Speaker:- Maria Hayward
Worship Leader:- Rachel Mackintosh

This talk will discuss the language of reverence – what this means and what non-racist, non-sexist and queer-friendly language might look like. Connections are made to the UU values of transformation, plurality, interdependence, generosity and of course, love.

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Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.

Maria Hayward © 13 April 2025

Our values and the language of reverence

I’d like to start with the UU value of transformation. Language changes or transforms. We invent new words all the time, or we use words differently. A simple example of a word used differently is the word ‘cool’, which mostly doesn’t have anything to do with temperature. ‘Cool’ has stayed in fashion for a long time, but apparently even this word now is dated, and teenagers instead might use: ‘slay’, ‘rizz’ (short for charisma), and there’s the kiwi ‘chur’ which means something like: ok or thank you. Society, too, changes: our understandings may grow – as Unitarians they should with our continuous search for truth and transformation. As part of this growth process, changes in attitudes occur and language that might once have been acceptable – might become unacceptable.

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Ruby Johnson

The ocean is an object of both wonder and fear. Its rhythm clears the mind and soothes jangled nerves. But underneath its glassy surface, whole ecosystems go about the business of eating and being eaten. What can this contradiction tell us about the nature of being human

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Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.

Worship Leader:- Barbara Thomborson
Leader for Dances of Universal Peace:- Laurie Ross

Autumn equinox marks a day or two of equal amounts of daylight before nights are longer. What are the implications for us? What does ‘neopagan’ mean? An interactive Service. Laurie Ross to lead in 2 Dances of Universal Peace.

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Barbara Thomborson © 23 March 2025

Merry meet and blessed be! This is how many neopagans greet each other. Before getting into neopaganism, let’s look at some basics of autumn equinox.

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Ruby Johnson

Today’s service is an introduction to the works of Alan Watts, a British-American writer and philosopher who worked to interpret Hinduism, Buddhism, and Daoism for Western audiences. I first encountered Watts’ completely by accident. I was listening to a selection of calming, meditative music on youtube and a compelling voice came on and began talking very matter-of-factly about some very strange but intriguing spiritual ideas. I wasn’t quite sure what to think. It always pays to be suspicious of people who talk a load of pseudo-mystical nonsense in a very confident fashion – it’s the perfect recipe for a cult leader. It turned out that Alan Watts wasn’t a cult leader, but did get up to all the mischief you might expect of a mid-20th century Californian hippie. He lived for some time in a commune, had three wives (though not all at once), fathered seven children, and used psychedelic drugs. So all in all, exactly my kind of person. I’ve enjoyed Alan’s spiritual insights, and I hope you will too.

No recording this week.

Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Rachel Mackintosh

Video to come

Audio to come

Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.

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Rachel Mackintosh © 9 March 2025

Please take a moment to close your eyes and breathe.

Breathe in the possibility of tomorrow

Breath out what is done.

In our wedding vows, Clay and I said to each other, “I love you with all I am and hope to be. I promise to be with you as you are and as you will be.”

As we will be is not as we are. Everything changes us.

And change is loss.

Speaker:- Daniel Kanter
Worship Leader:- Viv Allen

Daniel Kanter is senior minister of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, one of the largest UU churches in the USA, and author of the book, Faith for the Unbeliever.

In this second talk for us during his sabbatical visit to Aotearoa New Zealand, he will share his views on Unitarian Universalism in India, based on his recent visit to India as part of his sabbatical.

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No text this week

Meditation / Conversation starter

• What is the quality of your spiritual life?

Speaker:- Daniel Kanter
Worship Leader:- Shirin Caldwell

Daniel Kanter is senior minister of the First Unitarian Church of Dallas, one of the largest UU churches in the USA, and author of the book, Faith for the Unbeliever. He is visiting Aotearoa New Zealand as part of his sabbatical. In this talk, he will share his views on what being a Unitarian Universalist means to him.

Video to come

Audio to come

No text this week

Meditation / Conversation starter

• Many of us had our early experiences in different churches; but have chosen to join this church. What influenced your choice to come to the Auckland Unitarian Church either as a member or a visitor?

Links

Opening Words:- include “What is Success?” by Ralph Waldo Emerson

Chalice Lighting:- “Different Yet United” by Pat Uribe-Lichty

Reading:- “Don’t Hesitate” by Mary Oliver

Closing Words:- “As we go forward” by Cheryl Block

Speaker & Worship Leader:- Alix Geard

Stories, parables and memes show us patterns which we may choose to live by. In ways big and small they can set the courses of our lives and help define the groups who share them. Considering that, what stories do we want to share?

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Alix Geard © 16 February 2025

About stories

You’re going to get my musings in 2 different sections with 2 different flavours today.

Today, I want to talk about stories.

This means, a little sadly, that I’m mostly not going to tell stories, certainly not with the poetry and resonance some of them deserve. When I do speak of specific stories I’ll summarise them.