Welcome & Announcements + Stewardship Moment/Announcement

Prelude   J.S. Bach – Prelude in C Major, Rousseau; Pianist

Opening Words     In Praise of Technology & Social Media By Karen Bellavance-Grace

In praise of computers and routers and servers and all the hardware and software that can help us build our connectedness;

in praise of all the gremlins that live in the machines and bug our programs and help us to practice patience;

in praise of the trolls who dwell in the internet and push us to live out our first principle in real time;

in praise of power surges that eat our data and devour our final draft, for giving us the opportunity to rebuild and remember that our work is as much transient as it is transcendent;

in praise of the Error: Page Not Found, which reminds us that with some people we need to find new paths to make connections, because not everyone uses the same keywords;

in praise of servers that drop our connections which reminds us that all who serve have built-in limits to their capacity;

in praise of communication and connection, whether it is face-to-face or facebook-to-facebook.

We always risk errors, hurt feelings and misunderstanding,

But it is also, always, worth the risk.

Amen.

Chalice Lighting [Adaptation of a writing by Rev. Leslie Takahashi]

This morning we light our chalice in honor of wisdom. For the wisdom within us that calls to a wisdom beyond us, for in that dialogue lies peace. 

Song    Down to the River to Pray        by Virtual Choir

Time for All Ages 

Reading #1 by William Ellery Channing

“There are seasons, in human affairs, of inward and outward revolution, when new depths seem to be broken up in the soul, when new wants are unfolded in multitudes, and a new and undefined good is thirsted for. There are periods when…to dare, is the highest wisdom.”

Reading #2   by14th Century Sufi Poet Hafiz 

(translated & interpreted by Daniel Ladinsky)

“The Beloved sometimes wants 

To do us a great favor: 

Hold us upside down 

And shake all the nonsense out.” 

Reflection:     Wisdom Within

Song, Joys and Sorrows: One Love | Playing For Change | Song Around The World

Stewardship Moment

Closing Words: An ending, or merely prelude to more glorious beginnings?    by Michael A Schuler

“We have reached the end of this time

For the gathering of memory

And for letting the imagination play with future possibilities.

We have enjoyed magic moments and edified each other.

Shall it be concluded, then?

Or will this adventure, now commenced, continue?—

Our separate paths converging, meeting, merging

In the unending quest for love more perfect,

The joyous struggle for meaning more sufficient and life more abundant.

Is this ending to be an ending,

Or merely prelude to new, more glorious beginnings?

I pose the question;

In your hearts lies the answer.”

Song: When Our Heart Is In a Holy Place by Sonya & Jeep 

Extinguishing the Chalice: We Are One By Amy Zucker Morgenstern

“Never has it been more true than now:

We extinguish this flame,

But the sparks within us remain alight.

From each of us, in our supposed solitude,

The signals buzz and hum, sparkling through space one to the other,

Connecting us invisibly

But palpably.

We are one.

And from every window,

Our light shines.”

Benediction