Nonconformity and Disobedience

Stand Out by David Rotimi on Unsplash, photo of a red chili pepper sitting amidst many green ones. The photographer writes "Inspired by Charles Isidi So Charles Isidi and I went to Shoprite and I spotted this red pepper sitting pretty with green ones. A thousand sermons ran through his head about nonconformity and all things in between."
Stand Out by David Rotimi

“Do not obey in advance,” says Timothy Snyder in his book On Tyranny, warning that, “most of the power of authoritarianism is freely given.” In England, Unitarians emerged within a religious movement that was dubbed Nonconformity, while in America, our kindred spirit Henry David Thoreau was acclaimed for his essay, On the
Duty of Civil Disobedience. As authoritarianism is on the rise, with its false promises of security and prosperity, are we once again called to embrace our heritage of nonconformity and disobedience?

Service Coordinator: Jill Moats

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Sermon Video

Order of Service

Centering Thought

“Noncooperation with evil is as much a moral obligation as the cooperation with good.” From Love, Law and Civil Disobedience (Nov. 16, 1961)

— Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Centering Music

Litany by Franz Schubert; arr. by Quentin Thomas

Daniel Clark

Opening Words

Affirmation of Hope by Loretta J. Williams

Rev Stefan Jonasson

Chalice Lighting

To Be a Unitarian Universalist, inspired by Rev. Elizabeth Nguyen, written by Erika Hewitt

Jill Moats

Gathering Hymn

#170 We Are a Gentle, Angry People

Welcome and Land Acknowledgement

Jill Moats

Affirmation

Love Is the Spirit

Story Wisdom

Hare the Hero (a Slavic folktale), told by Rev Stefan Jonasson

Sing and Rejoice

Joys and Sorrows

Rev Stefan Jonasson

Pastoral Hymn

#1002 Comfort Me (sung seated)

Offering

Words aapted from Elena Westbrook

Jill Moats

Our Share the Plate Partner for February is Merchants Corner.

The offering will be gratefully received, during or after the service. Donation options are at this link.

Offertory

Sicilienne, Op. 78, by Gabriel Fauré; arr. by Charlie Huang

Daniel Clark (piano) and Brian Klowak (clarinet)

Reading

from Civil Disobedience, by Henry David Thoreau

Rev Stefan Jonasson

Meditation

Jill Moats

Anthem

Unitarian Fugue (Spoken Word Round performed by the choir; lyrics by Kelvin Seifert)

Note: the sermon will be recorded following the anthem and, barring technical issues, will eventually be available on our YouTube channel.

Sermon

Nonconformity and Disobedience, by Rev Stefan Jonasson

Closing Hymn

#168 One More Step

Announcements

Jill Moats

Please submit congregational announcements to worship@uuwinnipeg.mb.ca before 9:00 am Sunday.

Closing Words

adapted from Rev Mark Ward

Jill Moats

Chalice Extinguishing

Carry the Flame

Following the service, please join us for community and refreshments in the sanctuary. For Zoom participants, please consider staying for conversation in our breakout room.

Transition to Breakout Room (Zoom only)

Tech team

Gratitude

Gratitude to all who helped make this service happen, including

  • Leader: Rev Stefan Jonasson
  • Coordinator: Jill Moats
  • Music: Daniel Clark (piano), Brian Klowak (clarinet), UU Winnipeg choir, Debby Lake (lyrics coordination, hymn consultation), Kelvin Seifert (spoken fugue composer) and Esther Kathryn (hymn consultation)
  • Music for Affirmation: Composed by P.J. Buchan
  • Coordinator Lifespan Religious Exploration (CLRE): Ana Castañeda Aguilera
  • Childcare: Paulina Hernandez
  • Tech Team: Ashlyn Noble, Arthur Burstow, Alexey Sokadeev, Bryan Enaje, Christina Swindells-Nader, Ihor Pushkar
  • Ushers:  Joan Carolyn, Ken Nicholson and others
  • Set Up/Maintenance: Michael Thiessen
  • Greeter: Paula Keirstead and others
  • Hospitality: Janet Toews, and others
  • Chalice Sculptor & Banner Designer: Jo’Anne Kelly
  • Chalice Logo Designer: Nancy Gilbert
  • Share the Plate committee: Sara Allen, Lynn Clark, Paula Keirstead, Diane Pearce
  • Pastoral Care: Rev Stefan Jonasson
  • Website and office support, All Church email: Nathalie Waite

To contact SunServ (Sunday Services Team) with feedback or ideas for future services, please email worship@uuwinnipeg.mb.ca

Want to help on Sunday mornings? You can sign up for a hospitality setup or cleanup shift. Please contact the Volunteer Resources Committee or Norm Cobb or Jim Gardiner for other ways to help.

Some in our beloved community are affected by exposure to the ingredients or chemicals in scented products. We ask that you join our efforts to accommodate their health concerns by being mindful and where possible avoiding scented products such as hair spray, perfume and deodorant when attending services.

Please keep aisles clear, particularly for people with mobility challenges, and turn off electronic devices during the service.

Please refrain from taking photographs and making recordings during and after the service unless you have the express permission of all people involved. Thank you!

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