you want to help but can’t.  Now that’s the important skill.  So here’s a new “Serenity Prayer.”  Give me strength for all my folders, serenity for the “Too Hard” folder and wisdom to know where the files go.

Sermon

“Carbonated Holiness” (11/11/18)

Rev. Elea Kemler

First Parish Church of Groton, Unitarian-Universalist

Sermon

“It Was the Best of Times, It Was the Worst of Times” (9/16/18)

Rev. Bill Sinkford

First Unitarian Church of Portland

Sermon

“Meditation on Kristallnacht” (11/11/18)

Tom Goldsmith

First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City

Sermon

“Me Too, Now What?” (1/21/18)

Clare Fortune-Lad

Unitarian-Universalist Church of Haverhill, Massachusetts

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

A Year of Spiritual Companionship

Written by and used by permission of Anne Kertz Kernion