liberal, inclusive, LGBTQ friendly, all denominations, progressive, welcoming

Close to You? Distance and Communication.

Would you rather be close or far? How far is it, and how long till we get there, Sisyphus? How close is too close, Icarus? Oops, better ask Daedalus!

William Lloyd Fridley, a longtime friend of the congregation. Fridley is an Associate Professor of Education and has been at Southeastern Oklahoma State University since 1999. He teaches Foundations of Education and his areas of expertise are philosophy of education, professional ethics and ethical theory, and multicultural education. William is also an artist and song writer and collaborates with his wife Carolyn in musical recording, performing and other creative projects.

The World is my Parish

The World is my Parish – reflections on what we might learn from the founder of Methodism, John Wesley, in our current global context. We will also be exploring the universalist themes within Wesley’s understanding of grace.

Mark Davies is the Oklahoma State Humanities Scholar for the Smithsonian Institute Museum on Main Street Water/Ways exhibit. He is also 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 North America for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry at Oklahoma City University where he has worked in both teaching and administration for 22 years. He is a United Methodist minister and holds a Ph.D. in Social Ethics, from Boston University.

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.

He and his wife Kristin live in Edmond, OK and they have two teenage daughters.

An Instinct for Kindness: Being an Ally in Times of Crisis

Dr Tudor filed a complaint of discrimination against Southeastern University when she was denied tenure solely because she is transgender. They retaliated by firing her. She sued and won (unanimous vote of the jury). She is now asking a federal appeals court to allow her to return to Southeastern with tenure. The State of Oklahoma is opposing that remedy. Thirty-one professional organizations have filed “friend of the court” briefs supporting her reinstatement. Dr. Tudor returns to our pulpit to update us on her struggle to be allowed to be who she is – a struggle no human should experience.

Why We Love Elephants

Robert and Lanan Shelton are long time members of Red River UU. Robert began his love affair with elephants when he was a child. His grandmother traveled extensively, and when she visited a country with an elephant population, she brought a figurine representing an elephant indigenous to the area. Robert’s sister moved to southern India, and the collection grew.

Lanan enjoyed the collection and began to look for other figurines. Now theircollection is proudly displayed in our home. The Sheltons have been intrigued with documentaries about these magnificent creatures and would like to share their love for elephants with you.

In The Spirit of Woody Guthrie with “Toulouse T’ Care”

Toulouse T’ Care, the singing duo of Fenton Rood and Mark Christian, brings us a morning filled with songs Woody Guthrie Wood wrote, along with a couple of songs about the man. Guthrie was a lot of things. He was an activist during the depression and all the way through World War II. As Unitarian Universalists we can learn a lot from the way Guthrie took on the issues of his day, holding compassion for the people while making business and governments accountable. 1853 Theodore Parker wrote that the moral arc of the universe bends toward justice. Our job is to find that moral arc and bend it towards justice.

Mark Christian is the retired minister of the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Oklahoma City. Fenton Rood is the Director, Waste Systems Planning at Oklahoma Department of Environmental Quality. They’ve been singing protest songs as a hobby for awhile and enjoy sharing their enthusiasm with most anyone who will listen. They’ve found an audience in several UU churches, all of whom enjoyed their program on Woody Guthrie. And the name? Singing at the OKC farmer’s market someone asked if it didn’t bother them that people were just wandering around, not paying loads of attention to their singing, Mark’s reply was, “Ah, we’re too loose to care.”

Teams (video message)

“Teams”

The morning worship from
The First Parish in Bedford, MA
The Rev. John Gibbons, speaking

We go to movies to become engrossed with what we see, hear and feel. We know it is a film and yet we feel the emotions. We laugh or cry, are happy or sad. We leave often deeply touched by the experience.

The result is no less real than sitting in a theater watching the actors in front of us.

Most of us rarely, if ever, have worshiped at other UU churches. We don’t know how other UUs “do” Sunday morning. On Sunday we’re going to try an experiment – by bringing a complete worship experience to our chapel, thanks to the miracle (well, so common now we hardly remember what a miracle it is) of video.

We will experience how a New England UU congregation – one that has been meeting every Sunday for 289 years – does worship! Will the experience be on par with going to a movie? Come find out how another UU congregation worships.

The sermon has a timely message for us as well!

The preacher is terrific (he’s been with the congregation 29 years!)

Image: Church Steeple. The historic steeple clock is wound by hand weekly. The steeple bell is run each Sunday and at midnight New Years Eve.

Bayard Rustin ~ the Gay Socialist Pacifist Who Planned the 1963 March on Washington

During February we honor National Black History month. Often the remarks focus on Dr. King. Marco’s mom Adrian suggested to the worship team that we create an assembly on Bayard Rustin. None of us knew the name, the man, nor anything about his life. We agreed that looking at this fascinating character is worth a morning. On Sunday we remember the man behind the March on Washington who hasn’t been given his due because of decades of prejudice.

Photo by Warren K Leffler

Hanging onto Hope

What can we hope for even in times that seem hopeless? What are the ways we can express hope that will cultivate positive transformation in ourselves and in our communities? Are there still reasons to hope in our world today? These questions and others will be explored as we look for hope in a time of crisis.

Mark Davies is the Oklahoma State Humanities Scholar for the Smithsonian Institute Museum on Main Street Water/Ways exhibit. He is also 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 North America for the General Board of Higher Education and Ministry at Oklahoma City University where he has worked in both teaching and administration for 22 years. He is a United Methodist minister and holds a Ph.D. in Social Ethics, from Boston University. He lives in Oklahoma City with his wife and two teen age daughters.

An All Music Sunday: Finnish Singing Duo “Vellamo”

FINNISH SINGING DUO “VELLAMO” IN CONCERT

Vellamo is led by the performing and songwriting team of Pia Leinonen and Joni Tiala. Their eight visit to the US will include a Sunday morning concert will be in our chapel. Their music features ethereal Finnish folk with gorgeous vocals and memorable melodic hooks, “baptized by trolls and Norse elves.” In Finnish mythology, Vellamo is the goddess of the sea. Based in Kokkola, on the western coast of Finland, Vellamo combines the rich tradition of Finnish folksong with an appealing “retro” sensibility, creating a modern folk music experience.

Pia Leinonen, originally from the arctic region of Lapland, is Vellamo’s lead singer. Her exquisite voice combines her love and vast knowledge of Finnish folk music with the western singer–songwriter tradition in a unique and beautiful way.

Joni Tiala, originally from the Finnish port of Kokkola, began playing guitar at the age of 11. His eclectic musical background includes writing and performing for theater, progressive and alternative rock and Finnish and western folk. In addition to his work in Vellamo, Joni is an accomplished theater and session musician, and is founding member of the renowned Finnish progressive rock band, Moon Wagon.

In addition to shows in their homeland, Vellamo spends half of each year touring abroad; their adventures have led them throughout the United States, Europe and New Zealand.

Photo by Sami Koski-Vähälä

Good Fruit, Affluenza and The Good Samaritan

Those with “affluenza” are said to have an inability to understand the consequences of their actions because of financial privilege. How we evaluate others’ actions and what consequences are appropriate seem to be more and more related to what degree we identify with them and their political leanings. How do these things inform our covenants and principles as UUs?

Scott is doing a year-long Chaplaincy Residency at Parkland Hospital in Dallas and is a UU minister in preliminary fellowship. He served as Sabbatical Minister at his home church, the First Unitarian Church of Dallas and completed his Ministerial Internship at the Unitarian Universalist Society of Sacramento. Scott received his M Div (Master of Divinity) degree from Brite Divinity School in 2016.

Scott and his husband Conrad share a nearly-hundred-year-old home in the Oak Cliff borough of Dallas with Conrad’s father Rudy. Conrad is a psychologist, and his son and daughter attend college.