December 30, 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.”
What does UU music say about UU people? We explore that in a message, linked below.
Commentary
Written by Orlando Montoya
How many times do you feel like you work and do all day, you’re not goofing off or mindlessly wandering, you’re on point and on time, and yet, at the end of the day, when you ask yourself or someone asks you, “What did you do today?” your answer is like mine: “Well,” (since I’m a tour guide), “I did a tour today, I went to my Rotary Club meeting, I went to the gym and… is that it?” Back when I was working full time as a news reporter, the answer might have been, “Well, I did a news story and… is that it?” And now, as the year changes and I see people summing up the year with goals achieved, records set, accomplishments made and travels shared, I ask myself, “What did I do this year?” My answer is, “Well, I did the same thing I did last year, maybe more of it. Oh, I learned automation software and… is that it?” If this thought happens to you, resist the temptation to minimize “it,” the whole of your time, because no one knows what it’s like to be you. No one sees that between the tour, the meeting and the gym, I attended to dishes, laundry, pets, washing, meals, groceries, riding a bus, driving a car and lots more. A story involved calls, e-mails, research, edits, uploading and web posting with its stupid visual image. Automation software? Don’t get me started on how much time it took me to figure out why some of these files on Sunday morning bleed into one another, stop abruptly or repeat themselves. No one knows what it’s like to be you. And no one ever will. Resist “Is that it?” thinking. Instead, work toward “seeing the whole” thinking. And, with that, you might have a happy new year.
Sermon
“A Time to Every Purpose” (10/21/18)
Rev. Jennifer Nordstrom
First Unitarian Society of Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Sermon
“The Faith We Sing” (9/20/18)
Rev. Jason Shelton
First Unitarian-Universalist Church of Nashville, Tennessee
Sermon
"Ride the Monsters Deeper Down"
Rev. Joan Kahn-Schneider
Unitarian-Universalist Church of Savannah, Georgia
Sermon
"The Path of the Caring Heart"
Rev. Tim Kutzmark
Unitarian-Universalist Church of Fresno, California
Interfaith Calendar
Written by Orlando Montoya
December 31st is New Year’s Eve. The date in Western churches coincides with St. Sylvester’s Day. Venerated two days later in Eastern Churches, Sylvester was a Fourth Century pope who led the First Council of Nicaea, a pivotal event in Western history. Watch Night also is a religious observance tied to New Year’s Eve. Many Baptist and Pentecostal churches will hold midnight services, usually on the theme of repentance.
January 1st is New Year’s Day. The holiday’s religious connection is the World Day of Peace. The Catholic Church in 1967 officially recognized the World Day of Peace, often used by popes to make important declarations on subjects ranging from human rights and international diplomacy to economic development and climate change.
January 5th is the birthday, in 1666, in modern day northern India, of Guru Gobind Singh, the tenth guru of the Sikh people. Singh was a philosopher, warrior and poet who wrote important Sikh texts and established the guidelines of Sikh wardrobe, including the well-known kesh, the Sikh uncut hair and beard, symbols of respect for God’s creation.
January 5th is Twelfth Night, celebrating the eve of Epiphany and the end of Christmas. Twelfth Night traditions have waned over the years but might include those you associate with Christmas, including caroling, sweet breads and feasts. Christmas trees historically was taken down on Twelfth Night, a holiday that inspired a Shakespearian comedy.
January 6th is Epiphany. Also known as Three Kings Day or Theophany, its celebrates different events in Eastern and Western churches. In the East, Christians mark this day as the baptism of Jesus. In the West, Christians mark this day as the visit of the Magi, also called the Three Kings or Three Wise Men, to the Christ child. The essence of both stories, however, is the same, namely, the physical manifestation of Christ. Traditions include, in Bulgaria, dancing in cold water; in Latin America, gift giving; in Greece, diving for crosses in bodies of water; and in Sweden, making a wish on a cookie.
January 7th is Orthodox Christmas, celebrated from Russia and Bulgaria to Israel and Ethiopia, by those Christians using the Julian calendar. There actually are four dates for Christmas, depending on which calendar and religious authority you’re following.
January 13th is the anniversary of the death, in 1691 in London, of George Fox. One of the founders of the Religious Society of Friends, also known as the Quakers, Fox rebelled against British society at the time. He believed that anyone could be a minister and that church could be anywhere. He was jailed for blasphemy and promoting social disorder.
January 14th in Hinduism is Makar Sankrati, a festival dedicated to the Hindu sun god, Surya. The celebration welcomes longer days to come and notably includes bathing in sacred rivers to purify the soul. Other traditions include fairs, kites and delicious feasts.
January 20th is World Religions Day. Started in 1960 in the Baha’i faith, its aims are broader than those of Christian unity. Baha’is believe in the oneness of religion and of progressive revelation, in which religion constantly evolves throughout human history.
January 21st is a holiday for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., born January 14th, 1929. A Baptist minister and civil rights leader, King’s belief in non-violent and civilly disobedient social change was inspired by his Christian faith and Mahatma Ghandi.
January 29th 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.
January 31st is the birthday, in 1915 in 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.
February 2nd is Candlemas, celebrating an early event in the life of Jesus, when the Christ child was taken to a temple. Many Christians bless their candles on Candlemas. In many countries, it ends the Christmas season, with special foods and festivals.
February 2nd also is mid-winter. Half-way between winter solstice and spring equinox, the celestial event has given rise to religious festivals throughout history. Its legacy in the English-speaking world lives on through Candlemas and the neo-pagan and Wiccan holiday of Imbolc. Its association with weather divination gave rise to Groundhog Day.
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
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
