January 6, 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.”
Do dogs have souls? We examine the spiritual and temporal blessings of pets on this week's show. Find the link below.
Commentary
Written by Orlando Montoya
Before age 32, my reading consisted almost entirely of newspaper and magazine articles. Lots of them. When I rarely read a book, I read mostly history or biography. My reading was all non-fiction. Fantasy, poetry or literary classics were bad memories of high school English. That all changed for me in a moment so transformative, I remember exactly where and when it happened. I was driving on Whitefield Avenue, one April 2007 night, listening to a CBC radio broadcast about a particular reading list, diverse in styles. It took me five years to finish that list. But for those five years, the 101 books on that list washed the sink of my life, filled my empty holes and redrew my mind’s boundaries. Since 2012, I’ve fooled myself into thinking those boundaries were ever-expanding. In fact, I’m again all non-fiction. My life’s sink is again clogged. Its holes have reappeared. I’m not coping well. And my new handheld distraction isn’t helping. When I’m not devouring news, I’m again reading history or biography. One comforting thing about being UU is that we each have our own sources of holiness. So, this week, I asked myself: Should I return to these holy books? Read them again? Perhaps collect them this time? Rekindle a flame? Or should I try to find new books, although I’ve clearly failed at it on my own? Then I remembered one challenging thing about being UU, a central paradox of our faith, often expressed as: comfort versus challenge. Should I return to the beloved and known joy of old? Or seek new joy and risk failure? I don’t know how I’ll resolve this paradox about books. But as long as I read more, and more diversely, my holy books and I agree that my mind and spirit are expanding.
Sermon
“Our Loyal Companions” (12/9/18)
Rev. Joe Cherry
Unitarian-Universalist Church of Cleveland, Ohio
Sermon
“Lost and Found in America” (9/23/18)
Rev. Venessa Rush-Southern
First Unitarian-Universalist Society of San Francisco
Sermon
“Growing a Soul” (4/30/17)
Rev. Bridget Spain
Dublin Unitarian Church
Sermon
“God Is Trans” (7/16/18)
Rev. Gretchen Haley
Foothills Unitarian Universalist Church of Fort Collins, Colorado
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“
