First Unitarian Universalist Church of Houston Podcast

The opening sentence of Charles Dicken's classic "Tale of Two Cities" (set in the time of the French Revolution) is "It was the best of times; it was the worst of times." Our Minister Emeritus, Rev. Dan King, shares reflections from the recent UUA General Assembly about the implications of reactions to the proposed 8th principle promoting affirmation of historically marginalized and oppressed identities.

Democracy in the United States has never been extended to everyone equally. In the American colonies only adult white male property owners could vote. Today, voter suppression assures only some can easily vote. The current makeup of the Supreme Court is a result of Presidents being appointed who did not win the majority vote. In our Fifth Principle, UUs covenant to affirm and promote ". . . the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large." What do we imagine democracy to look like, and how do we make that happen?

It's the 10 year anniversary of the Texas UU Justice Ministry, our statewide action network! From trans rights to reproductive justice, voting rights to the environment, this is a crucial time in the work of TXUUJM. Rev. Erin Walter, Executive Director, joins us this July 4th weekebnd to reflect on opportunities and challenges our state is facing, and to invite us all to deepen our practice of showing up for justice.

Watch "The World's on Fire (and We Still fall in Love)" by Parker Woodland: https://youtu.be/9PtpnhYU55Q

The inescapable fact of human existence, these days, is that we hold it in our hands the power to end all things. The climate catastrophe envelopes all who rely on our ecosystem for survival. We have reached the point where only massive governmental policy might bring about a remedy. What stands in the way is an identity fragility—heteronormative whiteness, which gridlocks our mechanisms of government. Perhaps, nothing less than a new Stonewell movement has the power to save us.

This year, the annual remembrances of Juneteenth and Father's Day shared the third Sunday in June. Juneteenth commemorates the announcement proclaiming freedom for enslaved people in Texas, two and a half years after Lincoln issued the Emancipation Proclamation, and over forty years before the first Father's Day was observed.

June is Pride Month, and our theme is Reimagining Comfort. Rev. Scott asks us to think about Community: those people with whom we feel most comfortable. On June 12, six years ago, over a hundred people gathered in community were killed or injured in a mass attack on the Pulse nightclub. On June 28, fifty-three years ago, the Stonewall community fought back when the police raided their Greenwich Village bar. Chosen Families are the Communities who give comfort to many LGBTQ+ people.

How do we approach remembering those who have died in the pandemic and by violent means, either in war or in a mass shooting. How do our obligations, rights, and responsibilities compel us to work toward a more peaceful, healthier, and more just society?

A chain of life beginning with a Big Bang, or in the Garden of Eden, or in some primordial sea, has successfully continued down through today. Mothers have carried the narrative of this chain, of cultures and traditions, and often of change and reimagining.