muusic!

There were many amazing musicians who performed at SUUSI. Several of them are UUs themselves; others embody similar values. Joe Jencks and I have co-presented worship in four different venues, and I have attended a number of his concerts. Amy Carol Webb sang at SUUSI and at General Assembly. I am worried that she thinks I'm a flake, because virtually every time we interact, I am weeping from her music. Another fantastic UU duo, who performs what they call “folk and roll,” is the band Wishing Chair. I hope to hear Pat Wictor perform his slide guitar in our sanctuary, on his trip through Michigan this October. And Ellen Bukstel has won several awards for her music, including for her work against domestic violence. Ellen’s music is powerful and often riotously funny. All of these musicians can bring us hope and joy through our CD and mp3 players. You can also watch them perform by searching for them at YouTube.

twitter @uucgt

We are still struggling to get podcasts created, but we do Twitter! Follow me at @uucgt. Thanks to @MikeArgyle for helping me figure out technology and culture of Twitter.

fast for Gaza

Please join the fast for Gaza. Beginning tomorrow, on the third Thursday of each month, I will join many Rabbis and other people of conscience as they observe a daylight water fast, to support the people of Gaza.

From the "Fast for Gaza" statement, we fast:

1. To call for a lifting of the blockade that prevents the entry of civilian goods and services into Gaza;

2. To provide humanitarian and developmental aid to the people of Gaza;

3. To call upon Israel, the US, and the international community to engage in negotiations without pre-conditions with all relevant Palestinian parties - including Hamas - in order to end the blockade;

4. To encourage the American government to vigorously engage both Israelis and Palestinians toward a just and peaceful settlement of the conflict.

"Stand!" on the Side of Love

The "Standing on the Side of Love" video is remarkable, not just for the variety of people and the positive messages, but also for the song Stand! by Amy Carol Webb. When she performed it at the GA Closing Worship, I felt it to be one of the highest moments of a week full of rich emotions and ideas. I look forward to hearing more from ACW at SUUSI.

pray without ceasing

"Pray...silence...music...next liturgical element" seems to be the pattern used at many of our public worship services. I had a marvelous time at the General Assembly; there were too many good moments to list yet. And, probably because I am a "J" in the Myers Briggs Personality Typology, I noticed that many of the prayers in our "big" services did not have an "amen" or "blessed be" or "ashe" or my favorite, "so may we be." Anybody else notice this?