Welcome 
We gather together this morning as best we can to restore both our sense of commitment and courage as we face the world as it is. We are more when we are together, wiser, more resilient and more able.

 

Prelude How brightly shines the morning star- J. C. Bach

Chalice Lighting by Ashley Horan
Another world is possible.
We say it, again and again,
even when the proof lies somewhere beyond the horizon,
beyond our reach,
beyond our imagination.
This is our faith:
Another world is possible…
…There are many routes toward liberation;
toward freedom.
But the abundance of options does not absolve us of
the responsibility of acting.
Another world is possible…
Come, let us worship, together. Our chalice is lit.

 

Hymn #1000 Morning Has Come by Jason Shelton, performed by Stuart Bard & Lynn Orlando

 

Gesture of Friendship

 

Time for All Ages Sam and Dave Dig a Hole by Mac Barnett & Jon Klassen

Children’s Blessing

Centering Words
This is the last Sunday in our month of reflecting upon the art of imagination. And while imagination itself has not always been our central focus, the practice of using our imaginations has been the underlying connection throughout these past weeks With that in mind, let this reflection adapted from London’s School of Life on the use of imagination lead us into a time of stillness and reflection, marked by the sound of our temple bell.

While he author here talks about the emotions of sadness and despair, I think you’ll find that any sort of emotional challenge fits the description of what follows:
Some of our most despairing moods are caused by failures of the imagination. We are not merely ‘sad’; we cannot picture any better life than the agonized one we currently have.
What we mean by imagination is the power to summon up alternatives.
[ While ] only a few of us will ever need to write short stories for a living, … many of us will be called upon by fate to rewrite the stories of our lives. That is the true destiny and function of the imagination.
When we are … sad, we [ can be ] provoked by the intellectual puzzle before us: How else might we get by, given how many possibilities have been closed to us? Our challenge is to learn to rebuild our futures intelligently and creatively on the [foundations ] of our old lives.

 

Time of Stillness and Reflection

Reading TED Talk – How To Be a Good Ancestor by Roman Krznaric

 

Reflection The Impossible Will Take a Little While by Rev. Eric

 

Musical Reflection The Blue Green Hills of Earth OBUUC Choir, Doug Clum, instrumentals

 

Offering
The Olympia Brown Unitarian Universalist Church is a community of generosity and abundance.
Especially now, in this challenging time, your generosity is what keeps this community as vital as it is, a beacon of respectful engagement and faith in the power of love.
Every 5th Sunday of a month, OBUUC donates our entire collection plate offering to Black Lives Unitarian Universalist. BLUU, as the effort is commonly known”
• Expands the power & capacity of Black UUs within our faith.
• Provides support, information & resources for Black Unitarian Universalists.
• With the goal of strengthening our ability for justice-making and liberation.
For more information and how to donate to OBUUC and Black Lives UU, please visit the church website.

Offertory Anthem Butterfly by Frederick Bernard

Benediction by Margaret Wheatley
be our guide:
In this new world, you and I make it up as we go along,
not because we lack expertise or planning skills,
but because that is the nature of reality.
Reality changes shape and meaning because of our activity.
And it is constantly new.
We are required to be there, as active participants.
It can’t happen without us and nobody can do it for us.

 

Postlude Beethoven- Op.33 No. 7