First UU Congregation of Second Life

First Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Second Life (FUUCSL)

Thursday, November 6, 2014

6:30PM SL Time (Pacific Standard Time)

Leading the service: Tee Auster

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“Church is a place where you get to practice what it means to be human.”

— James Luther Adams

 

~Announcements~

Welcome to the First Unitarian Universalist Church of Second Life.

An Order of Service is available by saying “oos” in chat.

 

For visitors, a special welcome.

If you are not familiar with Unitarian Universalism (“UU”),

a single service is not enough

to experience the diversity of ideas and styles of interaction that we offer,

either here in SL or in RL.  Please come again.

You might also wish to look at UUA.org. or consider joining the group

Unitarian Universalists of SL to receive regular announcements.

Also please check out fuucsl.org, our web site.

We are always looking for members of our community who wish to get more involved.

If you would like to try your hand at leading a service, please contact

a member of the Leadership Group…their names are available in the notecard dispenser

in the welcome area.

Please join us after the service for dancing and conversation – FUCCSL tradition!

Are there any other announcements?

 

~Opening Words~

Today we celebrate a dream awakening.

Today we worship with renewed hope in our hearts.

Today we act on an audacity of hopes and dreams for the future.

Today we begin the hard work for justice, equity and compassion in all human relations,

for today is a day like no other

and it is ours to shape with vision and action.

Let us worship together and celebrate a dream awakening.

Elizabeth M. Strong

 

~Lighting the Chalice~

For some, the chalice cup is a communion cup, freely offered to all who would seek the greater Truth.

Others see the circle of fellowship in its embracing sides.

The sacred hoop of its rim, the ambient energy cradled in its basin, the abiding, grounded strength of its pedestal:

may all be lit by the fire of spiritual integrity;

so too may we each be bathed in the glow of our shared Truth, multifaceted and radiant.

-Martha Kirby Capo

 

The Chalice is now lit.

 

~Joys and Concerns~

Let us prepare our hearts to receive the joys and concerns,

hopes and sorrows, fears and dreams of one another.

If there is something that has recently happened to you, happy or sad,

and you would like to share it with us, now is the time.

We invite you to share your joys and concerns in chat, when you are ready.

 

Group Response at the end of Joys and Concerns

“May we be held in the heart of love.”

 

~A Reading~

 

Beatitudes for Justice Builders

 

Blessed are you who can question your own assumptions and listen with an open mind;

you will receive new insights beyond your imagining.

Blessed are you who suffer the attacks of others to stand up for what is right;

you will not be alone, for your courage will inspire others to rise.

Blessed are you who build friendships as well as justice;

even when you lose an issue, you will have strengthened the foundation of your community.

Blessed are you who take delight in people;

you will not be bored in meetings.

Blessed are you who agitate the placid waters of complacency;

you will create waves in the inertia of privilege, and will know the thrill of riding the surf of change.

Blessed are you who lead with enthusiasm and confidence, resisting the temptation to shame the apathetic or self-absorbed;

you will inspire curiosity and hope in others.

Blessed are you who play as well as work;

you will have more fun, build more energy, and will draw the powers of the impish to your cause.

Blessed are you who ask for help in your role as leaders;

you will find teachers at every turn, and your work will remain interesting and alive.

Blessed are you, who when wrongfully attacked, find safe outlets for your righteous rage;

your mind will be clear, your decisions strategic, and your progress will not be derailed by the backlash of the fearful.

Blessed are you who do not demonize your opponents;

your eyes and your hearts will be open.

Blessed are you who sing and dance;

you will find energy and joy to lift you on your journey.

Blessed are you who offer thanks and praise five-fold for every critique;

your children will want to visit after they are grown, people will want to serve on your committees, and friends will be interested in your opinions.

Blessed are you who study the rhythms of history;

you will have knowledge with which to shape the future.

Blessed are you who work in coalition rather than in principled isolation;

you will meet great people, learn things you didn’t realize you needed to know, and have partners for the journey when you are in the lead, or in need.

Blessed are you who volunteer to be secretary and take good minutes;

your words will become history, and your efforts will move steadily forward rather than running absent mindedly over thoroughly discussed ground.

Blessed are you who discover, train and encourage young leaders;

you will see your work expand and grow beyond your own time and talent.

Blessed are you who can change your mind;

you are still alive.

Blessed are you who will not let the perfect be the enemy of the good;

you will see progress in your lifetime.

Blessed are you with an active spiritual life;

you will find perspective and comfort in times of loss and betrayal, and will rise without cynicism to meet the challenges of a new day.

Blessed are you who live from a place of gratitude;

for you will know the meaning of Life.

-Lindi Ramsden

 

~Offering~

A freewill offering is a sacrament of a free Church.

This fellowship is supported by the voluntary generosity of all who join with us.

There is an offering plate in the pool in front of us.

Please be generous in support of this UU fellowship.

(music)

 

~Sermon~

 

Social Justice Action and KIVA

Kiva microfinance lenders combat poverty daily by making small loans to borrowers around the world.

They believe in fair access to affordable capital for people to improve their own lives.

Billions of people around the world don’t have access to typical banking services.

In fact, Kiva has been awarded Charity Navigator’s highest rating.

http://www.charitynavigator.org/index.cfm?bay=search.summary&orgid=12978#.VFvlUL5tPRk

 

Sometimes providing just 1 small loan to people in poverty can be enough to help them become profitably self-employed and financially stable.

These loans are not donations; they’re almost always paid back.

By giving someone a hand (not a handout!) you are helping them help themselves to a better life. Here are some more Kiva statistics.

http://www.kiva.org/start

Kiva was founded in October 2005 by Matt Flannery and Jessica Jackley.

The couple’s initial interest in microfinance was inspired by a 2003 lecture given by Grameen Bank’s Muhammad Yunus at Stanford Business School.

As of November 6, 2014, Kiva has distributed $631,358,600 in loans from 1,231,443 lenders to over 1,458,727 borrowers.

A total of loans 793,202 have been funded through Kiva. The average loan size is $418.57, and the average Kiva user has made 10.42 loans. Kiva’s current repayment rate for all its partners is 98.81%.

 

We loan because…The Unitarian Universalist principles we subscribe to mandate that we respect the inherent worth and dignity of every person

and seek justice, equity and compassion in human relations.

We manifest our respect for the interdependent web of all existence by our charity to those in need around the world.

In 2011 the FUUCSL Social Justice Action Team was created.

After research and a decision making process., chose Kiva at our Social Justice project.

Joan Ixito was the driving force along with Sofia Freenote, the Team Captain on the Web Site.

How to participate…After creating an account on Kiva you can choose from profiles of the person or group that you would like to finance.

The choices are organized by sex, country, and type of business. Kiva is currently represented in approximately 79 countries.

As repayments are made on your loan, you receive an email notifying you that funds were deposited into your Kiva account as Kiva Credit.

You can sign into your Kiva account to re-lend your funds, donate them to Kiva, or withdraw them to a PayPal account.

At checkout Kiva will give you an option to donate a small amount to finance their operation.

You may receive updates throughout the loan term about the progress of the borrowers you’ve supported.

Kiva encourages their Field Partners to write updates on a regular basis. Field Partners supported by Kiva in their primary function of working with and supporting the borrowers.

We lend money for loans as individuals and as a congregation. The congregation has contributed $500, as an investment, and others have joined in.

To date 23 members have contributed to over $9000 worth of micro-finance loans. This is approximately $2000 more than last year.  We’ve supported 358 loans.

Starting with only modest amounts, our impact multiplies as our loans get paid off and we re-invest.

Twenty percent of  our loans have gone to borrowers in Nepal. This is interesting because, although we are represented as a team, we each choose and enter our loans individually.

170 of our loans have gone to food and agriculture based businesses. We also have 69 loans in services, 42 in retail, 25 in clothing and 10 in housing.

Here is more information on our impact.

http://www.kiva.org/team/fuucsl_social_justice_action_team/impact

To join our team, search for the keyword FUUCSL to find our FUUCSL Social Justice Action Team.  You might want to use your SL avatar names and addresses if you sign up for a Kiva account. http://www.kiva.org/team/fuucsl_social_justice_action_team

 

For more information, go to Kiva.com and browse the website.

 

Discussion

~Closing Words and Extinguishing the Chalice~

Our task now is to do what we can to advance reverence for life and deepen the promise of love.

Let us dedicate ourselves to the thinking, researching, practice and learning that will bring more love into the world.

-Rebecca Ann Parker

 

May we go forward into this week with peace, love and understanding.

 

“(What’s So Funny ‘Bout) Peace Love And Understanding”

 

As I walk on through this wicked world,

Searching for light in the darkness of insanity,

I ask myself, Is all hope lost?

Is there only pain, and hatred, and misery?

 

And each time I feel like this inside,

There’s one thing I wanna know,

What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding?,

What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding?

 

And as I walked on through troubled times,

My spirit gets so downhearted sometimes,

So where are the strong?,

And who are the trusted?,

And where is the harmony?,

Sweet harmony

 

‘Cause each time I feel it slipping away, just makes me wanna cry,

What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding?,

What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding?

 

So where are the strong?,

And who are the trusted?,

And where is the harmony?,

Sweet harmony

 

‘Cause each time I feel it slipping away, just makes me wanna cry,

What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding?,

What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding?,

What’s so funny ’bout peace, love, and understanding?