Services Archive

Making the Empire Great Again

Making the Empire Great Again
The Rev. Dr. Mark Y.A. Davies, leading

An exploration of the historical and contemporary use of religion for the maintenance and expansion of political power.

Leading today’s morning assembly is the Rev. Dr. Mark Y.A. Davies. Mark is the Wimberly Professor of Social and Ecological Ethics at Oklahoma City University where he has worked in both teaching and administration for 25 years. He is an ordained elder in the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Mark’s Ph.D. is from Boston University in the area of Social Ethics, and he has served Boston University School of Theology as a member of its Dean’s Advisory Board and as the alumnus representative their Green Team as part of the Green Seminary Initiative.

Mark engages in advocacy and activism in the areas of peace, social justice, and ecological sustainability. Locally this is expressed through his work with the Human Community Network, which works to create non-violent systemic change for a just and flourishing human and ecological community through collaboration, education, innovation, and action. See www.humancommunitynetwork.org.

He and his wife Kristin live in Edmond, OK in the United States, and they have two daughters who attend Oklahoma City University.

An Ending and A Beginning

THE MORNING PROGRAM

An Ending and A Beginning

The new year calls us forward, filled with mystery. As we turn toward that new year, we take a final glimpse of the past year, and reckon with all that it held for us. We will consider what we might leave behind from the old year, and what we are grateful to take forward into the mystery. Please join us

About Sunday’s Worship Leader:

Marla Loturco is a lay leader of our congregation who first visited us in April 2008. Although she hadn’t set foot inside a church for forty years, she surprised herself by realizing this was a faith community that spoke to her heart. Marla has not taken her membership lightly as she has served on the bylaw revision committee, is the church (and the Texoma Earth Day Festival) webmaster, the church database guru, and our representative to North Texas UU Congregations (NTUUC). She joins in church social events and has been elected to the Committee on Ministry and President of the Board of Trustees. She is the recipient of NTUUC Marty Robinson Award for volunteerism as well as Red River Unitarian Universalists’ Bruce Cameron Distinguished Service Award. She currently is part of the AV team and a longtime member of the Worship Team where she creates meaningful and insightful worship experiences.

Beyond the church Marla is a Certified Laughter Leader, a Database Consultant, Quilter, creator of stained-glass art and devoted dulcimer player.

A Season and A Time for Sharing

The morning program

At the cusp of each year, it has been our tradition to devote the last Sunday in December as our Sharing Morning Assembly. We invite anyone who wishes to share a poem, song, dance, reading, or anything else that shares themselves and their interests with the rest of us. This will be recorded for YouTube so please keep that in mind. People who normally watch on Zoom may make arrangements for us to video their selection prior to the 28th, by contacting the worship team for assistance here: Contact Us

Some years we have a theme. Not so this year. Come share whatever you wish. Our free pulpit awaits your gifts.

Whatever you wish to share has only one restraint -time. Kindly keep your “whatever” to no more than 6 or 7 minutes. That way no one is left out.

Do Atheists Celebrate Christmas?

Dec 19 – Do Atheists Celebrate Christmas?

A great debate occurs around Christmas. Is it only for Christians? What about the holidays that Christmas supersedes? Join us to hear some of the answers to this question.

Celebrating the Only Unitarian Universalist Exclusive Holiday

The Morning Program appears on the “…read more” tab. If the print is too small to read? Download it here

Chalica 2021

We UU’s may disagree about many issues, but one thing we do agree on is the Unitarian Universalist Seven Principles, as stated in Article II of the Bylaws and Rules of the Unitarian Universalist Association.

Chalica is a week-long celebration of our Unitarian Universalist Principles. The holiday first emerged in 2005 out of a wish to have a holiday organized around Unitarian Universalist values. It begins on the first Monday in December and lasts seven days. Each day, a chalice is lit, and the day is spent reflecting on the meaning of that day’s principle and doing a good deed that honors that principle. Not all Unitarian Universalists celebrate Chalica, but it has a growing following. There is a Chalice Facebook page, blog, and many Chalica-themed videos on YouTube.

This year Chalica starts on Monday, December 6 and concludes the following Sunday, December 12th. On Sunday seven of our own will be sharing a principle and its meaning for them.

Everyone who is on the church email list can expect receiving an email each day during Chalica as a reminder not only of our seven principles but as an invitation to think of a way you can celebrate each principle in action.

TMP - 12-12

Justice as Equality of Opportunity –

If the program print is too small for you: Download the morning program here

TMP - 12-05“Justice as Equality of Opportunity”

Of his discourse, Mark writes:

Reflections on John Rawls’ veil of ignorance thought experiment that led him to develop the theory of justice as equal opportunity. How would the adherence to a view of justice as equal opportunity change the way we think about our systems of economics, politics, education, healthcare, and more?

Leading today’s morning assembly is the Rev. Dr. Mark Y.A. Davies. Mark is the Wimberly Professor of Social and Ecological Ethics at Oklahoma City University where he has worked in both teaching and administration for 25 years. He is an ordained elder in the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church.

Mark’s Ph.D. is from Boston University in the area of Social Ethics, and he has served Boston University School of Theology as a member of its Dean’s Advisory Board and as the alumnus representative their Green Team as part of the Green Seminary Initiative.

Mark engages in advocacy and activism in the areas of peace, social justice, and ecological sustainability. Locally this is expressed through his work with the Human Community Network, which works to create non-violent systemic change for a just and flourishing human and ecological community through collaboration, education, innovation, and action. See www.humancommunitynetwork.org.

He and his wife Kristin live in Edmond, OK in the United States, and they have two daughters who attend Oklahoma City University.

Over the River and Through the Holidays*!

Download the Morning Program or read it below

Over the River and Through the Holidays*!

The Worship Team, leading

With Thanksgiving barely behind us, we ring in the holiday season on this first Sunday of Advent with music to celebrate the festivities and holy days ahead in December, with a special emphasis on beloved traditional tunes. In the best Unitarian Universalist style, we also respectfully acknowledge and appreciate the many religious traditions that also celebrate very special days during a very special month. Come for glad tidings, comfort, and joy!

*With apologies to Lydia Maria Child, the Unitarian who authored the poem Over the River and Through the Wood.

TMP 11-28

Intergenerational Justice

The morning program

If the print is too small, download the program here

TMP 11-21

Intergenerational Justice

Rev. Dr. Mark Y.A. Davies, leading

In this discourse I will reflect with gratitude on what previous generations have done to contribute to our lives and discuss what justice requires of our generation for the future. What can we do to make future generations have more experiences for which to be thankful?

Mark Davies is the Wimberly Professor of Social and Ecological Ethics, Director of the World House Institute for Social and Ecological Responsibility, and Executive Director of the Leadership, Education, and Development Hub for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry at Oklahoma City University, where he has worked in both teaching and administration for 25 years. He is an ordained elder in the Oklahoma Conference of the United Methodist Church, where he served as Chair of the Board of Church and Society from 2015 to 2018.

Revisiting Patrick Henry’s Second Choice

Rev. Doug Strong, leading

Fifty odd years ago, Elisabeth Kübler-Ross gave us five stages of grief her seminal book On Death and Dying and I wrote a sermon I cleverly called “Speaking of Patrick Henry’s Second Choice.” Her book was immensely popular and preaching about death and dying was cutting edge stuff.

November is National Hospice and Palliative Care Month and there have been seismic changes in how we, as a nation, deal with death and dying. I think it is time to revisit Mr. Henry’s second choice by exploring what options people now have regarding End of Life starting with a look at Advance Directives.

The Morning Program (you can download it here if the copy below is too small on your device to read.)

TMP 11-14

Why Does the World Need Unitarian Universalism?

I was asked this question in a workshop and knew I had much to say. I’ll share some of my answer.

Here’s the morning program: (if it is too hard to read, download the morning program here)

TMP 11-07Why Does the World Need Unitarian Universalism?

Daniel Polk is originally from Iowa, but has lived Texas for a few decades and has learned the drawl, sort of. He is the Executive Director of our group of congregations, North Texas Unitarian Universalist Churches (NTUUC), and in his spare time enjoys word play and coloring wood for art projects. He tries to use his privilege for the benefit of society.

Making the Empire Great Again