I was going to write a post about today's question box sermon and today's river service.
Unfortunately, I find myself preoccupied with the tragedy in Knoxville, TN.
Our UU family is a small one.
A friend and colleague's mother is a member of that congregation and was there today.
A retired colleague I hold most dear was in attendance there this morning.
A member of my congregation has a cousin who is a leader at that congregation.
None of them were hurt. Seven others were. Two were killed (so far...)
I keep thinking of the man who put himself between the shooter and the children (and his family.)
And the people who placed themselves in front of the door to the nursery.
And the people who jumped on the shooter and subdued him.
I wonder if I would have been that brave. I wonder if I would have made that sacrifice.
I'd like to think I would.
I'd like to think, even more, that I will never have to...
...that no one should ever have to.
My other thoughts and feelings aren't worthy of repeating out loud or on the page.
The sermon prologue will wait.
Right now, there is grieving and tending to be done.
Monday, July 28, 2008
Wednesday, July 23, 2008
Wisdom from the Idiot Box? - Prologue
This past weekend, I preached my annual geek sermon.
(Geek Sermon? Yes. I'm a geek. Once a year, I celebrate my geekiness with a sermon on some geeky facet of my life. A little self-indulgent, I admit-- but I think it's allowable on an annual basis. And the geeks in the congregation like it.)
Last year was on the topic of Super Heroes; this year, television.
I'd direct you to the podcast, but due to a miscommunication/misstep, the digital recording didn't work out. Sorry.
I will share the music (which was fantastic, thanks Alissa) that I can and the pieces of the service and sermon as best I can here.
Prelude - The Andy Griffith Theme
(about 75% of the people in the pews were whistling and snapping their fingers)
Reading - "29" by David Rakoff from This American Life - episode #328 "What I Learned From Television"
(highly edited for obvious reasons with some reading help from the worship associate)
Musical Interlude - "The Idiot Box" written and performed by Alissa Rhode
Sermon - "Wisdom from the Idiot Box?"
I used the following examples as good, meaningful, engaging television:
Mister Roger's Neighborhood Theme (which I sang, sort of, from the pulpit...)
Message from the Rev. Rogers to adult fans
Star Trek- "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - "The Body" (specifically Anya's anguished part)
The Daily Show and The Colbert Report
specifically Jon's monologue after 9/11 and his interview on Crossfire.
30 Days - specifically episode # ""
Offertory - The Laverne and Shirley Theme ("Making Our Dreams Come True") sung better by Alissa
Postlude - Mr. Roger's Neighborhood Theme
Next week: The 2nd annual Question Box Service
(Geek Sermon? Yes. I'm a geek. Once a year, I celebrate my geekiness with a sermon on some geeky facet of my life. A little self-indulgent, I admit-- but I think it's allowable on an annual basis. And the geeks in the congregation like it.)
Last year was on the topic of Super Heroes; this year, television.
I'd direct you to the podcast, but due to a miscommunication/misstep, the digital recording didn't work out. Sorry.
I will share the music (which was fantastic, thanks Alissa) that I can and the pieces of the service and sermon as best I can here.
Prelude - The Andy Griffith Theme
(about 75% of the people in the pews were whistling and snapping their fingers)
Reading - "29" by David Rakoff from This American Life - episode #328 "What I Learned From Television"
(highly edited for obvious reasons with some reading help from the worship associate)
Musical Interlude - "The Idiot Box" written and performed by Alissa Rhode
Sermon - "Wisdom from the Idiot Box?"
I used the following examples as good, meaningful, engaging television:
Mister Roger's Neighborhood Theme (which I sang, sort of, from the pulpit...)
Message from the Rev. Rogers to adult fans
Star Trek- "Let That Be Your Last Battlefield"
Buffy the Vampire Slayer - "The Body" (specifically Anya's anguished part)
The Daily Show and The Colbert Report
specifically Jon's monologue after 9/11 and his interview on Crossfire.
30 Days - specifically episode # ""
Offertory - The Laverne and Shirley Theme ("Making Our Dreams Come True") sung better by Alissa
Postlude - Mr. Roger's Neighborhood Theme
Next week: The 2nd annual Question Box Service
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
A Faithful Conversation Defined
This Sunday, I facilitated part two of a series of conversations on our faith, Unitarian Universalism.
This conversation followed the service with the dialogue sermon entitled "A Faithful Conversation About Evil".
(I was honored and greatly pleased to share the pulpit with Lori Hlaban. She is a wonderful colleague to collaborate with and the congregation seemed to enjoy her part of the dialogue. Lori also joined me for the class/conversation.)
What exactly is a Faithful Conversation?
Here is the definition I was working with...
1. It is about Faith
It is about our beliefs. It is about meaning. It has a spiritual depth to it.
2. It is in good faith
It is about learning about another person's beliefs, not converting them to yours.
It is about connecting, not challenging.
It is conducted with honesty and curiosity, not with duplicity and agendas.
3. It is a conversation
It is not a debate. It is not a lecture. It is a dialogue.
It is a mutual sharing that leads, if fortunate, to mutual learning-- and a deeper, more defined faith.
What does a Faithful Conversation look like?
This is the format I proposed for the session.
1. Pick a question to discuss. (What are your views on Evil?)
2. Person A answers the question while Person B listens.
3. When (A) is finished, (B) asks a question or two to invite (A) to go deeper or to further develop their answer.
4. (A) answers the questions as best they can (perhaps with a "I don't know-- I have to think about that.)
5. Trade places and repeat 1-4
6. After both parties have shared, questioned, and answered, ask and answer this question,
"How does this belief inform/affect how you live your life?" (or as my theology professor used to say, "So what?"
One of the class participants asked if "Faithful Conversation" was a phrase I had coined or if they would find it on Google.
I answered, honestly though erroneously, that I had coined it independently.
Turns out if you google it-- this blog shows up (if you put it in quotes), but there are plenty of other "Faithful Conversations" out there.
• The biggest presence is the book "Faithful Conversation: Christian Perspectives on Homosexuality."
While I haven't read it, the book seems to take on the topic in a way that fits my definition. A faithful conversation on that topic would be most welcome these days.
• A more relevant hit was the sermon "A Faithful Conversation" presented at the Thursday morning worship service of the 2007 General Assembly by Rob Eller-Isaacs. (If you are going to steal/copy/rip-off, might as well do it from the best, no?) Having not attended that service, I only have the summary to base my understanding on. It does seem as if he was calling for the same thing I am: more of us having these sort of conversations.
I think they are a part of our heritage that we've moved away from, abandoned even. I believe the world needs these kind of conversations. And I believe Unitarian Universalists are ideally suited to leading the way-- if we would start having the conversations with one another, we could then start having the conversations with those outside our faith tradition.
This conversation followed the service with the dialogue sermon entitled "A Faithful Conversation About Evil".
(I was honored and greatly pleased to share the pulpit with Lori Hlaban. She is a wonderful colleague to collaborate with and the congregation seemed to enjoy her part of the dialogue. Lori also joined me for the class/conversation.)
What exactly is a Faithful Conversation?
Here is the definition I was working with...
1. It is about Faith
It is about our beliefs. It is about meaning. It has a spiritual depth to it.
2. It is in good faith
It is about learning about another person's beliefs, not converting them to yours.
It is about connecting, not challenging.
It is conducted with honesty and curiosity, not with duplicity and agendas.
3. It is a conversation
It is not a debate. It is not a lecture. It is a dialogue.
It is a mutual sharing that leads, if fortunate, to mutual learning-- and a deeper, more defined faith.
What does a Faithful Conversation look like?
This is the format I proposed for the session.
1. Pick a question to discuss. (What are your views on Evil?)
2. Person A answers the question while Person B listens.
3. When (A) is finished, (B) asks a question or two to invite (A) to go deeper or to further develop their answer.
4. (A) answers the questions as best they can (perhaps with a "I don't know-- I have to think about that.)
5. Trade places and repeat 1-4
6. After both parties have shared, questioned, and answered, ask and answer this question,
"How does this belief inform/affect how you live your life?" (or as my theology professor used to say, "So what?"
One of the class participants asked if "Faithful Conversation" was a phrase I had coined or if they would find it on Google.
I answered, honestly though erroneously, that I had coined it independently.
Turns out if you google it-- this blog shows up (if you put it in quotes), but there are plenty of other "Faithful Conversations" out there.
• The biggest presence is the book "Faithful Conversation: Christian Perspectives on Homosexuality."
While I haven't read it, the book seems to take on the topic in a way that fits my definition. A faithful conversation on that topic would be most welcome these days.
• A more relevant hit was the sermon "A Faithful Conversation" presented at the Thursday morning worship service of the 2007 General Assembly by Rob Eller-Isaacs. (If you are going to steal/copy/rip-off, might as well do it from the best, no?) Having not attended that service, I only have the summary to base my understanding on. It does seem as if he was calling for the same thing I am: more of us having these sort of conversations.
I think they are a part of our heritage that we've moved away from, abandoned even. I believe the world needs these kind of conversations. And I believe Unitarian Universalists are ideally suited to leading the way-- if we would start having the conversations with one another, we could then start having the conversations with those outside our faith tradition.
Tuesday, July 08, 2008
A Conversation at Court
Court Leech: You know, fool, telling the truth isn't always the right thing to do.
Court Jester: How say you this?
Court Leech: Sometimes telling the truth be not in your best interest.
Court Jester: Too true, too true. But being a fool, I exist for those times.
Court Leech: Perhaps. Sometimes, telling the truth isn't in their best interest either.
Court Jester: And how is one to know those times?
Court Leech: There is rarely any knowing about it.
Court Jester: And so?
Court Leech: And so, the truth be a most dangerous thing. Have a care with it.
Court Jester: I shall treat it as if it were my very own.
Court Leech: Indeed.
Court Jester: How say you this?
Court Leech: Sometimes telling the truth be not in your best interest.
Court Jester: Too true, too true. But being a fool, I exist for those times.
Court Leech: Perhaps. Sometimes, telling the truth isn't in their best interest either.
Court Jester: And how is one to know those times?
Court Leech: There is rarely any knowing about it.
Court Jester: And so?
Court Leech: And so, the truth be a most dangerous thing. Have a care with it.
Court Jester: I shall treat it as if it were my very own.
Court Leech: Indeed.
Monday, July 07, 2008
A Faithful Conversation on Evil
I'm getting ready for this weekend's sermon.
It is part two in a sermon series I'm doing over the summer.
The title is "A Faithful Conversation on Evil".
Nothing like the word "evil" to get people's attention, eh?
Wanna know a secret?
It isn't really about evil.
Oh, we'll be talking about evil.
We? Yes, I said "we." I'll be preaching with my friend and colleague, Lori Hlaban.
(Wanna a preview? You can see us hanging out at GA--shortly after we planned out the sermon--on Dan Harpers blog.)
Anyway, we'll be having a conversation on evil in the pulpit.
But the service isn't really about evil.
It's about having a faithful conversation.
We're preaching through modeling. (Cool, eh?)
When was the last time you had an in-depth conversation with someone about what you believe?
However you answer, you should do it more often.
'Cause that's what we are supposed to be doing. That's what our religion is all about.
It is how we learn about each other and how we further develop our beliefs.
All that through conversation.
How cool is that?!?
Wanna know what I learned?
My concept of evil still has a huge hole in it.
(Actually, I already knew that. What I learned is that the hole is obvious to others, too.)
Gotta work on that.
Anyone have a decent explanation for people who do evil for the sheer joy of it?
By Sunday?
It is part two in a sermon series I'm doing over the summer.
The title is "A Faithful Conversation on Evil".
Nothing like the word "evil" to get people's attention, eh?
Wanna know a secret?
It isn't really about evil.
Oh, we'll be talking about evil.
We? Yes, I said "we." I'll be preaching with my friend and colleague, Lori Hlaban.
(Wanna a preview? You can see us hanging out at GA--shortly after we planned out the sermon--on Dan Harpers blog.)
Anyway, we'll be having a conversation on evil in the pulpit.
But the service isn't really about evil.
It's about having a faithful conversation.
We're preaching through modeling. (Cool, eh?)
When was the last time you had an in-depth conversation with someone about what you believe?
However you answer, you should do it more often.
'Cause that's what we are supposed to be doing. That's what our religion is all about.
It is how we learn about each other and how we further develop our beliefs.
All that through conversation.
How cool is that?!?
Wanna know what I learned?
My concept of evil still has a huge hole in it.
(Actually, I already knew that. What I learned is that the hole is obvious to others, too.)
Gotta work on that.
Anyone have a decent explanation for people who do evil for the sheer joy of it?
By Sunday?
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Poetry Stop II
Another poem while we wait for Godot, courtesy of Panhala this morning.
Proverbios y Cantares XXIX by Antonio Machado
(translated by A. Trueblood)
Wayfarer, the only way
is your footsteps,
there is no other.
Wayfarer, there is no way,
you make the way by walking.
As you go, you make the way
and stopping to look behind,
you see the path that your feet
will never travel again.
Wayfarer, there is no way -
Only foam trails to the sea.
~ Antonio Machado ~
(Translated by A. Trueblood)
Proverbios y Cantares XXIX by Antonio Machado
(translated by A. Trueblood)
Wayfarer, the only way
is your footsteps,
there is no other.
Wayfarer, there is no way,
you make the way by walking.
As you go, you make the way
and stopping to look behind,
you see the path that your feet
will never travel again.
Wayfarer, there is no way -
Only foam trails to the sea.
~ Antonio Machado ~
(Translated by A. Trueblood)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
