On 21 February 2023 Archimedes’ arrow of time is released, to speed over 254 days to its destination: death.
On 21 February we receive news of Clay’s terminal diagnosis and driving home from the hospital appointment I begin sobbing. This is not a problem for my driving, actually, but Clay suggests I pull over. Which I do into the side of a car minding its own business in the next lane. The kindness of the stranger in that car, who is not angry but concerned, sets the tone of the next 254 days.
According to Bishop Ussher’s treatise published in 1650, the universe began precisely on October 23, 4004 BC—at sunset. Science disagrees, — by about 13.8 billion years. This service explores how embracing scientific understanding can deepen, not diminish, our sense of awe, wonder, and the sacred.
The 23rd of October, Thursday this week, was a big one for at least two reasons. One was the mega strike of workers across many careers and across New Zealand. The second was that Thursday marked the beginning of the 6029th year since the creation of the world, according to Bishop James Ussher. He published his scientific treatise to that effect in 1650: October 22, 4004 BC, in the evening, say 6:00 pm, is when the universe was created; thus 23 October, 4004 BC was the first day.
There was some controversy about this date in Ussher’s time. Other scholars, including Isaac Newton, came up with dates ranging around 4000 BC; counts of attempted chronologies in 1861 suggested there were up to 300 different opinions of the Earth’s age, as trying to figure it out was not unusual among scholars of the time.
Today I’m going to talk about the history of the Earth and how we think about time. These have implications for the choices we make, in particular around science.
This joyful service celebrates the life of our congregation and is our annual memorial to the life of its creator, Rev. Dr. Norbert Čapek. As minister to Unitarians in Prague, Czechoslovakia, he was a 20th century Unitarian martyr, killed by Nazis in 1942.
The British Unitarian Assn describes the Flower Communion as “a celebration of the good things of life as given and received through the fellowship of a congregation, symbolised in the giving and receiving of flowers.” The Flower Communion has become an Auckland Unitarian annual ritual to celebrate the coming of Spring, one of the best things in life, IMO. It also commemorates the minister who created the Flower Communion. You’ll hear more about Rev Čapek later.
Today’s service is brought to you by the first three Unitarian Principles:-
the inherent worth and dignity of every person;
justice, equity, and compassion in human relations;
acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth
This year, Mental Health Awareness Week (MHAW) has been aligned with the UN World Mental Health Day, which was last Friday, 10 Oct. The week of events ended last Friday, but community events are still going on.
As someone who has a mental disorder and used mental health services, I was an advisor to Auckland DHB mental health services. So I reckon I’m qualified to speak on mental health awareness.
Suffrage was a victory for women, but it also expanded the soul of our democracy. As men offer this service, we do so as allies — affirming that women’s rights, and the rights of all people, remain a sacred responsibility we carry forward together.
The service opens with a whakatauki (proverb) and introduction to the theme. The readings are a personal story and an outsider’s perspective of Te Ao Māori in Aotearoa, reminding us of our unique and special home. The talk will cover the basics of pronunciation and key words that may have meaning for members. 3 waiata will be sung. The discussion will comprise a mini te reo lesson in small groups.
I’d like to begin with a whakatauki. This proverb, which talks of searching, listening, working and striving together, with love and compassion, so that we can reach our goal – seems to fit with the shared effort that is required to sustain and grow Te Reo in Aotearoa.
Ma te titiro, ma te whakarongo, ma te mahitahi, ma te manawanui, ma te aroha. Ka taea e au.
The theme for Māori language week this year is: Ake ake ake – keep going, sustain the language. Last week while I was researching for today’s korero, I found a photo online that triggered a strong emotion in me because of a personal connection. I share this with you as a way of illustrating how easily we, as pakeha can dismiss or not concern ourselves about the effects of colonisation and institutional racism. We know it’s wrong – but we don’t always feel it. It has never affected us. But sometimes it does. An event or a situation does come close to home.
Ruth Irwin is an author and Professor. She teaches courses on globalisation, climate change, philosophy, colonialism, and post-colonialism, education, policy and economics. She has written several books on climate change, philosophy and economics, edited 3 collections on philosophy and climate change, and public policy, and written over 60 peer reviewed book chapters and journal articles.
To Tomorrow, 1 September, is the first day of Spring in Aotearoa. Some countries date the seasons to equinox and solstice. We, more prosaically, date our seasons to the beginnings of months. Thus, 1 December is the first day of Summer, 1 March is the first day of Autumn, 1 June is the first day of Winter.
And tomorrow, 1 September, is the first day of Spring.
The first day of spring, whenever we fix it, is one day in the seemingly endlessly repeated revolutions of our planet. We mark the seasons with fixed dates to give our lives a predictable rhythm.
We may steal a branch of apple blossoms in the night, to give ourselves stars and the gift of Spring perfumes.
We may have less criminal rituals that underline our comfort at the repeating rhythm, rituals to mark the transition from one season to the next.
The gospel according to Jubilation Choir is love of the naked voice; love of losing ourselves in a sea of harmony and love of bringing a gospel sensibility to songs from all genres.
My introduction to the Jubilation Choir occurred while I was teaching a workshop next door here at Studio One. I had just moved to the central city from West Auckland, and was thrilled to hear my favourite music seeping through the window. So I had to follow it- and it led me to this Unitarian Church. I had already joined the Unitarian Church of Berkeley California back when we lived in the US, and was thrilled to discover (albeit mistakenly) that there was not only a Unitarian Church in Auckland, but – wow what a church choir!
The Jubilation Acapella Gospel Choir was founded 25 years ago by Jean McAllister and the late NZ blues legend Rick Bryant and a number of others who are still in the choir. They are 30-odd strong and love their rehearsal space – the Unitarian Church – where they rehearse weekly. They had a pre-Covid tradition of singing at the church in lieu of a service annually, and so we are so lucky that they are happy to do so again after this hiatus.
