applewuud
Active Member
Is anyone interested in a summer sermon discussion group in this forum? My church doesn't hold services in the summer, so I'm interested in seeing what might be posted online that we can discuss here in RF.
Here's a link to a service featuring Rev. Victoria Safford, on streaming video:
http://s2.netro.ca/uuasscod/2073.wmv
Her sermon starts at 49:15 into the service.
Some background to put this in context, especially if you're not UU: "The Service of the Living Tradition" is held at the General Assembly (GA) of the UUA, an annual convention of the Unitarian-Universalists from all over the U.S. This service, and its sermon, focuses on ministers: memorializing those who have died, thanking those who've retired, honoring those who are receiving full fellowship (a kind of graduation ceremony, in a sense), and welcoming the students who are entering preliminary fellowship. (This is what's going on in the first 49 minutes of the video.)
As for the sermon itself, you should know that the GA was held at a convention center within the boundary of the port of Ft. Lauderdale. The port is administered by Homeland Security, so everyone driving in had to stop at a gate and show a driver's license or other government I.D., which angered a lot of UUs (especially ministers who are fighting for the rights of undocumented workers). Rev. Safford addresses this issue, although it's not the point of the sermon.
The point is, it seems to me, that individuals are defined by our relationships, the covenants we keep..."whose" we are. Inherent worth is a gift, not an achievement. That seems to be the heart of her message, but she covers a lot of ground in about 19 minutes. I'm interested in your reactions and ideas.
Here's a link to a service featuring Rev. Victoria Safford, on streaming video:
http://s2.netro.ca/uuasscod/2073.wmv
Her sermon starts at 49:15 into the service.
Some background to put this in context, especially if you're not UU: "The Service of the Living Tradition" is held at the General Assembly (GA) of the UUA, an annual convention of the Unitarian-Universalists from all over the U.S. This service, and its sermon, focuses on ministers: memorializing those who have died, thanking those who've retired, honoring those who are receiving full fellowship (a kind of graduation ceremony, in a sense), and welcoming the students who are entering preliminary fellowship. (This is what's going on in the first 49 minutes of the video.)
As for the sermon itself, you should know that the GA was held at a convention center within the boundary of the port of Ft. Lauderdale. The port is administered by Homeland Security, so everyone driving in had to stop at a gate and show a driver's license or other government I.D., which angered a lot of UUs (especially ministers who are fighting for the rights of undocumented workers). Rev. Safford addresses this issue, although it's not the point of the sermon.
The point is, it seems to me, that individuals are defined by our relationships, the covenants we keep..."whose" we are. Inherent worth is a gift, not an achievement. That seems to be the heart of her message, but she covers a lot of ground in about 19 minutes. I'm interested in your reactions and ideas.