Speaker: Rev. Larry Peers

Anchored in the Current: The Continuing Legacy of Howard Thurman

Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Anchored in the Current: The Continuing Legacy of Howard Thurman
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In all the currents of our own lives and our present-day world, we seek an anchor. We can never steady the inevitable currents of change, but we can find ways to anchor ourselves. In this service, I’ll draw upon the deep and enduring wisdom of the African American preacher, prophet, and mystic, Howard Thurman. You, … Continue reading Anchored in the Current: The Continuing Legacy of Howard Thurman

Black Trailblazers within Universalism

Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Black Trailblazers within Universalism
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In this year in which we celebrate the 250th  anniversary of Universalism in America, we can trace the influence of this religious movement within our own UU story, but also the story of religion in America. On this Sunday, we’ll look at some of the Black Universalists and how their stories can inform and challenge … Continue reading Black Trailblazers within Universalism

We Rise to Play a Greater Part

Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
We Rise to Play a Greater Part
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As World War II was winding down, people started to come to terms with all the real pain and emotional damage that had been done. Frank Scott (1899-1985), a Canadian poet and political activist, wrote a poem, “Villanelle for Our Time,” which contains these lines: From bitter searching of the heart Quickened with passion and … Continue reading We Rise to Play a Greater Part

I’d be Startin’ Anew

Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
I'd be Startin' Anew
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In the song, “I Wish I Knew How It Would Feel to be Free,” is this memorable verse: “I wish I could do all the things I can do. Though I’m way overdue, I’d be startin’ anew.” As we launch this new year, we may truly want to be “startin’ anew” and, at the same … Continue reading I’d be Startin’ Anew

Oh, Yes We Will! Oh, Holy Night: A Christmas Eve Multi-generational Candlelight Service

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Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Oh, Yes We Will! Oh, Holy Night: A Christmas Eve Multi-generational Candlelight Service
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Nothing can keep us from celebrating our Christmas Candlelight service this year! Sure, we cannot gather together in our building—yet we WILL gather. Sure, we cannot hear our sanctuary fill with each other’s voices, but we WILL sing. Sure, we cannot pass candlelight from one person to another, but we WILL light candles. Join us … Continue reading Oh, Yes We Will! Oh, Holy Night: A Christmas Eve Multi-generational Candlelight Service

In Stillness and Perseverance is Our Power

Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
In Stillness and Perseverance is Our Power
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Several religious traditions teach us the power of stillness. Yet, for many of us, stillness seems ethereal and impractical. One author asks the question, “How different would the world look if people spent as much time listening to their conscience as they did to the chattering broadcasts? If they could respond to the calls of … Continue reading In Stillness and Perseverance is Our Power

What are the Paths of Healing?

Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
What are the Paths of Healing?
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Healing comes to us in many ways. And there are many paths to healing. For example, the practice of “slow medicine” lures us into a deeper inquiry into our life as a whole. Sacred stories invite us into new ways of seeing and being. Music evokes in us its healing power. Can we be part … Continue reading What are the Paths of Healing?

Don’t Abandon Your Post: The Ongoing Healing of the Heart of Democracy

Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Don't Abandon Your Post: The Ongoing Healing of the Heart of Democracy
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The work of democracy is ongoing and requires constant tending and practice. What are the practices that allow us to move forward with courage? The Sikh writer and activist, Valarie Kaur, passes on the lesson that she learned from her own grandfather and the Sikh tradition: “Don’t abandon your post.” She and others remind us … Continue reading Don’t Abandon Your Post: The Ongoing Healing of the Heart of Democracy

Make Them Hear You

Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Make Them Hear You
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Sometimes when we “tune out” even ourselves, we miss opportunities for a deeper engagement with life. Sometimes when we don’t hear the voices of those who are oppressed, life is diminished. In the song, “Make Them Hear You” from the musical Ragtime, are these lyrics: “Go out and tell our story/Let it echo far and … Continue reading Make Them Hear You

Are There Only 7000 Ways of Listening?

Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Thomas Paine UU Fellowship
Are There Only 7000 Ways of Listening?
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In this service we’ll explore the varieties of the listening experience. Rabbi Abraham Heschel wrote that, “Faith is not an insurance, but a constant effort, a constant listening to the eternal voice.” Indeed, our lives call us into ever deepening listening to our experience and, as Rev. Peers likes to say, “When we’ve listened, listen … Continue reading Are There Only 7000 Ways of Listening?