With Ren Pasco
Archives for 2019
Apr 21: The Evolution of Universalism
SourceWorks – Christianity: “The Evolution of Universalism,” led by Rev. Jim Parrish.
We shared the plate to replenish the Minister’s Discretionary Fund. This fund allows Rev. Jim to provide pastoral care/financial assistance to those within the fellowship and local community in urgent need. Thanks for your generosity!
Apr 14: Faithful to the Future: A Prophetic Partnering of Religion & Science
With special guest, Rev. Michael Dowd!
Given our impact on Earth’s climate, the seas, and other species, humanity is about to experience what could be called “The Great Reckoning.” The good news is that this may also be “The Great Homecoming: the prodigal species coming home to Reality.” Science and religion cannot be enemies if we hope to avoid extinction.
Henceforth, any religious and scientific actions we take as individuals and societies will be done in the new light of climate change and ecological overshoot. What vision can carry us forward and inspire us to work together? How shall we frame the need to shed our business-as-usual outlook on life and take on a new vision that can unite us in joyful self-sacrifice and service? What vision will charge us with a sense of heroic purpose?
Apr 7: Religion for a New Age
Led by Rev. Jim Parrish. UUFF Choir will perform, directed by Renée Janski, with Brenda Parker on the keys!
We shared the plate with the Buffalo River Watershed Alliance. This important collection works to protect the Buffalo National River Watershed. “The “Save the Buffalo – Again” campaign is necessary because, in 2012, an industrial scale hog facility was built on the banks of Big Creek, just 5 miles upstream from the Buffalo National River. Government oversight of this development was deeply flawed and it now threatens to destroy the fragile ecosystem of our nation’s first National River.” Visit https://buffaloriveralliance.org/ for more information.
Mar 17: Social Justice and the Seven Tribes of America
“Justice, UU, and UUFF.” Led by Adele Coleman and Brooke Eldredge.
Jazz Poetry and Unitarian Universalism
A poem presented with a beat on Sunday March 10th, 2019 to UU Fayetteville, AR. Not exact wording. 🙂
(Audio of sermon and poem is available)
JAZZ POETRY AND UNITARIAN UNIVERSALISM
Jazz poetry should never use the words
Unitarian
Or
Universalism
Just listen to them…
Say them out loud
Unitarian
Universalism…
They break the Beat…
They smell like Feet!
They kill any Heat!
That just saying something as Cool as – Jazz Poetry – might complete!
How can I compete
Using a word that bleats like… Unitarian?
Try to Rhyme It!
Try to Climb it!
Lasso and Bind it!
There is no fair Climate,
it just blows in the wind…
Unitarian – the original Swear Word
A dirty underwear word…
By the order of Trinitarians,
A put down,
A hold to the ground,
A Try to drown the heresy word…
Word Of union…
Of a Jazzy God that is one with all,
A UNITY!
No need for more, what a waste of time…
If time is your thing…
Divine in its singularity…
A Big Bang throwing its stuff around,
with all its ensuing Hilarity (12 seasons now)
Who needs more than a Unity?
Two more? Why…
Even Three? Get Real…
Why Three? When Billions and Billions of Realities
Sunshiny Galaxies…
Crowd the doors of the Universe…
A Jazzy, Snazzy universe, where quantum oddness holds court,
You might run into the wall, or you might run through…
Try it and see. (just let me watch)
The cat is both dead and alive!
Observationally…
We might be in two places at once,
Just try to prove it…
A Jazzy, Snazzy Universe where odd things happen…
Things Like me… like You…
Out of the Bang of the Unity comes the Jazz of Evolution
Evolution of the beat, of formation, of the heat…
Of Galaxies, and Stars, moons and earths…
Mud under our feet…
Gave us Fins and Flippers
Fingers and Flyers
Fountains and Fathers….
And the letter F…
M came later,
But… We know Mothers came first…
Or did they???
Who knows…
Because…
Jazz Poetry hates the word Unitarian,
Has evolved to Tolerate the word Universalist
Even as we speak…
Jazz Builds a solid beat around
The Unity and the Universe
And who knows why?
No one…
It’s Just Jazz.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Rev. J Parrish, March 12, 2019
March 10: UU Jazz Sunday
Mar 10, 2019 – with Rev. Jim Parrish
“UU Jazz Sunday.” Led by Rev. Jim Parrish, Renée Janski and Mike McMullin. With Renée on keys and vocal, Mike on trumpet, and Ronda Jean (RJ) on bass, what a treat!
We shared the plate this week with AR Citizen’s First Congress. This organization takes pragmatic steps to expand opportunities and improve the quality of life for everyone in Arkansas, through the power of grassroots organizations who value a representative government that is transparent, accountable, responsive, and inclusive.
Below, a poem presented with a beat during the service. Not exact wording. 🙂
[Read more…] about March 10: UU Jazz SundayFeb 24: What’s Love Got To Do With It?
Led by Rev. Jim Parrish.
Class Update – What have our UUFF and UUBC youth been up to?
by Teresa Honey Youngblood
What a rich class we had on 2/17, on the topic of conflict! So rich, in fact, that we’re going to be picking up the topic again after our Mentor Bagel Breakfast, since we only got to half the material I intended for us!
One interesting piece was a “forced choice” activity, where the students had to choose YES or NO (not “it depends,” or “sometimes”). Statements such as these split the group:
“If someone has a problem with you, it’s their problem, not yours.”
“Learning and growth is possible without conflict.”
And, “Being rude or impolite is always wrong.”
We were working toward the ideas that 1) conflict is uncomfortable, but can be used for creative transformation of self and systems, and 2) Being conflict-averse props up the status quo, and can prevent necessary change from happening. When we next pick up the topic, we’ll talk about covenant as a tool to help us navigate conflict well.
Below are a couple of pictures from the 2/17 class. We began with a challenge, building a chalice together with exactly 100 planks of wood. And, the youth also heard the story about the blind mice and the elephant–pictured next to the chalice–which shows us how making room for multiple truths (i.e. conflict!) can often produce the most complete picture of a situation.
Chalice building challenge 
2019 Chalice building challenge
-Teresa Honey Youngblood
Feb 17: Black Panther and Everyday Heroes
Rev. Jim Parrish talks about “A Comic Book World: The Principles of “Black Panther.”
Feb 10: The Meaning of Physical Incapacity
“The Meaning of Physical Incapacity.” Marty Faitak will talk to us about dealing with physical health problems – how our lives can be changed by permanent or temporary disability.
We Shared the Plate with the Hispanic Women’s Organization of Arkansas, to help fill their Scholarship Fund. “Since its inception in 2000 with the support of sponsors and donors HWOA has awarded 418 scholarships to deserving Latino students many of whom are first-generation college students, encouraging them to pursue a higher education and make their dreams a reality.”
Feb 3: What is Respect?
With Intern Rev Ren Pasco
