Church of the Larger Fellowship UU Worship

This week's sermon will take a deep dive into the book, The Message by Ta-Nehisi Coates, using the ancient Christian method of lectio divina, in which we examine passages of the book with our hearts. The book is written for writers and talks about how learning the stories of who we are shape how we view the world and what we value.

June Jordan's "Poem for South African Women" commemorates a 1956 protest against apartheid by some 40,000 women and children, who used their bodies to protest their lack of a voice in opposing their own oppression. We remember the poem's final line, "we are the ones we've been waiting for" as we summon the courage to move forward on the journey toward liberation.

The fall or harvest season is a time celebrated across many cultures as time to commune with and honor our ancestors. Our worship this week is inspired by the Day of the Dead, a multi-day ancestor tradition widely practiced across Mexico and Mesoamerican communities.

Rev. Kelly Dignan, Executive Director of UU Ministry for Earth (UUMFE), and members of the UUMFE Board lead us in worship to continue the work of the Climate Justice Revival, grounding us in faithful interdependence and love.

This Sermonic Performance/Performative Sermon, centers bodies, queerness, joy, desire and art as a constructive departure from theologies that diminish the sacredness of our flesh.

In the Northeastern United States, the Earth reminds us at this time of year of the possibilities and challenges of transformation. As we honor the Jewish High Holy Days, we can embrace the what comes when we make the choice to turn toward each other in love. The rhythm of the Earth and the lessons of our faith cousins will help us integrate turning into our spiritual lives.

Joy is an act of resistance. Some days, it is challenging to remember that we need joy, connection and celebration to sustain us the more the world feels chaotic. I will share some of the ways I find joy that feeds and sustains me as a faith leader and human living in some very interesting times.

Our congregation is joining with about 300 other UU Congregations to participate in the UU Climate Justice Revival. Let us collectively reimagine a spirit-filled and liberatory future. Through conversations, worship, and organizing, congregations will work together to realize climate justice and collective liberation in our communities.

This sermon will highlight the tension between making and breaking promises and the importance of maintaining trust and integrity in our commitments.

Who is responsible for keeping the promises made in covenantal relationships? We will explore covenant through the lens of Jolene, as imagined by Dolly Parton and reimagined by Beyoncé.