A Month of Sundays - 2001 Worship Services
December 2,
9:30 & 11:15a.m.
Carole Eagleheart, "What Was
Solomon's
Secret?" How do we find the wisdom we need to live in these challenging
times? Solomon was considered the wisest person of his day. In a
service filled with music, UU troubadour Carole Eagleheart explores the
secret of Solomon, and how it can help us tap into our own inner wisdom and
live as wise women and men.
December 9,
9:30 & 11:15a.m.
Mary K. Isaacs, “Let Us Be IllUUminated!” In this intergenerational
service, we will explore the new UU holiday, IllUUmination. The Little
Rock, Ark. UU church created IllUUmination eight years ago in response to a
child's question, "What do WE celebrate?" Their answer: the
chalice, celebrated in feasting, decorations, worship, singing, and lots of
flames.
December 16,
9:30 & 11:15 am.
Rev. Chuck Freeman, "Going With The Season." Winter brings
changes in the cycle of light and weather, in addition to the activity of
plants and animals. We may have a tendency to fight these
shifts. What are the benefits of going with the season and listening
to the wisdom of the earth?
December 23,
9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
"Winter Holidays Now and Then." Members of our Live Oak
family, Hella Holoubek, Loretta Sedlock and Subhash Pal, will share
childhood memories of winter holidays from a variety of religious and
cultural traditions. They will reflect on the importance of these
traditions in their lives and how they have carried on and/or reshaped the
traditions of their ancestors.
December 24, 7
pm. Rev. Chuck
Freeman, "Chuckie's My Grandson !" This is
the acclamation my Grandpa Freeman made to everyone he saw at my
college graduation. The birth of Jesus evoked even greater attention.
Come revel in the far-reaching effects of affirmation in the life of a child. The
Mundi Ensemble will perform special music. THIS IS AN
INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICE.
ABOUT
OUR GUEST SPEAKERS …
Carole Eagleheart
is a Unitarian Universalist from Vermont who spends nine months of the year
traveling across the country doing concerts and leading workshops and
services. She has won international renown as a songwriter, and has
released five albums of original music. Carole is a member of the Seneca
Indian Wolf Clan Teaching Lodge, working to help people live in harmony on
the earth.
Rabbi
Monty Eliasov
finds a religious book can bind people together because of its emphasis on
what is essentially humanistic: our need to be thankful for the gifts of
life, to be in immediate relationship with a God accessible only beyond our
immediate senses, to mourn our deepest losses, to marvel at nature, and to
understand evil. As usual Rabbi Monty will include easy-to-learn songs
from a literary source that has long influenced liturgies in both the
synagogue and the church. Shalom and Merry Christmas!
Dec 2: Gary Schumann
Dec 9: Alice Sessions
Dec 16: Daniel Kaulfus
Dec 23: Tere Kaulfus
Dec 30: Roger Sessions
November 2001
December 30,
9:30 & 11:15 am. Rabbi
Monty Eliasov, "Psalms, Praises and Prayers" Rabbi Monty, with
the Heart of Texas Havurah, will share his enthusiasm in discovering the joys
of studying, meditating on, and extrapolating verses from the Biblical Book of
Psalms.
November 4,
9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "A UU Eucharist."
Gather and see your Minister in a dress! (Robe) Along with Acolyte James
Hamilton, we will celebrate a version of communion that derives its roots
in Pagan, Jewish, and Christian traditions.
November 11, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck
Freeman, "Two Nations In The Womb: Randomly Weaved Thoughts on September
11." The dual nature of humanity is acknowledged in the book
of Genesis as Rebekah's twins struggled in her womb. The Lord told her,
"Two nations are in your womb...and they shall be divided." Is
the human family doomed to continue on the course of divisiveness?
November 18, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Alice Sessions, “The Ethics of
Biotechnology.” The new developments in biotechnology have brought great
promise and great potential for abuse. Member Alice Sessions will discuss
biotechnology’s impact on our lives and how we Unitarian Universalists can
live our values in this brave, new world.
November 25, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.
John Bradford, “Spiritual Journey of a Pilgrim Church.” As the
pilgrims moved from place to place in their quest to build a New Jerusalem, they
met with many setbacks.
The compromises they made to keep the dream alive changed them and their dream.
Without the journey,
without the adversity, would these people have been worth celebrating?
October 2001
October 7, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Zeeshan Ali, "The
Religion of Peace" Islam, is the religion of "peace", as it was
brought to all mankind by Prophet Muhammad. The Holy Quran declares there's no
compulsion in religion". We'll focus on the emphasis on the love of
humanity, and spirituality in Islam. We'll touch on Sufism, the
"Heart" of Islam, and its role in defining man's relationship with the
Supreme Creator/God as is found in Rumi's poetry. And we'll stress the need to
draw a line between moderate, traditional Islam and extremism.
October 14, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman,
"Therapy as Evangelism" One or both of these words may be "dirty
words" to you. However, each of them if done well, is about integrating our
values into the deepest recesses of the personality; living them in our daily
relationships. Come hear how the "Great Commission" of Jesus and
Psychotherapy dovetail.
October 21, 9:30 & 11:15 am. Martin Bryant,
"Devotion" On a recent trip to Saudi Arabia, Martin witnessed the
cultural dedication to Islam which is one of the defining characteristics of
that nation. He was particularly struck by the deep devotion of these Muslims,
as a people and as individuals. Martin will share his thoughts on the spiritual
value of devotion, and contemplate whether Unitarian Universalists would benefit
by practicing greater devotion in their spiritual lives.
October 28, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "The
Intimacy of Prayer" Deep conversation concerning the challenges and
heartaches of life is healing. Formal prayer calls forth a dimension which is
powerful and transforming beyond words. Chuck will have a pastoral conversation
with a Live Oak member followed by a prayer with them. We will then consider
through discussion the character of each encounter.
EARLY SERVICE LAY LEADERS
Lay leaders for the early service:
Oct 7: Daniel Kaulfus
Oct 14: Alice Sessions
Oct 21: Gary Schumann
Oct 28: Tere Kaulfus
About Our Guest Speakers
Zeeshan Ali, 33, earned his undergraduate degree from
University of Dhaka, Bangladesh and came to New Orleans, LA in 1994 for
higher studies. He obtained an MA in Economics from University of New
Orleans in 1996. He received an MS in 1999, from the Department of
Economics, UT Austin, where he is currently a PhD candidate (ABD). He
has also been employed as an Assistant Instructor of Economics at UT
since Fall 2000. In personal life, Zeeshan is interested in religion and
mysticism. He is a student, of the renowned Islamic Scholar and Sufi
Master Shaykh Muhammad Hisham Kabbani, in the 1400 year-old traditional
Naqshbandi Order of Sufis. Zeeshan is married and is a father of two.
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September 2001
September 2, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman,
"Where Will The Good People Go? We admire contemporary religious teachers
like the Dalai Lama who practice non-violence. Yet, how far can this principle
stretch? If the spiritually sensitive live exclusively by non-violence, and
bullies are left unchecked in their aggression; where will the good people live?
September 9, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Come celebrate "Laugh
Eternal", as First UU members Debbie Groves, George Denny, and Ann
Edwards present a morning of 'Humor & Drama'. We promise to poke fun at
as many religious icons as possible, including Elvis, a Shrub God, the Babel
Towers construction project, and many more. The service includes material by Tom
Lehr, David Ives, Rev. Chris Raibel, Swami Beyondanada and other wise
posteriors. Be there or Be Square!
September 16, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Patricia Speier, The Seton
Cove, "Spirituality and Imagination" Imagination is one of our
spiritual senses. When we fail to engage it we risk living in a one-dimensional
world. Poets often act as the shamans of our culture and can show us how images
can inform our spiritual life. THE FALL RE PROGRAM BEGINS DURING THIS SERVICE.
September 23, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "A
Hymn Is Born" We will hear the personal stories which gave birth to well
known Protestant and UU Hymns; singing them anew together. In this service, we
will offer gratitude to Bobbie Hamilton for her service in Religious Education
and welcome Mary K. Isaacs as our new Director.
September 30, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Jonalu Johnstone,
"More Than the Message: Making Room for Others" The greatest
evangelicals in the history of Unitarian Universalism were the 19th century
Universalist circuit riders whose efforts made Universalism the third largest
denomination in the country. What happened? What can we learn from them about
creating sustainable growth for our churches and our movement? NEW MEMBERS WILL
BE DEDICATED AT THIS SERVICE
About Our Guest Speakers
Jonalu Johnstone is a Unitarian Universalist minister
employed by the Southwest District as a Growth Consultant to churches,
and Consulting Minister for the Channing UU Church in Edmond, OK. A
graduate of Harvard Divinity School and ordained by the UU Fellowship
of Greater Cumberland (MD), she previously served as founding minister
of the James Reeb UU Congregation in Madison, Wisconsin. Before
becoming a minister, she worked in mental health and special
education. Both she and her partner of 15 years, Jane Powell, have
family in Oklahoma, one of the primary reasons they are happy to be in
the southwest.
Patricia Speier, MA, MAR, is Executive Director of the Seton
Cove. She is a spiritual director and teacher who specializes in the
use of literature and writing for spiritual growth and ethical
development. She is a graduate of the Episcopal Theological Seminary
of the Southwest and has studied spirituality in the Pecos Benedictine
Monastery in New Mexico. She received her Certificate of Completion in
Spiritual Direction from the Benedictine Monastery of the Risen Christ
in California.
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August 2001
August 5, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Barbara Taft and Abraham Davidson,
"Where Is Peace" (a musical service). Humanity's quest for peace has
alternately focused on the promise of an external political peace still hoped
for and an inner tranquillity said to be always available. Barbara and Abraham
will explore both avenues in songs arising out of their commitment to a just and
peaceful world.
August 12, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "The
Only Honest Conclusion" Agnostics are those who admit that they cannot know
ultimate truth. We trust our experiences, but can we know that they represent
universal reality? At the end of the day, authenticity compels us to say,
"I don't know."
August 19, 9:30 & 11:15 am. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "Water
and Spirit" We will celebrate our annual Water Communion, acknowledging
that water and spirit connects us at all times and places. BRING THE WATER YOU
COLLECTED ON YOUR TRAVELS THIS SUMMER.
August 26, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. INTERGENERATIONAL SERVICE The
Live Oak children will present Dr. Seuss's "The Sneetches". This is a
story about the inherent worth and dignity of everyone, whether star-bellied or
plain-bellied. Special music by Rebecca Maze and the children's choir.
July 2001
July 1, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Dr. Steve Larson, "The Christ
Connection." The sermon is about how the body, mind, and spirit of Christ
are bigger than denomination, ideology, and any one person. It is about how the
world yearns for this connection.
July 8, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. John Connor, "THE GOLD IN THE
WOUND: What I Found on My "Meaning of Life" Journey" Six years
ago, John suffered a tragedy that led him and his wife to go on what they called
a "Meaning of Life" trip. They spent several weeks traveling around
the West, asking anyone they met, "What is the meaning or purpose of your
life?" They asked everyone from a restaurant counter attendants, to
spiritual mentors. Finally, someone said, "John, I'd like to tell you what
I think YOUR purpose is.."
July 15, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "Your Family's
Real Religion" When we are asked to identify our family religion most
people answer with some denominational label. In reality, our true religion is
something much more common and pedestrian. Employing his family story, Chuck
will highlight indicators which disclose your family's real religion.
July 22, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Frank Schulman, "The Price of
Truth." We talk about the search for truth and we believe truth is found in
many places. We see it in the religions of the world, and in the sciences and
humanities. We find truth in human struggles and in our hopes and dreams and
visions. Some think Unitarian Universalism is easy, in which one can believe
anything or nothing at all. That is not so. Religion can be casual and
thoughtless, but it should not be, because the price of truth is high. If you
want truth you must pay for it. There are four prices.
July 29, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.. Mary K. Isaacs and Kathleen Bryant, "Ch-Ch-Ch-Ch-Changes:
Turn and Face the Strain" Of all the rites of passage, the one our culture
does worst (usually by doing nothing) is the transition from youth to young
adulthood. Coming of age rituals through time have served essential functions:
assisting youth toward adulthood, recognizing their unique gifts, and formally,
publicly welcoming them to the adult world. Some kind of recognition of
maturation is so important that, deprived of a community-based process, youth
define or create their own rites of passage, not always with constructive
results. But, as David Bowie says, "They're quite aware of what they're
going through." And awareness is the key. Mary K. and Kathleen will discuss
coming of age in America today, how adults lose out by not paying attention to
this critical time in their children's lives (in other words, we all lose), and
how together we can move toward more inclusivity, consciousness, and joy.
Martin, Mignon, and Will Bryant also will contribute Isaacs-Bryant Family
singing.
About Our Guest Speakers
The Reverend Frank Schulman is a retired Unitarian
Universalist minister, now serving the Huntsville UU Fellowship on a
part-time basis. He is Minister Emeritus of Emerson Unitarian Church in
Houston, where he served as minister for 25 years. He has also served
churches in Massachusetts, Ohio, and England. Rev. Schulman is an
Emeritus Fellow of Oxford University, where he taught, supervised the
training of divinity students, and served on the University's Faculty of
Theology, the first Unitarian to do so in their 1,000-year history. In
addition to his four degrees from Oxford, he has also received degrees
from the University of Oklahoma, Harvard, and Meadville Theological
Seminary. His main work has been in church history, and Rev. Schulman
has published books on Emerson, two on English Unitarian history, and
several smaller works on Unitarianism and assorted topics. Rev. Schulman
is married, with four grown children and several grandchildren. He
currently resides in The Woodlands, Texas.
Dr. Steve Larson is identified as a Marriage and Family
Therapist and a Lutheran Clergy person. He has served in ministry of
various types in Ft. Worth, Dallas, Berkeley, CA and Austin. He has had
an interesting history working with homeless and the incarcerated and
adjudicated. He is currently working on a team that is developing a
therapy intervention process for felons. Steve is married and the father
of three females.
John Connor spoke to us at Live Oak in January on "The
Spiritual Danger of Perfectionism". His varied professional -- and
unprofessional -- "incarnations" include: owning a customer
service evaluation business, touring as a comedian, hosting a radio
show, attending seminary, chanting inside the King's Chamber in the
Great Pyramid at Giza, escaping rock-throwing Palestinians in the West
Bank, and traveling to China to adopt two wonderful daughters. |
June 2001
June 3, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. John Dinsmore, "Buddhist
Activism in Austin" Buddhism equates wisdom and compassion. Accordingly it
has been said that all Buddhism is engaged. Many Austin Buddhists have learned
the unity of inner, spiritual work and outer, socially engaged work, and have
come to realize how each one of us is responsible for everything.
June 10, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Janelle Curlin-Taylor and Joy Scott,
"Racial Reconciliation: Is Normal Life Possible?" From Theodore Parker
and William Ellery Channing to James Reeb to Mark Morrison-Reed, Unitarian
Universalists have written, preached, marched and died for social justice. Yet
how multicultural are their normal lives? What must we know about each other,
what time must we spend together, in order to lead the way to reconciliation?
How shall we live peacefully together in a violent world? Janelle Curlin-Taylor
and Joy Scott are ministers at Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal Church
in East Austin.
June 17, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "Father
Everlasting" Whether our fathers are deceased or living they are with us
always. In fact, the role of father seems to be ingrained into the human soul. A
good father has the worth of gold. However, if we have an absent, distant, or
abusive dad, how do we find or revision fathering?
June 24, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman,
"Classic, Instant, and New Age Karma" Everywhere you turn these days
someone is citing karma to explain the "why" of events. From murder to
hangnails karma is the answer. How did the doctrine of karma originate? What is
it? Is karma the one stop explanation for why life turns out as it does?
About Our Guest Speakers
John Dinsmore John came to Zen Buddhist practice after moving
to Austin and has become active at the Austin Zen Center and in the
Buddhist Peace Fellowship. After an academic career in linguistics and
artificial intelligence, he now works as a software engineer.
Janelle Curlin-Taylor, M.Div., LMFT, was called into the
ministry after a number of years as a research scientist and instructor
at the University of California at Davis, where she received her
doctoral degree in 1986. She studied Marriage and Family Therapy at the
University of San Francisco and is a Licensed Marriage and Family
Therapist (California and Texas). Janelle received her Master of
Divinity from the Pacific School of Religion in Berkeley, California.
She was a founding member of the Pastoral Counseling Center at the
Unitarian Church of Davis, California, and served on the UUA Pacific
Central District's Task Force on Community Ministry.
Spirituality and psychotherapy are natural companions on the grief
journey in her work with clients at the Samaritan Center here in Austin.
She describes herself as a scientist who fell in love with God. Healing
one's religious past and reconnecting with spiritual community are
special areas of interest in her ministry. Additionally, she is an
Assistant Minister at Metropolitan African Methodist Episcopal (AME)
Church, where she is working with the church leadership to create a
Samaritan Center satellite in East Austin (Samaritan East).
Joy Scott is also a minister at Metropolitan AME Church. She
will speak on "How do we live peacefully and bring reconciliation
in a violent world?" Minister Scott found herself called to a
ministry of healing and evangelism as a disciple of Jesus Christ. She is
currently pursuing a Master of Divinity degree at the Episcopal
Theological Seminary of the Southwest here in Austin. |
May 2001
May 6, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. "Singing in the Spring"- The
Live Oak Choir will present a service of songs, poetry, and readings which
welcome the coming of spring and summer. They will be singing at both services,
accompanied by pianist Karl Logue.
May 13, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "In The
Days Before Hallmark" Previous to Mother's Day becoming a sentimental day
of commercialism, it was a time set aside for women across the globe to speak
out for peace. The originator of this festival was a Unitarian, Julia Ward Howe.
Join us for a trek back to this beginning. The children will make symbols of
peace in their classes and join us after the service to present them and gather
in song.
May 20, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "Does
Everything Have To Be Spiritual?!" There are some days, seasons, and
perhaps years of our life in which holding on for dear life is the best we can
muster. We can discount these moments by spiritualizing them. Some people are so
heavenly minded they are of no earthly good! NEW MEMBERS will be DEDICATED
during this service.
May 27, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Dr. Robert Peake. Dr. Peake will
speak about Paul Tillich, 20th century philosopher-theologian.
April 2001
April 1, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "Jello Without A
Mold" With the proliferation of eastern religions in the U.S. it has become
popular to sound religious by bashing the ego. Have these parrots considered
what a human would be like without an ego?! In this full-scale defense of the
ego, Chuck will articulate why we need one, and it's place in the spectrum of
consciousness. Members are encouraged to bring a Jello delight in their favorite
mold.
April 9, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Pamela Kingfisher, Executive Director
of the Indigenous Women's Network will be speaking to us about expressing our
spirituality in our every day work by giving examples of the work of the IWN and
Alma de Mujer Learning and Retreat Center.
April 15, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "A Flower's
Tax Break Plan" In this karmic confluence of tax day and the resurrection
rite of spring we will contrast the flower's tax structure with that of a
government. Our community will celebrate the UUnique ritual, "Flower
Communion." Each congregant will BRING A FLOWER to be exchanged as the
defining moment of the service. BOTH SERVICES ARE INTERGENERATIONAL. CHILDREN
WILL BE IN THE SANCTUARY FOR THE ENTIRE SERVICE.
April 22, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. "Spiritual Journeys" This
program returns, with members Carolyn Dower and Gary Schuman relating the paths
that they have taken to bring them to their current spiritual home. The program
will be special because it will be a sharing from the heart.
April 29, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Frances Nail "accidentally"
wrote her first book at age 70. She is now about to publish her third. Her
stories have been published in Austin and Houston newspapers and she is
regularly reads her work as a guest on KUT radio's show, Eklektikos. While
Frances shares her stories, her granddaughter, Carrie Luz Rodriguez, will
perform on violin. Carrie Luz is a recent graduate of the Berklee College of
Music in Boston.
About our Guest Speakers
Carolyn Dower, and her husband Bill, moved from St. Paul three
years ago and started coming to Live Oak soon after that. Carolyn says
that she doesn't like Texas politics, but she likes Austin. She taught
Sunday School in the Episcopal Church for eight years, giving a
somewhat unorthodox twist to a few of the traditional Bible stories.
Children are Carolyn's passion and she is an advocate for all
children, as well as her own children, Ben (14) and Jenna (soon to be
13)
Gary Schumann, a new Live Oak member, will
describe his perilous path from a young Catholic altar boy who saw a
vision of the Virgin Mary, through the pits of his cynical
college-aged atheism, finally arriving at his middle-age Unitarian
acceptance of the interdependent web of all existence - with various
detours along the way
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March 2001
March 4, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Barbara Coeyman, "Forgiveness is
Possible: Expanding our Liberal Ethics" Chances are most people would
agree that forgiveness matters. Forgiving others and receiving forgiveness are
important for reconciliation after disagreements. But how do liberal religious
principles embrace forgiveness? What inspiration for forgiveness might we find
in liberal values and principles? How might we enhance yet more the importance
of forgiveness in our lives?
March 11, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "Is
Parenting Overrated?" There is a prevailing notion that we can mold our
children into who we want them to be. But, the little boogers seem to have a
native personality and mind of their own! Do we press harder, or do we back
way off? Finding the appropriate balance is an art form. In the end, how
responsible are parents for the way their kids turn out?
March 18, 9:30 & 11:15 am. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "The New
Rule for Drunks" Intoxication can be a metaphor for the spiritual life.
When we literalize drunkenness we miss the sacred dimension of "natural
highs." In conversation with several poems by Rumi, Chuck will ferment
these possibilities.
March 25, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Jon Durbin, "Why We Sainted
Emerson: Why We Shouldn't Have". To a little Unitarian history (Ralph
Waldo was a Unitarian, well before the merger), I will add what I hope are
some thought provoking comments on the impact both of Emerson and today's
Unitarian Universalist churches. And for those who do not think that UU
history is a dry subject, I would like to see if there is any interest in a UU
history study group. While it could take a traditional approach of learning
about our roots, Cindy Lennartson and I have been doing a little exploring of
local history so research and field trips are a definite possibility. Did you
know that there was a Universalist congregation in Elgin in the 1850s?
About Our Speakers
Jon Durbin - Jon was born a Unitarian and has long been active in
denominational affairs. Currently Live Oak treasurer, he also is Live Oak
& District Chalice Lighter Coordinator. His many past offices include
those of Southwest District President, Secretary and Extension Committee
Chairman. He and his wife Donna were 1999 SWUUSI co-directors.
Barbara Coeyman will graduate from Austin
Presbyterian Theological Seminary in May 2001. She is currently a candidate
for parish ministry in the UUA and a member First UU Church of Austin, where
she also serves as wedding and funeral associate. Starting in September 2001
she will be the interning minister at First Unitarian Church of Portland, OR,
the largest congregation in the UUA. Prior to entering ministry, Dr. Coeyman
was professor of music and also of women's studies at West Virginia
University.
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February 2001
February 4, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Joe Nesheim, "Joseph Campbell
and The Power of Myth" What are myths and why should we care about them?
Joseph Campbell has written several wonderful books showing how many similar
myths concerning creation, virgin birth, the quest for meaning, love, and life
after death have occurred in many diverse cultures. Knowing and understanding
these stories and participating in the rituals associated with them has helped
millions of people live richer lives. Joe will also discuss some of the myths
we employ to guide our lives in the U.S. today.
February 11, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "The
Last Laugh" As recorded in the book of Genesis, God had been promising
Abraham and Sarah a son for 25 years. When they both were on the doorstep of
100 years of age, the Lord told them their son was on the way. They both
laughed in God's face. When the kid got older God instructed Abraham to take
him to the mountain and sacrifice him. Come hear this harrowing tale of
intrigue, power, and mistrust. Who will get the last laugh?
February 18, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Grace Dreyer, "The Making of
a Miracle" Do you believe in miracles? Big M or little m? Intercessions
or random acts? Grace Dreyer, Live Oak UU member, ex-theology student and long
time Unitarian Universalist explores the whole debate on whether miracles
happen.
February 25, 9:30 & 11:15 am. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "Under
P.T. Barnum's Big Tent" One of the most enthusiastic evangelists for the
message of Universalism was none other than Phineas Taylor Barnum. Chuck will
dialogue with the pamphlet he authored and distributed at his shows, "Why
I Am a Universalist."
January 2001
Note: Chuck usually preaches two sermons per month. However, last
month he pontificated three times due to the illness of a scheduled speaker.
The Irreverend Freeman will return to the "main stage" twice in
February.
January 7, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m.. John Connor, "The Spiritual
Danger of Perfectionism" Many of us today feel pressure to somehow be
perfect in our professional and personal lives. This is a faulty core belief
about ourselves which -- instead of leading us to superior performance --
actually sabotages our efforts and guarantees failure. We will learn how to
identify perfectionist tendencies within ourselves, and demonstrate how
these internal standards trip us up and smother our self-worth. Finally,
John will demonstrate how to discover new and healthier standards to help us
grow in our spiritual, personal, and work lives.
January 14, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Sue Young, "Songs of the
Sacred Feminine" Singer/songwriter Sue Young will guide us through a
musical exploration of the feminine in spiritual traditions of the world.
Sue has been performing for over 20 years. An Austin resident since 1985,
she teaches Spanish at a Montessori school and sings at the Church of
Conscious Harmony when she isn't touring with her storytelling and/or music.
January 21, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Joe Nesheim, "Joseph
Campbell and The Power of Myth" What are myths and why should we care
about them? Joseph Campbell has written several wonderful books showing how
many similar myths concerning creation, virgin birth, the quest for meaning,
love, and life after death have occurred in many diverse cultures. Knowing
and understanding these stories and participating in the rituals associated
with them has helped millions of people live richer lives. Joe will also
discuss some of the myths we employ to guide our lives in the U.S. today.
January 28, 9:30 & 11:15 a.m. Rev. Chuck Freeman, "Those
Who Hear Gautama" In this meditative service we will be led by sayings
chosen from the "Dhammapada," an anthology of statements from
Buddha's teaching; a primary, ancient text. You will be invited to vision
the coming year in the prism of these scriptures.
Copyright
©2006, Live Oak Unitarian Universalist Church.