The dictionary defines courage as 1) the ability to do something that frightens one and 2) strength in the face of pain or grief.
Paddling, No Water by Meg Barnhouse
How are you courageous?
UU Lent – Day 15 – Courage
Rev. Meg Barnhouse
Sunday, June 25, 2017
Prelude: “Beauty in You” by Meg Barnhouse
Welcome: Wind, Water, Sun By Seth Carrier-Ladd
Chalice Lighting: The Pride Flame By Linda Lee Franson
Song: Gathered Here
Rainbow Principles:
Respect the importance of all beings.
Offer fair and kind treatment to all.
Yearn to learn throughout life.
Grow by exploring ideas and values together.
Believe in your ideas and act on them.
Insist on peace, freedom, and justice for all.
Value our interdependence with nature.
Meditation on Faith
Howard Thurman wrote a meditation called The Inescapable Divine.
May we remember in our times of waiting and worry that all will be well. May faith guide us as we move down our paths.
Namaste,
Cricket
#UULent,
Meditation on Ally
In November of 2013, Jamie Utt wrote an article for Everyday Feminism called “So You Call Yourself an Ally: 10 Things All ‘Allies’ Need to Know” as an affirmative response to Mia Mckenzie’s September 2013 article on BGD called “No More ‘Allies'”. Both articles are reviews of the word ally and what it means in out culture today.
Here is the definition according to dictionary.com:
1. to unite formally, as by treaty, league, marriage, or the like (usuallyfollowed by with or to):
2. to associate or connect by some mutual relationship, as resemblanceor friendship.
4. a person, group, or nation that is associated with another or others forsome common cause or purpose:
5. Biology. a plant, animal, or other organism bearing an evolutionaryrelationship to another, often as a member of the same family:
6. a person who associates or cooperates with another; supporter.
I hope that these will help us all work out what it means to be an ally.
Namaste,
Cricket
#UULent
PS: I really like this song by Rev. Meg Barnhouse and I think it speaks to this as well.
The 3rd principle in a post election world
“Our third UU principle says we will affirm and promote acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations. Are there some ways to encourage one another that don’t sound like judgment or advice?”
These words were a part of the sermon delivered by Rev. Meg Barnhouse this past Sunday. For me it it was a needed reminder that we have to remain true to ourselves and how we can still do that while upholding out principles. Below are links to the podcast and the transcript of the sermon.
Namaste,
Cricket
http://podplayer.net/#/?id=25054421 via @PodcastAddict
Respecting Differing Opinions
There has been a big debate about respecting other people’s ideas on social media lately. The election cycle seems to bring out both the best and worst in people.
I have a few things to say on the issue.
1) We don’t have to respect other people’s beliefs and ideas.
2) We do have to respect people for who they are.
3) Sometimes it is hard to do, but we have to try.
4) When we hold other people’s beliefs and see where they are coming from it can help us respect other and grow together in learning and searching for what is true.
This sermon from October 18, 2015 talks about how to do just those things.
Here is a link to the podcast and a link to the First UU of Austin page which has a transcript and a video of the sermon.
Hope you enjoy and are inspired.
Namaste,
Cricket
[First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin] Dialogue with conservatives => http://podplayer.net/#/?id=8244801 via @PodcastAddict
Some comfort for the Angry
[First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin] Respecting the Fire => http://www.austinuuav.org/audio/2016-02-07_Respecting_the_fire.mp3 via @PodcastAddict
Dear friends,
The past few weeks surround by politics, court trials, and injustice have left me filled with a cold and mushy rage. I have had to do a lot of soul searching. I found this sermon from First UU in Austin, TX at just the right time. I hope it offers you some comfort as well.
Namaste,
Cricket
How an Austin church agreed to offer an immigrant sanctuary | UU World
“The call for sanctuary for Sulma Franco came to First Unitarian Universalist Church of Austin, where I’m senior minister, because we have the reputation of being welcoming to LGBT folks, and because the Rev. Marisol Caballero, minister of religious education and congregational engagement, had been doing antiracism work within the congregation and beyond. Word had gotten out in the immigrant community.
Could we help?”
http://www.uuworld.org/articles/deciding-offer-sanctuary?utm_source=f
Courage leads to change in this world.
This congregation lived out the first and second principles.
~Namaste
Cricket
