Preview of Feb.12th sermon: Love Has No Borders

Date: 
February 12, 2012 - 10:30am

This year's Standing on the Side of Love Sunday will explore the tender/harsh realities of our nation's immigration challenges.  We'll focus on what's happening right here in Michigan, as we affirm that love has no borders.

Service Leader: 
Reverend Shelley Page
Worship Associate: 
Cynthia Luce

"Lean on Me" - A closer look at Emerson's "Self Reliance" (LISTEN) PLUS bonus links from sermon

Date: 
February 5, 2012 - 10:30am

Ralph Waldo Emerson’s famous essay, “Self Reliance” is often referenced by folks who admonish others to pull themselves up by their bootstraps and take control of their lives. But a closer look at Emerson reveals a very different reading of this iconic American message. This Sunday's service and sermon explore what good ole Ralph was really saying to us about self and reliance.

You can listen to a digital recording of a portion of the service and sermon by double-clicking on the audio play arrow below, or you can download the file to your personal listening device by right-clicking on the actual .Mp3 filename.

Hear more about Collaborative Consumption from Rachel Botsman's TED lecture - http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/why-own-when-you-can-share

Learn about time banks - http://www.yesmagazine.org/new-economy/time-banking-an-idea-whose-time-has-come

Get more details on the gift circle concept - http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/to-build-community-an-economy-of-gifts

Service Leader: 
Reverend Shelley Page
Worship Associate: 
Tonya Wells and Andrew Hartz Jr.

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"Living in the Darkness" with guest minister Rev. Andrew Weber from Ann Arbor (LISTEN)

Date: 
January 29, 2012 - 10:30am

Many people view winter and other dark moments as times of waiting for the light of spring. The winter is a season with its own characteristics, which can be enjoyed and which can help us to see how to live through dark times in our lives. Our guest minister Rev. Andrew Weber from the Ann Arbor Unitarian Church delivers this service of warmth.

You can listen to the Community Prayer and Rev. Weber's sermon by double-clicking on the audio play arrow below, or if you prefer to download the file to your personal listening device, click on the actual filename of the Mp3 .

Service Leader: 
Reverend Anrdew Weber
Worship Associate: 
Joseph Buttiglieri

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James Luther Adams and the Five Smooth Stones of Unitarian Universalism

Date: 
January 22, 2012 - 10:30am

James Luther Adams was the leading Unitarian theologian of the 20th century, ending his career at Harvard and having among his students Christopher Hedges, who wrote War is A Force That Gives Us Meaning, in addition to many others.  His encounter with early Nazism in Germany in the late thirties and the anemic response by church leaders there, led to his concern about such an occurrence happening in our own country.  His observations about our faith tradition and both its strengths and weaknesses are still very timely.

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Meet Reverend Karen McFarland:

Rev. McFarland graduated with a Masters of Divinity from Starr King School for the Ministry and has served churches in Logan, UT, Brighton, MI and Woodstock, IL.  Her major field of study is feminist theology and she has been lucky enough to have studied with most of the major thinkers and writers in this field.   Before becoming a UU minister, Karen was a professional musician, playing and teaching viola and violin.  She free-lanced with many orchestras and chamber music groups all over the country.  Now no longer playing, she keeps her hand singing in the Gaia International Women’s Chorus, the Ann Arbor UU Church Chalice Singers and the Ann Arbor Women’s Chamber Chorus.  Rev. Karen lives in Dexter, MI on the Huron River and enjoys watching the wildlife and passing of the seasons as they effect her yard and ecosystem.

Rev. Karen is married to a forest ecologist and has adult twin sons, one living in Ann Arbor and the other in Royal Oak.  She is currently writing her autobiography with the idea not of producing a great work of literature, but in the hope that interesting stories can be handed down to her descendants who may not have any idea what it was like to live before television, space travel or texting.

Service Leader: 
Reverend Karen J. McFarland
Worship Associate: 
Jim Moir

Our Work to Do: Reflections on Dr. Martin Luther King and Grosse Pointe (LISTEN) ... Plus Bonus Links

Date: 
January 15, 2012 - 10:30am

We celebrated Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday by revisiting and reflecting on Dr. King’s visit to Grosse Pointe in 1968 and considering the work we are called to do today to realize his dream of justice and equality in our community and our world. You can listen to Rev. Shelley's Community Prayer and sermon, with guest speaker Dr. Bill Salot, by double-clicking on the audio play arrow below, or you can download the file to your personal listening device by right-clicking on the .Mp3 file name.

BONUS MATERIAL: 

For a look at photos and newspaper articles of King's 1968 speech at Grosse Pointe South, click HERE.

For the text of his speech click HERE.

CDs with audio recording of the speech, including Rev. Dr. Harry Meserve's introduction, are available at the Grosse Pointe Public Library.

Service Leader: 
Reverend Shelley Page
Worship Associate: 
Cynthia Luce

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Don Hines Memorial Service (LISTEN TO A DIGITAL RECORDING)

Date: 
January 7, 2012 - 11:00am

You can listen to almost the entire memorial service for Don Hines by either double-clicking on the audio play arrow below, or by clicking on the actual file name to download the recording to a personal listening device.

Service Leader: 
Reverend Shelley Page
Worship Associate: 
Tonya Wells

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How May I Serve? (LISTEN TO THE SERVICE)

Date: 
January 8, 2012 - 10:30am

What does it mean to serve as part of your spiritual practice? Rev. Shelley explored the idea of serving and what it means in a faith community.  If you were unable to be at this service, you can listen to a portion of it (Community Prayer & the sermon) by double-clicking on the audio play button below, or if you prefer to download it to your personal listening device, right-click on the .mp3 filename.

Service Leader: 
Reverend Shelley Page
Worship Associate: 
Joseph Buttiglieri & Andrew Hartz

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Ring In The New! A New Year's Day Service with More Bells! (LISTEN)

Date: 
January 1, 2012 - 10:30am

We began the New Year with thoughtful prose, a fresh perspective, cacophonous bell-ringing and renewed energy for 2012!  If you were sleeping in this morning and missed it,  you can listen to most parts of the service by clicking on the audio play arrow below, or, if you prefer to download the file to your personal listening device, right click on the Mp3 file name.

Service Leader: 
Reverend Shelley Page
Worship Associate: 
Tonya Wells

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Ring Out, Christmas Bells! - The Christmas Eve Service (LISTEN)

Date: 
December 24, 2011 - 5:30pm

This was a joyful Christmas Eve celebration with  stories, poetry and music, complete with candlelight and a child dedication. If you were unable to be there, or want to revisit the service, you can either click on the audio play arrow below, or right-click on the filename to download it to your listening device.

Service Leader: 
Reverend Shelley Page
Worship Associate: 
Cynthia Luce

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A Quiet Joyful Morning: Christmas Day (LISTEN)

Date: 
December 25, 2011 - 10:30am

We honored the spirit of Christmas with caroling, stories, and a time for quiet contemplation of the season.If you missed it, you can listen to portions of the service by clicking on the audio play arrow below, or download it to your listening device by right-clicking on the file name.

Service Leader: 
Reverend Shelley Page
Worship Associate: 
Jim Moir

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