After the Good News

person sitting alone on a bench

“Progressive faith is at a crossroads. Liberal pulpits ring with grand sermons about the arc that bends towards justice and about progress ‘onward and upward forever.’ Meanwhile the people in the pews struggle to attend to the suffering of their souls and the tragic aspects of life.”

We will explore this book from UU minister the Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd, to glean what it offers us as we reshape and re-imagine our community for the future.

Hymns: 344 A Promise Through the Ages Rings; 345 With Joy We Claim the Growing Light; 296 O Ye Who Taste that Love is Sweet; 298 Wake Now My Senses

Service Coordinator: Dylan Fijal

Due to COVID-19, we are suspending in-person worship services and post-service activities; we will stream our services instead for the time being.

If you’re connecting to the Zoom system by phone and need a phone number outside Canada, find your local number here. Please note that Zoom no longer offers a Manitoba-based dial-in number. The Canada-based numbers are:

  • 778 907 2071 (BC)
  • 438 809 7799 (Montreal)
  • 587 328 1099 (Alberta)
  • 647 374 4685 (Toronto)
  • 647 558 0588 (Toronto)

After the Good News

May 31, 2020

“The unflappable self-assurance of privileged white people can be exhausting.”

— the Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd, After the Good News

Centering

The Only Way Through Is In by Carrie Newcomer

Welcome

Dylan Fijal

Hymn of the Month

344 A Promise Through the Ages Rings

Chalice Lighting

“Out of the Flames” by the Rev. Sara LaWall

Opening Words

“The Great Teachers in Life” by the Rev. Jason Cook

Affirmation

Love Is The Spirit, words by James Vila Blake (adapted); music by P.J. Buchan

Story Wisdom

“The Shining Jewel” (traditional, retold by Faye Mogensen) shared by Andrea James, DLFD

Candles of Caring

Unison Words:

To troubled hearts and to spirits over-brimming, we offer our ministry.
To stories that need to be heard, we offer the care of our attention.
To the blooming of lives and to their ending, we open our hearts.
This time we make sacred by a simple act we all know – we minister by listening.

Hymn

345 With Joy We Claim the Growing Light

Reading

excerpt from After the Good News: Progressive Faith Beyond Optimism by the Rev. Nancy McDonald Ladd (currently in stock at McNally Robinson Grant Park)

Hymn

296 O Ye Who Taste that Love is Sweet

Meditation

excerpt from Beauty: The Invisible Embrace by John O’Donohue (currently in stock at McNally Robinson Grant Park)

photo by Jon Tyson on Unsplash, used with permission

Offering

Our online-only format is a morally sound response by our community to the current pandemic on our planet. This also means that we are emphasizing remote giving during our offering this morning:

  • Donations can now be sent via e-transfer/Interac to office@uuwinnipeg.mb.ca; in the note, you MUST include your name and if your donation is for the Sunday offering, your pledge, or our capital campaign.
  • You may always mail cheques to the church!
  • We are also using Canada Helps to receive online donations. Go to their website to donate in this way.

Our Social Justice Team has decided that on 5th Sundays, our Share the Plate Partner, receiving half of the collection taken on that Sunday, will be chosen by Rev. Meghann. This 5th Sunday, the plate share will go to the Bear Clan Patrol of Winnipeg.

Offertory

Sinnerman (live 1965) by Nina Simone

Sermon

the Rev. Meghann Robern

Hymn

298 Wake Now My Senses

Announcements

Dylan Fijal

The Dismantling Racism Study Group is engaged in work to identify and assess efforts to dismantle racism and other oppressions. To help in this work, please complete their survey by June 7 https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/DRSGSurvey
For more information, Rev Julie Stoneberg and Beverly Horton, co-chairs of the Dismantling Racism Study Group, offer these resources for education and reflection.
Desmond Cole’s book, The Skin We’re In: A Year of Black Resistance and Power.
Five Ways to Support Black Lives Matter, from our UU colleagues in the US: https://www.uuworld.org/articles/5-ways-support-black-lives-matter

Benediction

“Closing Words for Hard Times” by the Rev. Maureen Killoran

Chalice Extinguishing

Carry the Flame, performed by the First UU Winnipeg Choir

Transition to Connecting & Conversation Time

Where Do We Come from performed by the First UU Winnipeg Choir

Gratitude for staff and lay leaders who made this service happen:

  • Leader: the Rev. Meghann Robern, Minister
  • Coordinator: Dylan Fijal, Sunday Services Team
  • Story Wisdom: Andrea James, DLFD
  • Zoom Tech Hosts: Andrea James & Rev. Meghann Robern
  • Zoom Chat Moderator: Carol Lindsey, LFDA
  • Candles of Caring Host: Ashlyn Noble, Pastoral Care Team
  • Songleader Videos: PJ Buchan, Music Director; Paul Rodermond, accompanist; Josh Robern, editor