“Until Love Wins” – Live Stream from the 60th Annual UUA General Assembly

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NOTE TIME CHANGE:  11:00 AM

Live Streaming only at these two web locations:

1. The UUA web site: http://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2021/sunday-worship  and

2. This YouTube site: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-VLMTPyE_U

Live chat will be available during the live stream.  We will have no video on our church YouTube or Facebook this week.

 

Rise and Shine for Virtual Sunday Service from the 60th Annual General Assembly

First Universalist Church of Minneapolis, leading

the First Universalist Church of Minneapolis will be the leaders of this worship experience.  It is special because it comes at the end of the 60th Annual UU General Assembly.  From the information, it appears that it will be streamed from Minneapolis to UUs everywhere!  Last year’s Sunday worship was viewed on over 10,000 screens.

SPECIAL NOTE:  We’re joining the live stream starting @ 11 am.  Note the time change for just this week!  Live chat available as well.
However the live stream will be available only at two locations (and not the church YouTube Channel or Facebook Page):

The UUA web site: http://www.uua.org/ga/off-site/2021/sunday-worship  and

This YouTube site:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-VLMTPyE_U

The Morning Program:  https://www.uua.org/files/2021-06/2021%20Sunday%20Morning%20OOS.pdf

Join us virtually for the largest annual gathering of UUs joining in worship. Recognizing the importance of shared ministry and the many innovative approaches to worship created by congregations during the pandemic, UUA President, Rev. Dr. Susan Frederick Gray, selected the First Universalist Church of Minneapolis to serve as worship leaders for this year’s GA Sunday Morning Service.

First Universalist has been a model of shared ministry and what it means to put the work of dismantling white supremacy and building anti-racist, anti-oppressive practices at the center of their ministry. They have been on the front lines in support of the Movement for Black Lives in Minneapolis, bringing spiritual care and moral leadership in the wake of George Floyd’s murder by police and the important uprisings for justice that followed. Children and families are a vital part of their ministry, and they have been using creative approaches to engage all ages in worship during the pandemic. Their leadership exemplifies some of the best practices for the creativity, spiritual depth, and moral leadership that is possible when we embrace the work of shared ministry rooted in love and justice.

Rev. Jen Crow; Rev. Arif Mamdani; Julica Hermann de la Fuente; Karen Hutt; Lauren Wyeth; Dr. Randy Buikema; Franco Holder; Aimee K. Bryant

“A Long History of Heretics – Part II”

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“A Long History of Heretics”
Part II

The Rev. Art Severance, speaking

Mark Twain said, “Faith is believing what you know ain’t so,” and we know from that that he was thinking like Unitarians and Universalists had always thought, except we would then question that kind of faith! And when you start questioning, you become a heretic, a word that means “choice”, butt really means WRONG choice. I will argue that our Founding Fathers weren’t Christians but heretics and Unitarians, the Pilgrims heretics from the Church of England  which were heretics from Catholicism. Emerson was a heretic from Unitarianism! And let’s talk about the difference between Arianism and Socinianism – it was a huge debate in early Unitarianism!

About our Sunday speaker:  Rev. Art graduated from Lancaster Theological Seminary with a Masters degree in Divinity in 1987 and was ordained in 1988.   Art ministered to seven UU congregations during his active ministry, including 15 years at the First Unitarian Church of San Antonio.  He retired in 2015 and moved back to San Antonio.  He now occasionally preaches at our church and at churches in the area.

“A Long History of Heretics” Part I

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TMP - 06-13

Or you can download the morning program

“A Long History of Heretics”
Part I

The Rev. Art Severance, speaking

Mark Twain said, “Faith is believing what you know ain’t so,” and we know from that that he was thinking like Unitarians and Universalists had always thought, except we would then question that kind of faith! And when you start questioning, you become a heretic, a word that means “choice”, butt really means WRONG choice. I will argue that our Founding Fathers weren’t Christians but heretics and Unitarians, the Pilgrims heretics from the Church of England  which were heretics from Catholicism. Emerson was a heretic from Unitarianism! And let’s talk about the difference between Arianism and Socinianism – it was a huge debate in early Unitarianism!

Note:  Part II Next Sunday

Love Your Neighbor

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Sneak Peek about Sunday’s Morning Assembly

TMP - 06-06

The Morning Program

Of her remarks, Dr. Duelm writes:  “Love takes off the masks that we fear we cannot live without and know we cannot live within. I use the word “love” here not merely in the personal sense but as a state of being, or a state of grace- not in the infantile American sense of being made happy but in the tough and universal sense of quest and daring and growth.” James Baldwin

As we celebrate the month of June as LGBTQ+ pride month, we are invited to reflect on love and its power in helping us to live our true authentic selves. What does it mean to truly love your neighbor? Where do you see that kind of love in your life? What is the call of love to you today?

Speaker Bio:  Rev. Dr. Aija Duelm (she/her/hers) is a UU minister, living in Benbrook, TX. Her work experiences include pastoral leadership in a congregation in St. Louis, MO and healthcare chaplaincy in both adult and pediatric settings. Together with her husband they enjoy gardening.

__________________________________________________________________________________________

June is PRIDE MONTH and the Adult Forum will explore four aspects of LGBTQ+ life and history each week.  Join the discussion @ 10 am on ZOOM here: https://zoom.us/j/91155497586

June 6:  A look at queer political action watching this brief video

https://youtu.be/XoXH-Yqwyb0

AND

The event that gave birth to Gay liberation in the United States:  The Stonewall Riots watching this video

https://youtu.be/GjRv7dJTync

A discussion follows.

Why Go To Church

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THE MORNING PROGRAM  https://test.redriveruu.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/05/TMP-05-30-Don-Fielding.pdf

TMP - 05-30 - Don Fielding

 

Sneak Peek Video about Don’s Discourse:

For many churchgoing has become just a habit.  We go because we always have.  But might there be a more significant reason for going to church?  It’s true we, UUs do not go to church to be “saved”, but might there still be an important reason to go to church?  Don will reflect on how churchgoing began and why he goes to church.  See if you agree.

ABOUT SUNDAY’S VISITING MINISTER:  The Rev. Dr. Donald H. Fielding changed career paths after 25+ years as a geologist and chose to study for the ministry.  He graduated from Meadville/Lombard Theological School in Chicago (A UU seminary) in 1990, was ordained and served BOTH the Denton UU Fellowship and the UU Church of Oak Cliff from 1990 until his retirement in 2003 when he became the minister emeritus of the Denton Fellowship.  He says one thing he learned by serving two congregations at the same time is that a sermon that flies at one spot may fall flat at the other location since each congregation has its own way of being together.  Don returns after far-too-long an absence.  Don enjoys writing sermons, which is calls a reflection and we call a discourse, and present worship in his own style which will be abundantly clear on Sunday.  It is good to have him back again.

The Gift of Questions

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THE MORNING PROGRAM  download here 

TMP - 05-23

 

The Gift of Questions

the Rev. Dr. Aija Duelm

Just when you seem to yourself

nothing but a flimsy web

of questions, you are given

the questions of others to hold

Denise Levertov

Many UUs say they discovered Unitarian Universalism as part of their quest for truth. Our UU faith calls us to keep learning and continue to ask questions to help us grow. How do we honor questions? What brings out your curiosity? What are your questions currently? How do we hold each other’s questions?

“Hallelujah Anyway”

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Hallelujah Anyway

Marion Moore Hill, speaking
Tommi Homuth, worship associate

Sneak Peek VIDEO

If the morning program is hard to read, you can download it here

The Morning Program:  TMP - 05-09 v.2 FINAL

Wisdom and self-deprecating humor meet in Anne Lamott’s writing, as she talks forthrightly about her life as a daughter, mother, and grandmother, as well as a recovering alcoholic.  Marion Hill will quote from Lamott’s books of faith-based essays that have made her beloved by millions of fans, many of whom might not agree with her admittedly “left-wing politics.”  Her honest, sometimes laugh-out-loud, comments about her foolish mistakes, sincere efforts, and unexpected triumphs speak to us with sensitivity and experience that we recognize.

Marion Hill, a charter member of our congregation and chair of the membership committee,  is a mystery author who writes two series of novels (the Scrappy Librarian Mysteries and the Deadly Past Mysteries–see www.marionmoorehill.net for details.  She formerly taught English at Southeastern Oklahoma State University and both English and journalism at Carson-Newman College (now University) in Tennessee, and has been a legal secretary.

 

“Living with Integrity”

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“Living with Integrity”
the rev. Dr. Aija Duelm, leading

The Morning Program

“Now is our time to harness our ability to reflect inward in order to reemerge with a power greater than ourselves that gives rise to a new day.”    Rev. Rebekah Savage

This Sunday we will reflect on what it means to be people of integrity and wrestle with W.E.B Du Bois’ question ‘How does integrity face oppression?’

Rev. Dr. Aija Duelm (she/her/hers) is a UU minister, living in Benbrook, TX. Her work experiences include pastoral leadership in a congregation in St. Louis, MO and healthcare chaplaincy in both adult and pediatric settings. Together with her husband they enjoy gardening.

Flower Communion Sunday

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The morning program

Flower Communion Sunday

 

A Sunday to celebrate one of the loveliest traditions from our Unitarian forbearers. Now in it’s 98 year, flower communion is an annual ritual that celebrates beauty, human uniqueness, diversity, and community.  The history of flower communion will be shared, its purpose explored by the worship team who will leave to each of us time to connect to this unpretentious, yet significant part of a free religious tradition.

It will be different sharing Flower Communion virtually.  Different by being separated, yet the same with the significance the Unitarian minister Norbert Capek of Prague, Czechoslovakia, infused into a simple gathering to celebrate the end of the church year.  While an annual event, it is not linked to any calendar giving each congregation the opportunity to celebrate it as each may so choose.

Join us and plan on participating remotely.  Read below for details.

WHAT IN CARNATION?

Tis thyme to think Flower Communion.
Don’t let a daisy go by because we all are mint to participate. Hope thistle nudge you to make a video clip
or take a pix of a flower.
We really lilac you to help make
this year’s Flower Communion a success.

We aloe y’all and appreciate you a lily more each day.

the worship team

the fine print: You and a flower is all you need. Make a video clip, take a snapshot. Do whatever your hearts desires – be serious, funny, happy, sad, curious or ferocious or ???. Email the results to news@test.redriveruu.org.

 

Seek and You Shall Find: Embodiment of Universal Law

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The Morning Program: https://test.redriveruu.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/TMP-04-18-DMS-study.pdf

pdf-embedder url=”https://test.redriveruu.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/03/TMP-04-18-DMS-study.pdf” title=”TMP – 04-18-DMS-study”]

Jared’s unique Human Design and Geometry has led him on a spiritual quest to discover, embrace, and embody the universal underlying principles- the mystery behind the nature of a human life experience.  He is excited to share with us –  from at least a broad-strokes perspective – what he’s come to know.

 

Introducing our Sunday speaker:

I grew up in Windom TX and studied architecture at Texas A&M and abroad.  I returned to Sherman and joined the David Bacca Studio, architecture firm.   I’ve always been enjoyed exploring artistic disciplines like photography, landscape design, music, poetry, acting, filmmaking, and graphic arts.  Nine years ago, an inner pressure inspired me to move to southern California where I sought spiritual guidance from Forward-Edge thought as well as ancient wisdom teachings.  Having successfully navigating a mental/spiritual/emotional breakdown and the dark night of my soul, I’m now inspired to begin sharing what I’ve learned.