Inspiration

UU thoughts, sermons, music

First Sunday in Advent – Hope

CZ

“Advent is a season of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the nativity of Jesus. The name derives from the Latin adventus, meaning “coming.” Marked over the course of the four Sundays before Christmas, Advent is traditionally celebrated with an advent wreath: a ring of evergreen with 3 purple candles and one pink one (or 4 purple candles) that represent: Hope, Love, Joy (pink) and Peace. ” – From the UUA Website

 

In her reading “Christmas Comes Whether you are Ready or Not“, Cynthia Frado discusses the feeling of not being ready for the season.

 

Here is a prayer from Cricket

In this time of waiting, may we hold the world in our hearts.
In this time of waiting, may we hold each other’s hands.
In this time of waiting, may we be thoughtful and introspective.
In this time of waiting, may we delight in the darkness and all it teaches us.
In this time of waiting, may we rekindle the fires of hope, love joy, and peace within ourselves and our communities.
In this time of waiting, may we become ready for the coming day.

Instructions for when your government betrays you (again)

LdeG

Love Resists

Love Resists staffperson Rev. Elizabeth Nguyen penned this moving piece over the weekend.
Instructions for when your government betrays you (again):

Remember that governments betray.
And many have gone before us who know how this goes.
Listen to them.
Remember that we can’t heal white supremacy or white Christian nationalism today or tomorrow.
But we can touch some healing, some justice, every day, every moment.
Raise money for a bond or a bail. Go with someone to court. Tell the truth about your family and how they migrated or were forced to or did not.
Remember that we answer to the laws of love and justice.
We work for our ancestors and our children’s children. There is no higher accountability.
Remember that everyone who found their power and freed themselves or their kindred also faced powerlessness, despair, overwhelm, teargas (or their century’s version of it).
Remember that everyone who has ever defected from fascism or resigned from state violence or put their body on the line for family or opened their home has doubted, wrestled, given up, tried again and found a way to love through it.

Reminder: tonight we’re hosting an informational call to hear from folks on the border and to discern how to live our values now. Join us tonight at 8:00 PM EST.

Love Resists is a joint campaign by the Unitarian Universalist Association and the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee.
www.loveresists.org

Blessed Thanksgiving

CZ

May your Thanksgiving be full of blessings, thanks, and love. What are you grateful for?

Lillian Nye offers thoughts on Thanksgiving, our tables, altars, and spirituality in her sermon Let Our Table Stand Like an Altar.

“Sean Sherman, an Oglala Lakota chef and founder of The Sioux Chef, shares his perspectives on Thanksgiving.

“The thing is, we do not need the poisonous “pilgrims and Indians” narrative. We do not need that illusion of past unity to actually unite people today. Instead, we can focus simply on values that apply to everybody: togetherness, generosity and gratitude. And we can make the day about what everybody wants to talk and think about anyway: the food.”” Article Found Here

Month of Gratitude Day 8

CZ

What book are you most grateful for?

I Opened a Book
By Julia Donaldson

I opened a book and in I strode.
Now nobody can find me.
I’ve left my chair, my house, my road,
My town and my world behind me.

I’m wearing the cloak, I’ve slipped on the ring,
I’ve swallowed the magic potion.
I’ve fought with a dragon, dined with a king
And dived in a bottomless ocean.

I opened a book and made some friends.
I shared their tears and laughter
And followed their road with its bumps and bends
To the happily ever after.

I finished my book and out I came.
The cloak can no longer hide me.
My chair and my house are just the same,
But I have a book inside me.