I confess I am sometimes subject to flights of fancy. I had an episode a few days ago. I wondered what Jesus would think if he actually came back as some Christians believe he will some day. “Came back from where?” is a question that comes to mind. But never mind. It would be especially intriguing to hear his reactions to what he would find if he came back at this time of year. What would he think? Continue reading Christmas: A Holiday without Borders→
Sometimes the beginning of a sermon has an unlikely beginning. At the Living Wage Office where I work three mornings a week, in the break room there is a sign with a familiar look. It is red with a white crown at the top. Underneath it says “Keep Calm. Fill the dishwasher, not the sink.” It made me think about the original sign of which it is a parody, “Keep Calm and Carry On.” We see it everywhere these days affixed to signs, greeting cards, tea towels, coffee mugs, and the like. Over my morning tea I wondered where it came from and why. Continue reading Keep Calm and Carry On→
Making sense of the world is not easy. Psychologists explain that to do so it is necessary to organise incoming sensations into information that is meaningful. They think we do this by perceiving individual sensory stimuli as a meaningful whole. The brain creates a whole image from individual stimuli.
Follow this link to learn more about Wealth and New Zealand by Max Rashbrooke mentioned in an unrecorded comment from Sally, responded to by Henri near the end of the talk.
The church is a drop-off point for contributions to the Auckland City Mission for their food bank. The City Mission appreciates all the help the church can give. Traditionally, the Christmas Eve Service offertory is also set aside for the City Mission. Members individually also support the mission with contributions of useful clothing and household items.
From the Auckland City Mission:
“We greatly appreciate your support. On behalf of thousands of people who come to the Mission for help, thank you for caring.”
In 2010, the church, through the PSJ group, financially supported the upgrade and refurbishment of the Food Technology Laboratory at the Royal University of Phnom Penh in Cambodia. Supporting the refurbishment of this laboratory was considered important as it was integral to the redevelopment of Cambodia as a strong food producing country, after decades of the ravages of war. A donation for this purpose was provided from the PSJ Funds. The University of Phnom Penh kept the church updated on progress of the refurbishment, and on completion, sent photos along with their thanks and appreciation.
Renovated Food Technology Laboratory, Phnom Penh, Cambodia – August 2010
“Thanks to Dr. Paul Henriques and the generosity of the Auckland Unitarian Church, we received a donation of NZ$3400 to develop our Food Technology laboratory. The first step has been to replace the old brick and tile chemistry benches with a big stainless steel demonstration table with fume hood. Remaining funds will be used to buy some shelving, a deep freezer and microwave oven.”
In August 2015, the Brisbane UU asked our church if we could provide urgent financial assistance to help completion of a schoolgirls’ dormitory at Dumaguette, in the Philippines. The PSJ group considered this project worthy of support, and in September 2015 the church sent a donation using PSJ funds. The dormitory is close to 5 Universities and colleges
Dumaguette Girls’ Dormitory, nearing completion – September 2015
I have to confess that like many of us I am left daunted by the scope of the problems being created by global climate change. Other than an occasional reference to the fact that there is a problem, I have never devoted an entire sermon to the eco-disaster we face. I can feel myself retreat into uncertainty about how to proceed even as I begin. What can I say that will make a difference? What can any of us do to save the planet? Continue reading What Would the Goddess Do?→
Today is All Saints Day. There is a phrase in the Apostles Creed, which is possibly the only phrase I really like – the Communion of Saints – what does the Communion of Saints mean? Well it essentially means that when a Christian receives Communion, they are not just having Communion with people in that congregation, they’re having Communion with everybody else in the world who is having Communion, and having Communion with everybody who has ever had Communion in the history of the church, and they’re having communion with everybody who will ever come to receive Communion. To me it is a symbol of the interdependent web of existence of which we are a part, It reminds us we didn’t get here out of nothing, we are connected to those who came before, and others in the future will be connected to us, a reminder of our oneness.
So I thought today for our new members it would be good to give them a family tree, so that they know what they are being grafted to. I’m going to give you a whirlwind tour of some of the people who have gone before in this congregation. Continue reading The Communion of Unitarian Saints→
