Messages on Belonging & Connection (Page 12)
Welcoming Newcomers
For this week’s message, Rev. Lee is joined by Nina Guzmán, Executive Director of Alianzas De Phoenixville & Rachel Rutter, Executive Director of Project Libertad. Welcoming Newcomers START OF TRANSCRIPT[00:00:00] Speaker1The following is a message from WellSprings congregation. Of all the things that have whoops. There you go. Of all the things thathave happened in these last. Two years. Learning that song is one of the silver linings for me. And it’s a good one for this month, thisvery long January that we’re in, I…
Thriving Together
In today’s message, Rev. Lee spends some time speaking with Nydea Graves (they/them), a community organizer and activist based out of Coatesville, PA. Nydea has been working for years to help support their community in a variety of ways, up to and including holding an elected office position. They have wisdom and advice to share for all of us seeking to make our communities stronger, safer, and equitable for all. Thriving Together START OF TRANSCRIPT[00:00:00] Speaker1The following is a message…
Faithful Neighbors
Beth begins by talking about the concept of neighbors. She shares a story about settling down into a home, and wondering what it would mean for both her and her husband to have neighbors. She also shares a prayer from Rabbi John from the Beth Isreal Congregation for the Day of Prayer. The Interfaith Action Community is planning a day of action, focusing on diversity and inclusion. This is important work, because it helps us to see the humanity in…
On the Lookout
Rev. Lee begins by talking about something small that’s been bringing her lots of joy: Noodle the pug and his bones/no bones videos that have taken TikTok by storm. The Noodle videos are answering a craving for a simple joy. Rev. Lee also shares some periodic updates from her friend about her daughter, and what life is like as a 3 year old. She tells us about a book she’s looking forward to reading called “On Looking,” which gives the…
And the Award Goes To…
Rev. Ken opens this week’s message by taking a moment to talk about the recent passing of his father. He talks about the importance of play, and how sometimes competition can take play away from us. We can find joy when we look beyond winning or losing, and instead engage in self-directed, spontaneous, and creative play. He shares with us some examples of poorly but lovingly made cakes, and a story about an adult kickball team. And the Award Goes…
Joy In My Heart
Beth begins this week by talking about the concept of “deserving joy.” She remembers certain moments in her childhood where she experienced huge amounts of joy, and worrying that those feelings may have been lost. She reminds us that paying attention can lead to joy, but being busy, stressed, or not in the moment can cloud that feeling over. It’s important to not ignore the bad things going on in the world, but – as Beth says – to grab…
Wild & Precious Life
We welcome five different speakers from our congregation – ranging in age from 9 to 96 – to answer the question from Mary Oliver: “Tell me, what is it you plan to do with your one wild and precious life?” Wild and Precious Life START OF TRANSCRIPT[00:00:00] Speaker1The following is a message from Wellsprings Congregation.[00:00:11] Speaker2My name is Mo, and I am nine years old. I live with my mom, dad, sister and dog. And to get my dog is…
Held Together
This week, Rev. Lee shares stories of things that are held together in unconventional ways. She shares stories from a colleague who have a late 90s Suburban – now held together with duct tape as more and more systems fail over the years – and a colleague who keeps what remnants she still has of her baby blanket in a small ceramic container. We find ways of holding things together when they mean something to us. Held Together [00:00:05] Speaker1Thank…
Chances Are
This week, our Message begins with a story about Beethoven. Rev. Ken remarks on how apropos our new message series, “God Laughs,” is this week, since we are not gathered together in Bell Hall like we were just a week ago. This message seried gets its name from a Yiddish proverb “We plan, God laughs.” He talks about the importance of keeping covenants with one another, even though we realize that plans may fall through. This was demonstrated recently when…
WellCome Back Sunday
Rev. Lee begins by remembering how much has changed since the beginning of the pandemic, and holding space for the people we’ve lost. She also talks about the song we sang during service, “Hard Times.” It tells us that the answer to hard times is to dance. Rev. Ken also speaks. He shares a post from an Episcopal priest who commented on their own husband’s twitter post thinking he was a “random stranger,” for lack of paying attention. He emphasizes…
Avatar: The Last Airbender
This week, Carol Breslin, our YouthSpirit Director talks about the themes and meanings in the much-loved Nickelodeon series, Avatar: the Last Airbender. Miss Carol and the YouthSpirit kids have been watching this series together throughout the summer, and linking the 7 UU Principles to lessons learned in each episode. Avatar: the Last Airbender START OF TRANSCRIPT[00:00:00] Speaker1The following is a message from Wellspring’s congregation.[00:00:06] Speaker2Some of you may have seen this viral post from just this week, that’s real life…
The Wizard of Oz
Lee revisits one of the classics this week by talking about The Wizard of Oz. At its heart, this is a story about a girl who experiences trauma (literal head trauma, in her case) and spends much of the rest of the story trying to determine when and how things will feel safe again. This is very much what we’ve experienced in the pandemic. She also talks about the meaning of the Arabic word “Inshallah” and shares a poem contemplating…