Expanding Horizons

By SA Unitarians

Pluralism, Generosity, and Imagination. The podcast of the Unitarian Church of South Australia.... more

· Religion & Spirituality

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FAQs about Expanding Horizons:

How many episodes does Expanding Horizons have?

The podcast currently has 426 episodes available.

Expanding Horizons episodes:

July 31, 2022 ”Masking”
The title of our member, Aaron Poeze's address today is "Masking". With only a passing reference to "masking up" for more contagious Covid B variants, Aaron quickly tackles the real theme of today's address: the "masking" we do to gain social acceptance from our groups, where we feel compelled to "mask" our true selves - to belong. The problem with "masking" is that we become a caricature of ourselves, dissociated from our groups - and ourselves - to quote Donald Winnicott "not entirely present", our true potential - "locked up".Aaron reminds us of our first three Universalist Principles to suggest what changes are needed to enable us to be true to ourselves and unlock our full potential.
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23min
July 24, 2022 R & R (Rights and Responsibilities) - Does Australia need a Bill of Rights?
In her address today, Jennie Dyster, our Lay Leader confesses to a degree of duplicity in its title - "R and R" - not "Rest and Recreation" but "Rights and Responsibilities".Today Jennie focuses on Human Rights in Australia and considers whether Australians need a Bill of Rights. Or does the English Common Law system we've inherited - the law made by our Judges and Australian parliaments provide sufficient protection against violations of our Human Rights?
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28min
July 17, 2022 Wintering
Nicholas commences this service today by giving thanks for the blessings of winter. In an address he titled, "Wintering", Nicholas uses Michael Leunig's Vasco Pyjama to raise some "existential" questions for Mr Curly - and for us on this cold, wet Sunday morning: -- What is worth doing?- What is worth having?It is an age-old, linked question and Nicholas points us towards an answer by quoting Heraclitus: -"Applicants for wisdom - do what I have done. Enquire within!"...and Jesus: - "The Kingdom is within You".Nicholas's winter challenge for us all is that these are the questions...issues... we must resolve for ourselves. And whenever winter depression or despair is driven by the catalyst of our circumstances, Nicholas suggests some strategies we might use. And we end where we started today's exploration of "wintering" - with thanksgiving!
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24min
July 10, 2022 Islam Dreaming
Jennie's address today, "Islam Dreaming" coincides with NAIDOC Week, 2022. She describes the historic connections between Islam and the northern, coastal Aboriginal nations that extend back to the arrival in the 1600's of Islamic Macassan Trepang (Beche-de-mare) fishermen from South Sulawesi, Indonesia, to our northern shores - almost two centuries before European settlement and the influence of Christian missionaries. Jennie uses this historical context to explain the recent upsurge in conversions of aboriginal people to Islam. Listen on for Jennie's informative address on a largely ignored aspect of our history.
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35min
July 03, 2022 Questions without Notice
Our Unitarian Community were indeed blessed this morning to have Kris Hanna as our guest worship leader. At the outset of today's service, Kris bravely invited us to write down any questions we might be harbouring about religious belief/faith, spirituality or issues of wider spiritual concern and he would do his best to respond. These were the four questions that time allowed us:1. Can the Unitarian Principles and Sources be a blueprint for organising society?2. How can we see and feel the presence of the Divine?3. What are the limits to tolerance?4. Is coincidence the manifestation of destiny?Listen on for Kris's responses to each of these four questions - each entirely without notice.
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32min
June 26, 2022 In Praise of Habits
Jennie, our Lay Leader maintains that cravings/habituations are behind every habit - good or bad and motivate our actions. However what we're craving isn't the habit itself, but the relief or reinforcement we get from these habits. Listen on to Jennie's Unitarian and reasoned perspective on those good - and bad - habits to be found within us all.
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31min
June 19, 2022 The Children are not ok!
Before we open the Pandora's box of current global issues - climate change, covid, the war in Ukraine, school shootings in the USA, Jennie asks us to consider its effect on our young children as well as ourselves.
- Are these events keeping us - and our children - in a state of high anxiety?
- How should we manage it to prevent loss of hope and the onset of despair and depression - both within ourselves and within our children?
In today's address, Jennie provides us with some useful suggestions on how we might form a healthier perspective and get the balance right for the children.
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33min
June 12, 2022 Why you should not be a Unitarian!
In her address today, Jennie Dyster, our Lay Leader questions the misconception that Unitarian Universalists are non-creedal and are free to believe whatever they like. In providing an answer to the question - "What do Unitarians believe in?" Jennie draws on our seven Unitarian Universalist Principles to ask rhetorically, why some would not want to be Unitarians and why we - as Unitarians might not want them to join us! Listen on for Jennie's inspiring address.
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31min
June 05, 2022 Change
While Jennie Dyster leads our service of worship this morning, today's address is by our President, John Hall. It is about Change and how we react to it. John draws on personal (travel) anecdotes to point to truths in the old Chinese proverb that every crisis also brings opportunity: that the challenges brought by Change and Transition will also bring opportunities for spiritual transformation - from within ourselves and within our Church community.
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22min
May 29, 2022 When is a phobia not a phobia?
In today's service - Sunday 29th May, we briefly discussed the many fears identified by psychologists as phobias. Jennie probes one "phobia" that isn't really a phobia at all - homophobia.
Jennie's address is a memorable and penetrating look at a topic that is both a taboo and potentially divisive within many communities - and especially Church communities who should be - in the words of one of the hymns we sang today - "standing on the side of Love".
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40min

FAQs about Expanding Horizons:

How many episodes does Expanding Horizons have?

The podcast currently has 426 episodes available.