with Rev. Clay Nelson, John DiLeo, Rachel Mackintosh
Audio to come
Audio to come.
Links
Performed by Doxology Vocal Ensemble
Christmas Eve 2021
Performed by Doxology Vocal Ensemble
Performed by Doxology Vocal Ensemble
Seeing is not believing; believing is seeing
with Rev. Clay Nelson
Read below, or download the PDF
Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.
Clay Nelson © 19 December 2021
I need to begin this musing with a warning to those who might be triggered by words like Jesus or Christianity. On the Sunday before Christmas, I give myself permission to express some of my thoughts and ideas about progressive Christianity, which are the foundation of my faith. My justification is that both of the denominations that make up Unitarian Universalism were progressive Christians before we had a term for it. While Unitarian Universalism no longer identifies only with Christianity, many of our members are progressive Christians or Christians without God as I like to call them. For those who are repelled by Christianity either because they have experienced toxic Christianity or count themselves amongst rationalists and humanists or follow another faith tradition they bring to the mix, I hope learning about the scholarship that has revealed a very different Christianity from what we normally see around us will be both enlightening and beneficial.
Continue reading Seeing is not believing; believing is seeingClimate Action Resources
How you can find out more about, and contribute to doing something about, the climate crisis?
The purpose of this list is to stimulate research / education / discussion / action.
Inclusion here does not necessarily signify endorsement by Auckland Unitarian Church.
Carbon Footprint Calculators
https://www.toitu.co.nz/what-we-offer/carbon-management
Gen Less – supported by EECA (the NZ Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority).
How to REDUCE your carbon footprint
Do One Thing – Climate Change
NZ Ministry for the Environment – What You Can Do
Continue reading Climate Action ResourcesPrivilege fuelled anger
with Rev. Clay Nelson
Read below, or download the PDF
Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.
Clay Nelson © 12 December 2021
In a recent opinion piece that engaged me, Kevin Norquay wrote in Stuff,
Continue reading Privilege fuelled angerInterfaith Celebration of Human Rights Day
On Wednesday evening, 8 December 2021 at 7.00pm,
Auckland Unitarians Peace and Social Justice Committee are hosting an Interfaith Celebration of Human Rights Day which is held annually on 10 December.
All are welcome and we encourage you to join a Zoom gathering for 60–75 minutes via the Zoom Link below.
Faith representatives include Rev Clay Nelson for Auckland Unitarians, and Hindu, Christian, Buddhist, Jewish, Maori-Bahai, Sikh, Islamic speakers, each of whom will present a five-minute sharing of how their faith expresses its commitment to human rights. The event relates to Article 18 of the United Nations’ Universal Declaration of Human Rights, which begins “Everyone has the right to freedom of thought, conscience and religion.”
‘this pale blue dot is the only home we’ve ever known‘ – Carl Sagan
2021 Service Auction – Virtual Covid Edition
Begins Sunday 5 December 2021
Ends with final ‘live’ (by Zoom) auction on
Saturday 11 December 2021 at 7.30 pm
Our church’s service auctions are the major fundraising events of the year.
Due to Covid restrictions, we haven’t been able to plan our usual in-church auction for 2021. That’s why for this year’s Covid edition, bidding for most items will take place by email over 5 days (from Sunday 5 December until Friday 10 December).
Follow this link to the catalogue of auction services and items, along with instructions on how to bid.
On Saturday evening 11 December, everyone will have an opportunity to socialise and place live bids on some select items by attending a live auction by Zoom starting at 7.30 pm.
Here is the link for joining our finale evening by Zoom:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/8949163748?pwd=eU4vaXhzRXZJNkd5c3JIVmliSm1pZz09
Meeting ID: 894 916 3748
Password: 12345
Welcome to Limbo. Please leave your certainties at the door
with Rev. Clay Nelson
Read below, or download the PDF
Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.
Clay Nelson © 5 December 2021
Buddha told a parable: A man was travelling across a field when he encountered a tiger. He began to run, and the tiger chased after him. Coming to a precipice, he slipped and was able to catch hold of the root of a wild strawberry bush, hanging in the air. The tiger sniffed at him from above. Trembling, the man looked down only to find that another tiger was waiting to eat him. He thought the bush could sustain him for a while, until he saw two mice gnawing away the vine. A tiger above, a tiger below. The man saw a ripe strawberry near him. Grabbing the vine with one hand, he plucked the strawberry with the other, and ate it. How sweet and delicious.
Continue reading Welcome to Limbo. Please leave your certainties at the doorWhat does freedom mean to you?
with Rev. Clay Nelson
Read below, or download the PDF
Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.
Clay Nelson © 28 November 2021
We are hearing a lot about freedom these days. Brian Tamaki holding “freedom” rallies in the Domain, violating his bail conditions in the name of personal freedom. Protestors marching down Queen Street in Auckland and gathering on the steps around Parliament in Wellington, angry about lockdowns and vaccine mandates. Farmers clogging motorways from Auckland to Dunedin with their tractors “howling” their objections to the government’s electric vehicle rebate policy. And that is just in New Zealand. Major protests throughout Europe against the reintroduction of restrictions in response to another wave of Covid. Even in the “Land of the free,” Trump encouraged insurrection against Congress in the name of “freedom.” Then there is the debate over whether people have the freedom to spread misinformation about Covid and vaccines on social media.
Continue reading What does freedom mean to you?Be the pebble in the pond
with Rev. Clay Nelson
Read below, or download the PDF
Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.
Clay Nelson © 21 November 2021
As your minister one of the riskier things I do is to offer choosing a sermon title to bid on at the Service Auction. Perhaps one of the more challenging ones I have been given was concocted by Paul Henriques. He wants me to muse on “Unitarian Universalism and Philanthropy: Past, Present and Future.” I confess I would never have come up with this topic on my own. Even if it had crossed my mind I would have quickly discovered very little has been written about it, and what has been written is in scholarly articles I am unable to access without enrolling in an academic institution. So thanks Paul for a mission impossible.
Continue reading Be the pebble in the pondI doubt Henny Penny was a Unitarian Universalist
with Rev. Clay Nelson
Read below, or download the PDF
Follow this shortcut to the bottom of the page for the various readings, videos, etc. shared in the service.
Clay Nelson © 14 November 2021
After some of my recent musings confronting the disintegration of social cohesion due to Delta and how little COP26 in Glasgow will achieve in reducing greenhouse gases, you might think I’m channelling Henny Penny AKA Chicken Little. You remember the story. After an acorn falls on her head, she panics, running around the barnyard yelling, “The sky is falling! The sky is falling.” Of course, Henny is mistaken, much to the amusement of the other farm animals as they point out the sky is fine.
In my defence, I can’t be a Unitarian Universalist and channel Henny Penny.
Continue reading I doubt Henny Penny was a Unitarian Universalist