Tag Archives: Blessing

Bless you!

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Here’s the text of my sermon Nov. 11 at First Unitarian Universalist Church in Houston, TX. Bless You

A clip: “Blessings restore our souls. When you count them up the problems of the day diminish their hold. Be a blessing. Do you know that you are already a blessing? . . . Do you know that you bless one another? . . .”

As we approach our American Thanksgiving, our only holiday that requires no gifts or cards, just the hospitable tradition of sharing a meal. May you be blessed in many ways this week, no matter where you live!

If you have patience,  time, and interest, there’s a video link to the sermon   http://vimeo.com/53523519

 

Tapestry Singers rock!

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Tapestry Singers had a wonderful concert on the 3rd and made a special point of inviting former singers to join us for the encore to celebrate our 25th anniversary. The encore “Wise Mother” was written by former director Nell Manycats as an alternative to the Lord’s Prayer. Nell was there to sing with us! We have grown in numbers over the years from 14 to over 70. What a difference in the sound!

Wise Mother, whose love surrounds us, all you make is sacred.

This world is you, your voice speaks through it … to those who choose to listen.

This day is a gift in which to grow.

Please be patient with me, for I have been known to forget that.

And send me those blessings … to make me strong and honest in loving,

so that my inner light … reflects your spirit on all around me

like … a … blessing … / like … a … blessing … /  like … a … blessing.

Singing with this chorus has been a spiritual practice for me. Regular attendance at our weekly rehearsals, practice in between, memorization, and supporting the chorus through volunteer opportunities. It’s like the title of one of our songs, “This Is the Sound of One Voice” by Ruth Moody. Even though we sang in harmony we were all in synch, making the differences among us fall away.

In brief

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It’s November! My six-month break from employment is over!

On Monday I’ll be moving to an apartment in Houston, thanks to the help of my husband Jon and his faithful little pickup truck Francis. I’ve tried to select the lightest and most compact furniture possible. Books are harder to compress, but I was quite selective and filled just five boxes. Most likely more will migrate to Houston as I travel back and forth.

The Administrator tells me that my name is on the church sign, business cards were ordered, and my office is ready. Sweet!

Meanwhile in Austin, I’ve written a meditation, selected a reading, and written the first draft of about half a sermon. Not ready for primetime, but it’s a start. Our sermon series is on Blessing, featuring four ministers and four topics: (Un)Expected Blessings; Blessed Are They; Bless You; and Choose to Bless the World. Our Big Idea is “Be a Blessing.” The work is done collaboratively with ideas contributed by the four ministers, three religious educators, and the lead music director. A blessing indeed!

Before running off to Houston, in just two days I’ll be singing with Tapestry Singers for our 25th Anniversary concert! Loose Threads, our small ensemble, will be singing five songs this time and I need to review some of them!