Bread Communion at Oak Ridge UU

On Sunday, 11/20/22, the Oak Ridge Unitarian Universalist Church in Oak Ridge, TN celebrated Bread Communion.

 

Winston Churchill, a prophetic man, focused on behavior not beliefs.

Unitarian Universalists join together to affirm and promote justice, equity, and compassion in human relations. This is the second principle of seven.

Unitarian Universalism is not a creedal religion based on any one religious text. The living tradition of Unitarian Universalism is constantly evolving as new knowledge, values, and technology emerges. 

The thought system of Unitarian Universalism is based on many sources one of which is the words and deeds of prophetic women and men which challenge us to confront powers and structures of evil with justice, compassion, and the transforming power of love. Winston Churchill was one such person.

Michael Durall in his book, The Almost Church, says that Unitarian Universalists need to live their faith not just attend services on Sunday.. The UU faith needs to become a way of life if it is to grow.

David G. Markham, the publisher of the UU: A Way Of Life blog stated that he has named his blog after Durall's idea that Unitarian Universalism is a way of life.

 

Transgender Day Of Remembrance

 

Yesterday, 11/20/22, there was a church service at First Universalist Church of Rochester, NY about the Transgender Day Of Remembrance.

Rev. Lane Mairead- Campbell lead the adult service as Rev. Michelle Yates lead the children's service reading the children’s book, Sam Is My Sister by Ashley Rhodes-Courter.

Rev. Lane then read a list of about 40 people who are transgendered who have died in the last 25 years by suicide, domestic violence, and other forms of violence.

Rev. Lane then stated that the annual Transgender Day Of Remberence began in Massachusetts in the late 1990s after Rita Hester died in 1998.

As part of her sermon Rev. Lane said, “We hold life to be sacred in this church and not in the ways where we feel we must defend birth at the cost of another's livelihood, but in the way that we know that life is precious that each person's life is a gift to the world, and to their community that access to a healthy and happy life is worth defending for all of us even those we have conflict with, or even anger towards, their lives, are still sacred.”

After the service ended the news broke about the mass shooting at Club Q in Colorado Springs, CO. in which at least 5 people were killed and 18 injured by a 22 year old gunman.

In the coffee hour after the service, a person pointed out that Unitarian Universalists join together to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person, the first of the seven UU principles upon which the UU faith is based.

To Whom or to What do we belong?

In the Kingdom there is no teaching or learning, because there is no belief. There is only certainty. God and His Sons, in the surety of being, know that what you extend you are. T-7.II.3:4-6

A Course in Miracles (p. 246). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

The Jesus of A Course In Miracles teaches that in the Kingdom of God there is no teaching and learning because it isn’t necessary. All there is is being. The drops have been integrated back into the ocean and with this integration the ocean is all that there is.

In Unitarian Universalism some of us join together to affirm and promote the awareness of the interdependent web of which we are a part. There is not the me, myself, and I of the world of the ego but simply the Oneness of which we are a part.

Today it is suggested that we consider what it is that is larger than our ego selves that we are a part of. To whom or what do we belong?

Concerns about changes to UUA bylaws

Yesterday, 11/19/22, UUMUAC, the Unitarian Universalist Multiracial Unity Action Council, met on zoom for two hours and was attended by about 67 people from across the United States and one person from Paris, France.

The meeting was facilitated by Richard Trudeau, the chair of the board of UUMUAC. Members were invited to express their concerns.

The main concern of the members is the proposed change to the article II bylaws of the Unitarian Universalist Association. This change would eliminate the 7 principles and change the UUA from a service organization to one providing more oversight of local congregations.

A second concern was how disagreement with the proposed change to the bylaws is being managed by the current UUA administration which includes a loss of the freedom of the pulpit for ministers who are part of the UUMA, Unitarian Universalist Ministers Association, and the fact that two of its ministers have be defrocked and excommunicated from fellowship because of their disagreement with the proposed changes.

A third concern was the deceptive practices of the current administration which include a lack of compliance with bylaws of the organization especially when it comes to nominating the next president of the UUA.

There were suggested steps suggested for action, the first being the raising of awareness and education about the proposed changes and the second being local congregations sending delegates to the General Assembly in the Spring of 2023 who are knowledgeable about these issues.

There was much concern that local congregations who are members of the UUA are not knowledgeable about these proposed changes and it was suggested several times that local congregations be made aware and educated about these issues.

For more information about the proposed changes to the UUA bylaws click here.

Illuminating your blind spots.

Outside the Kingdom, the law that prevails inside is adapted to “What you project you believe.” This is its teaching form, because outside the Kingdom learning is essential. This form implies that you will learn what you are from what you have projected onto others, and therefore believe they are. T-7.II.3:1-3

A Course in Miracles (p. 246). Foundation for Inner Peace. Kindle Edition. 

Comedian Flip Wilson doing his Geraldine routine would have her say, “What you see is what you get, honey.” A Course In Miracles is teaching this lesson when it says, “What you project you believe.” And then further teaches that you will learn what you are by what you project onto others and believe they are. If you believe people are bad, you must believe that there is badness inside of you. If you believe people are good then you must believe that goodness resides within you as well. The old proverb says, “Be careful what you wish for because you just might get it, or be careful what you fear because what you fear is more likely to appear.”

In Unitarian Universalism some of us join together to affirm and promote the free and responsible search for truth and meaning. This searching will eventually bring us to the point where we come to appreciate our projections, what social psychologists call, “confirmation bias.”

Today it is suggested that we reflect on our inner experience and uncover our biases. It is helpful to talk with a trusted other about this topic and ask for their feedback in an attempt to illuminate your blind spots.

Religious literacy enhances spiritual intelligence.

 

In Cindy Wigglesworth's model of Spiritual Intelligence, Awareness Of Own Worldview, is the first skill of twenty one. The question to be answered low, medium, high is "Do you think that you can explain to others the impacts of our culture, your upbringing, and your mental assumptions on how you interpret the world around you?"

Ariel Ennis in her book, Teaching Religious Literacy,  points to this skill in her quote above as one of the benefits of religious literacy. Unitarian Universalism is one of the view religious denominations which encourage this kind of knowledge.

Unitarian Universalism encourages the development of religious literacy and thereby enhances the level of spiritual intelligence in its members and the society of which they are a part.