Sunday Services Archives 2008
August 2008
August 3: Craig Nagoshi, PHD
Religion/Spirituality and Psychological functioning
In spite of their importance in people's lives, religiosity and spirituality are understudied topics in psychology. The talk will present how religiosity and spirituality are measured in psychology. We will explore the relationship or these are connected to psychological health and social attitudes. Can a scientific approach understand religious phenomena?
August 10: Ellen Germann-Melosh
Living Our UU Principles
We base our faith on seven principles. They seem pretty reasonable. We will explore each principle and raise some questions about how easy they are to live every day.
August 17: Jessika Murphy
How Can I Keep From Singing?
All beings sing in their own way, even those whose voices are silent. Listen, as we enter the place where all is music.
August 24 : Dr. Bertha Manninen
Religious Ethics
Dr. Manninen is a professor of integrated studies and will speak on applied ethics.
August 31: Terry Sims
Life for the Rest of Us
We so like a winner, don't we? We seek and expect the best. Today I want to explore some concerns I have about that human tendency, and what religious implications it might have.
July 2008
July 6 - Dr. Michael Winkelman
“Shamanism & Spirituality, Yesterday & Today”
July 13 - Dr. Elaine K. Yoshikowa
"Virtue Ethics and the Significance of Vitrue"
Dr. Elaine K. Yoshikowa, Faculty of Humanities and Arts, ASU will discuss Aristotle's "Vitue Ethics and the Significance of Virtue" especially within the Christian Tradition followed by a consideration of the claim from the Christian and Buddhist Traditions that virtue is required for both psycho-spiritual transformation and a life of human flourishing.
July 20 - Dr. Yury Shimansky
"Science and the Human Need to Have Faith in God"
Theory of human ability to learn is a source of scientific justification for a neccessity to have faith in God.
July 27 - Rev. Paul Langston-Daley
"What I Learned from the Dalai Lama"
Rev. Langston Daley will share his insights based on first hand teachings he has been receiving from His Holiness the Fourteenth Dalai Lama this year
June 2008
June 1 - Terry Mead
“What Should UU's Ask Themselves About the Immigration Debate?”
The face of immigration is the face of poverty. For millennia the poor have been discriminated against and abused - financially, physically and emotionally. Arizona hopes that by criminalizing and applying punishments to immigrants' attempts to make a living that the "immigration problem" will be "solved".. . . but that ignores that we're dealing with people - who aspire suffer, love, worship, have children, etc. What can be done: and what will U.U.s do?
June 8 - Bronwynn Torgerson
"Midsummer: Balancing the Darkness and the Light"
In this hectic solar time before Summer Solstice, we look ahead to gradually easing into the lunar time of introspection. Bronwynn will offer information on some traditional Midsummer's customs, as well as guiding an exercise for a Seasonal Insights Profile, as we stop rushing for a moment and practice reflection. An interactive desert Sun fable will be featured as the 'story for all ages', and special music will be provided by balladeer Wyllow Ravenscroft.
June 15 - Dr. Michael Winkelman
"Biological Origins of Religious and Mystical Experience"
This talk addresses how our religious capacities evolved, and why.
June 22 - Dr. Charles Barfoot
"Women in Religion"
Confessions of a Liberal Evangelical Universalist.
June 29 - Dr. Kevin McGraw
"The Evolution of Religion"
I will begin by discussing the set of likely reasons why humans originally believed in a God or gods, and how many of these reasons have become outdated due to science.
May 2008
May 4 - Tom Marbois - Hospice Chaplain
“Matters of Life and Death”
Using patient stories, humor, and personal reflections, Tom will help us look at life's end in new and helpful ways. He will address questions such as: How can we as a church community help those who are dealing with end of life issues? What can we learn from the dying that will help us lead better lives? How can we prepare for our own death or the death of others who are close to us?
May 11 - Randy Nowell
“Are You My Mother?”
Randy will explore views on mothers, motherhood, and women from the perspective of three or four major world religions. He will then relate these views to his early memories of his own mother, and ask us to think about the word "Mother" as a verb.
May 18 - Rev. Dr. Charles A. Gaines
"Apostlehood"
This sermon returns to a theme I first preached on when I introduced myself to you some twenty months ago. It is about an inspiring film I saw a few years ago; one that conveys several ideas about how churches, especially smaller ones, can grow. It is a sort of farewell after these months. This year I have been less visible to you, but still, you have been in my arena of responsibility and awareness, as well as in my heart.
May 25 - Dave Black
"Two Passions, Passing Beyond"
As ancient as the human soul and as contemporary as this morning, these fundamental activities lift us into the spirituality of our bodies and our souls, bringing healing and renewal. A personal journey.
April 2008
April 6 - Terry Robinson and Randy Nowell
“Hanamatsuri: Buddha's Birthday”
Terry Robinson will attempt to explain the westernized type of UU Buddhism. Reverend Randy Nowell, our resident Buddhist Priest, will tell the story for all ages and conduct the ceremony of Hanamatsuri "Flower Festival" celebrating Buddha's birthday. Bring small flowers or flower petals to drop on the Buddha along with a dipper of sweet tea in the tradition of Hanamatsuri. A splendid time is guaranteed for all!
April 13 - Rev. Carol Ricketts
“It is Finished”
A look at living in the present. One of Jesus' last 7 phrases begins a philosophical look at closure. Only after letting go of the past can life be lived in the moment and to the fullest.
April 20 - Terry Robinson Our Ministerial Intern
"Persia's Gift to Humanity"
Iran has an extremely long history. Long before Alexander the Great, it was a thriving and fairly just society. A lot of that sense of righteousness and fairness was due to its religion. It has farly simple tenets of "Good thought, good words, good deeds AND be like God - do good and oppose evil. Really, what more could you ask? Could UU'ism be the modern offshoot of this still existent ancient religion?
April 27 - Jim Reay
"Playing With the Italians"
Have you ever stood up for an ethical issue, even when your actions risked the disapproval of those you love and respect? Listen to some personal tales of courage and a UU award-winning sermone read by Jim Reay that challenges us to "do the right thing."
March 2008
Sunday, March 2, 2008, Rebecca Glenn, Scottsdale Congregational Church of Christ “Cross Walk Across America”
On Easter Sunday 2006, six ordinary people left their homes, jobs, and families for a journey on foot into the heart of America, from Phoenix to Washington, D.C. Against the backdrop of increasing intolerance from the Christian right, they spread a message of compassion and inclusion. Rebecca Glenn will relate her own personal experience on this walk. After the service and after the fellowship hour the movie "Asphalt Gospel" will be shown.
Sunday, March 9, 2008, Karla Brockie, Candidate for UU Ministry “What Would UU Do, Jesus?”
Who is this legend, and what meaning does his story offer to modern-day Unitarian Universalists? Let us investigate the man, the message, and the context of our liberal faith. Atheists, Christians, and all other varieties of Unitarian Universalists and friends are invited to ponder together. (Karla recently completed a ministerial internship at Valley UU in Chandler, AZ, and she is a member and the former DRE of the UU Congregation of NW Tucson.)
Sunday, March 16, 2008, Terry Robinson, Our Ministerial Intern , GREEN WITH GOLD
St Patrick’s Day has a great deal more to the secular/and/or religious content of it than is commonly known. A fascinating story about the Roman Church, Paganism, the Druids, and Saint Patrick that you won’t want to miss.
Sunday. March 23, 2008, Terry Robinson, Our Ministerial Intern, RESURRECTION
We are at the 60th year anniversary of a most historic event in the history of man. Should we take its lessons to heart and fully implement its tenets (Resurrection), or do we continue to let its values and ideals slip into oblivion. And what of our own acceptance of others ideals and individual spiritual quests? How important are they to our own and civilizations survival? If we have time, I hope we can have a congregational reflection. It should prove stimulating to say the least!
Sunday, March 30, 2008, Terry Robinson, Our Ministerial Intern, “Silver Streak: Our Forgotten Fathers”
“Honor thy father and mother: that thy days may be long upon the land which the lord thy God has made.” (Exodus 20:12 KJV). We will explore the position and importance of non resident fathers for their children in our society and why we need to be concerned about the trends and attitudes of the last few decades. We will also examine the reasons for these trends and what we may want to try to do about them.
February 2008
Feb 3 - Rabbi Abrams - Wisdom of the Rabbis
After the end of the Priestly class in the year 70 b.c., the Rabbinic Period took hold. The Rabbis who are teachers developed Post Biblical Judaism and adjusted the traditions and laws to meet the needs of the times. The Rabbinic Period also saw the emergence and development of the Synagogue, common worship, and Diaspora Judaism. Christianity also emerged and also was founded upon Biblical Judaism. Rabbi Abrams will present some of the philosophy and thoughts from this period, which helped to form modern Judaism.
Feb 10 - Terry Robinson - LOVE, LOVE,LOVE
St. Valentine's Day often brings out the romantic in the most reserved of us. There is a great deal more to LOVE than that somewhat syrupy superficial aspect. Much more... come explore with us all the multifaceted kaleidoscope of love (and marriage) with its most varied applications in the complexities of human understandings and relationships. Frank talk about the sexual aspects will also be discussed, so parental discretion is advised as well as to those who may be skittish about this subject.
Feb 17 - Bronwynn Torgerson - Work is a Four-Letter Word
She will explore how work impacts our culture and defines our lives. Is our job our work, and how can we rise above it?
Feb 24 - Rev. Charles Gaines - An Open Letter to the Ministerial Search Committee
For some six years in my ministry, I served as Ministerial Settlement Director at the UUA. I worked with both ministers and congregations. During that time, I helped to settle some two hundred and fifty ministers. While many of the procedures for finding a minister have changed, some overview of the process hasn't. The sermon will not only speak to search committee members, but also to the congregation, since what I shall say has much to do with the entire membership as with the committee.
January 2008
Jan 6 - Rev. Charles Gaines
Rev. Gaines reports that he is not a connoisseur of fine wines, but he is a student of history. So on this first Sunday of a new year, still early in a new century, he has selected "The Vintage Year" for the last century. His sermon will tell you why and how that perspective may put the ocming elecitons into a particular context.
Jan 13 - Ellen Germann-Melosh - "Playing Above What We Know"
Miles Davis urged his musicians to play what they knew and then to play above that. As we move through this 21st century, the curhches that will make a difference are those that can play what they know and then play above that. We will explore what this might mean for our Unitarian Universalist faith and congregations.
Jan 20 - Intern Minister Terry Robinson - "What Price Freedom"
My family was part of the Arizonans that marched for years to make this state finally create an official MLK Holiday. Arizona was #49 to do it. This service is about the Unitarians and Universalists who were an active force in the centuries long struggle to finally attain freedom via the Voting Rights Bill of 1965. This was for ALL the citizens of this country. We even have 2 UU martyrs to remember on this day. Come with us to remember our heroes and rededicate ourselves to continue advocating and being ever vigilant for the protection of those rights.
Jan 27 - Intern Minister Terry Robinson - "Dry Bones, Purchasing Decisions and ECO"
Nobody should be looking for selfish advantage, but everybody should be looking for someone else's" (1 Corinthians 10:24) We will examine the intricate web and connections between our material purchasing decisions, our religious values, and the goal of education to counter oppression and create just communities. "Common" knowledge is not enough. We will explore pushing the envelope to be much better informed consumers. Come; let us broaden our knowledge and horizons together.
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