First UU Congregation of Second Life

First Unitarian Universalist Congregation, Second Life (FUUCSL)

Thursday, December 11, 2014

6:30PM SL Time (Pacific Standard Time)

Leading the service: dav0 Turas

——————————–

Welcome.

 

** 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.

There are lots of events besides this weekly service to take part in.

Be sure to check out our web site: http://fuucsl.org, for more details

on these and other such events.

 

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

more involved.

There is rental property available in UUtopia as well – contact Zyzzy

Zarf to learn more.

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 also join us after the service for coffee and conversation.

 

Are there any announcements?

 

** Lighting the Chalice **

 

“We gather this hour as people of faith With joys and sorrows, gifts

and needs. We light this beacon of hope, Sign of our quest For truth

and meaning, In celebration of the life we share together”

– Christine Robinson

 

** Joys and Concerns **

 

Please feel free to share any joys and concerns…

 

** Opening Words **

 

Music and Spirituality

 

“Many people distrust politicians because of their lack of emotion.

Many preachers, on the other hand, pile on so much emotion that it

causes some people to doubt their authenticity. This causes more distrust.

And more times than not, people are correct in both cases. “Now, listen to

what I am about to tell you: Musicians do not have to be believed in. We do

not have to be trusted. Our Music speaks for itself without the listener

having to know anything about us. Music touches people’s emotions

in a way that nothing else can. When people find a musician they like,

they are usually fans for Life. If they like the musician and his Music,

they will open up their hearts to whatever that musician has to say.

It matters not what country the musician or the fan comes from.

Music is a language that all understand. It goes beyond and breaks

down barriers. This makes the musician very powerful, and with

power comes responsibility.

 

We create and release powerful emotions within ourselves and

others through a realm called entertainment. The word ‘entertainment’

can imply that one has ‘entered into attainment’ or ‘atonement’ which

means ‘at-one-ment.’ You could also call it in-tune-ment. Whatever you

call it,just know that it represents a high level. So when you partake

as a spectator, you may be watching someone who has attained this

level. But you are not only watching; the artist is allowing you to join

him at this level. If you join him, it allows both you and the artist to

reach even higher levels. As a spectator, you are actually able to

push the artist to these higher levels.

A gifted artist will carry you with him.

 

The cool thing about entertainment is that it is a choice.

It is not like politics, where we are un-American if we do not take part,

or like ‘good ole’ religion, where for thousands of years we’ve been

told what will happen to us if we don’t get some. Music is still a choice,

free and unencumbered. This is beautiful to some and frightening to others.

 

In 1968, in order to prevent a riot, President Johnson called upon

James Brown, a musician, to address the public after Reverend

Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. Mr. Brown, speaking

to the masses, was able to do what no politician could;

he calmed them. After that, James Brown stated that he was

perceived by the government as the most dangerous man in the world.

Because he did what he was asked to do, he was under close

surveillance for a long time. The government felt that if he could

easily stop a riot, he must easily be able to start one…

 

Church officials also know the power of Music,  Many of them

try to have the largest and best choir and band that they can.

Why? Because they know that the church with the best choir

has the biggest congregation. Some people pick their churches

based on the quality or quantity of the Music and attend mainly

for these reasons.”

 

Wooten, Victor L.

The Music Lesson: A Spiritual Search for Growth Through Music

 

I feel like I have really only just begun my own journey learning

more about music.  A dabbler, I tend to try things and I especially

flock to a subject when I discover that I am graced with the presence

of truly talented teachers on that subject, and I feel that I have

discovered this to be true here in UUtopia.

 

 

** Offering **

 

Please be generous and donate to the offering plate so that we can help sustain UUtopia.

 

** Musical Interlude (UUtopia) **

 

~Principles and Beliefs~

 

Unitarian Universalists hold the Seven Principles as strong values and

moral teachings. As Rev. Barbara Wells ten Hove explains, “The

Principles are not dogma or doctrine, but rather a guide for those of

us who choose to join and participate in Unitarian Universalist

religious communities.”

 

The Principles are:

 

1st Principle: The inherent worth and dignity of every person;

2nd Principle: Justice, equity and compassion in human relations;

3rd Principle: Acceptance of one another and encouragement to spiritual growth in our congregations;

4th Principle: A free and responsible search for truth and meaning;

5th Principle: The right of conscience and the use of the democratic process within our congregations and in society at large;

6th Principle: The goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all;

7th Principle: Respect for the interdependent web of all existence of which we are a part.

 

As a leadership goal, we are challenged to explore at least one of

these principles each week.

 

This week, I would like to explore the 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, and 6th Principles

by way of a new song I wrote entitled “UU Fight Song”

 

Let me preface by saying that this song is just a little bit inspired by the

U.S. college football season which is just winding up its regular season.

I won’t go into too much detail here, but suffice it to say that I tend to get

fairly heavily involved in certain aspects of college football anyway – in

particular the cheerleading section, but it’s probably not what you think.

 

The main thing I like about college football is that there seems to be much more

team spirit (otherwise known as emotion) in college sports than in sports at

other levels – such as pro football.  There is a certain amount of this same spiritual

presence – per se – in other sports, as well as at other, younger grade levels, but

there is a certain almost tribalistic nature about the college level which is still also

typically balanced by good sportsmanship that I find intriguing.  There is also a

real diversity of fans and fan groupings – from the wilder student sections to the

more sedate family and alumni sections.  In all cases, people typically have a lot

of emotion tied up in the event.

 

Also present in college football – more than most other sports – is a level of regalia

which is really unrivalled in any other sport’s fan base.  Things such as mascots

(which is where a good deal of my interest lies), as well as other things such as

conference rivalries, team colors, trophies, and so on, all make for a real show.

One other key feature of college football is the school fight song!  There is nothing

like singing the school fight song to pump you up for the game!

 

And that leads me to the introduction of our next musical addition –

Now keep in mind, this is a prototype – a work in progress.  You will be able to tell

from my scratchy crud filled voice that I will probably need to try a few more cuts

of the audio, and it could probably use a few more insturments to fill out the band

section.  The words are a little more solid I think, but I would certainly welcome

feedback on the wording as well.  Anyway, without further ado, I present to you:

 

The UU Fight Song  (version 2a)

———-

 

If you are faced with injustice

If you are filled with dismay

We can help you,

stand up for you

Cause We Are… the UUs… HOORAY!!!

 

So when you need a savior

To help you through your day

Community

with Principles

Yes, Come On… and Join Us… TODAY!

———-

 

We are the champions of freedom

Progressives and liberals too

When you’re under attack,

just know we’ve got your back

Cause we fight for the rights of the true

 

We celebrate every person

Their worth and their dignity too

Value reason and love

over gods up above

And we go by the name of UU!

———-

 

Our mission may seem rather daunting

To question the authority

But remember the past

and who finishes last

Responsible search holds the key

 

So take up the fight for your brothers

And sisters for equality

Because no one is free

until all are you see

We’re the home of… the brave… and… the free…  (GO U U!)

 

** Discussion **

 

Please discuss…

 

** Choir Practice **

 

One thing I’d like to mention about these songs is that I have also

provided versions of them without vocals – so that someone else

can take a stab at singing them.  At this point I would ask whether

anyone would like to give it a try?  We might all try singing together

as well.  I can see if I can re-display the words if anyone would like

to try singing one or both.

 

If not now, then it might make sense to stage a choir practice session

sometime to work on figuring out ways of either recording a group sing,

or maybe conducting a group edit of the song.  Also, along that same vein,

Tee and I have been doing some musical collaboration using GarageBand –

which is what I have mostly using for putting these songs together so far.

We’d like to invite folks to join us in this effort if interested.  If nothing else,

you can simply ask and receive access to a zip file containing the project

files for these two songs.  Just be sure to ask.

 

In closing, I would like to mention that today is my oldest daughter’s

birthday.  Stacy is a flute and piccolo player in the U.S. Air Force.

In honor of her, I would like to share a URL of one of their recent

Flash Mob events reported on USA Today:

 

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/12/03/air-force-band-flash-mob/19824447/

 

If you look closely, you’ll see her – she is the strawberry blonde flute

player standing directly behind the conductor.  Happy Birthday Stacy!

 

 

** Closing words and Extinguishing the Chalice **

 

“We extinguish this flame but not the light of truth, The warmth of

community, Or the fire of commitment. These we carry in our hearts

until We are together again.” – Elizabeth Selle Jones

 

** Dance **

 

** Coffee Hour **