The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 6, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Yadenee Hailu, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION Evil is in how systems and institutions build and repeat un-(w)holy roles for people. Evil that comes from within me, is when voices and expectations in myself perpetuate images and roles for myself which are (you guessed it) not whole. Let's make beautiful the art of healing- which is found in reclaiming worth, dignity, interconnection, and age...
Oct 06, 2019•24 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 29, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION The late Helen Keller, who was born blind said: "The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision." I call that sleep walking, which is basically eyes wide shut not wired shut! It is said that there are three kinds of people: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened...
Sep 29, 2019•39 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 29, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION While pondering the skills needed to fulfill a vision, I became curious about what makes a vision fulfilling—as in, truly satisfying and full. How do we know a vision is a whole and nourishing one? Also, when can we reap the benefits of our grand visions while remaining honest? It isn't sustainable (for me) i...
Sep 29, 2019•24 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 29, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION While pondering the skills needed to fulfill a vision, I became curious about what makes a vision fulfilling—as in, truly satisfying and full. How do we know a vision is a whole and nourishing one? Also, when can we reap the benefits of our grand visions while remaining honest? It isn't sustainable (for me) if rewards are only at the ...
Sep 29, 2019•26 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 22, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Perez-Simons, Intern Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Our senses are the bridge between our outer world and our inner realms; they can also be a grounding vehicle that can sustain us through the most trying of circumstances. Drawing from neuroscience, Buddhism, indigenous cultures, and my own lived experiences, I will explore the ways of being that promote human flo...
Sep 22, 2019•26 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 22, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Yadenee Hailu, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION While pondering the skills needed to fulfill a vision, I became curious about what makes a vision fulfilling—as in, truly satisfying and full. How do we know a vision is a whole and nourishing one? Also, when can we reap the benefits of our grand visions while remaining honest? It isn't sustainable (for me) if rewards are only at the end. I n...
Sep 22, 2019•26 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 15, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION What do you do when things are falling apart? Forests burning in the Amazon and hurricanes blowing through and up from the Bahamas, stir up our anxieties and awaken our fears. Learning how to stay present with our emotions is one way to weather the storms of our times and our personal lives. When we ...
Sep 15, 2019•27 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 15, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Third Sunday Throwback Sermon Series: Beginning in September, once a month, the ministers are selecting sermons from the historic ministers of All Souls and giving them new life by reworking them with their contemporary perspective for living in the 21st century. As All Souls approaches its 100th year, we will be offering a special “t...
Sep 15, 2019•37 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 8, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sep 08, 2019•38 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 8, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Some people want to understand how Humanists and Naturalists, Christians, Jews and Buddhists and people of multiple faiths and philosophies have created such a vibrant congregation together in the heart of the Bible Belt. It’s not always easy to explain, but I’ll give it a go on Sunday. It seems as if humanity...
Sep 08, 2019•26 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 8, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Some people want to understand how Humanists and Naturalists, Christians, Jews and Buddhists and people of multiple faiths and philosophies have created such a vibrant congregation together in the heart of the Bible Belt. It’s not always easy to explain, but I’ll give it a go on Sunday. It seems as if humanity is at a spiritual crossro...
Sep 08, 2019•22 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 1, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION How should we try to relate to what feels totally “other?” Can black or ethnic “under-privilege” relate to white privilege, and vice versa? Does the Trading Places idea work in such a setting? How about humanist mindsets with super-human mindsets? Something is futile when it becomes incapable of producing any use...
Sep 01, 2019•27 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 1, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION How should we try to relate to what feels totally “other?” Can black or ethnic “under-privilege” relate to white privilege, and vice versa? Does the Trading Places idea work in such a setting? How about humanist mindsets with super-human mindsets? Something is futile when it becomes incapable of producing any useful result—it’s pointless....
Sep 01, 2019•23 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 25, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. *Music: Booker Gillespie, Majeste Pearson, Dionne Lambert, Eric Himan's Band, Tommy Poole, Rick Fortner, David B. Smith SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:...
Aug 25, 2019•17 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 25, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. *Music: Booker Gillespie, Majeste Pearson, Dionne Lambert, Eric Himan's Band, Tommy Poole, Rick Fortner, David B. Smith SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Websi...
Aug 25, 2019•16 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 18, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Perez-Simons, Intern Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Celebrate the start of the school year! We welcome our families, commission our teachers, and bless our students! Parents and caregivers, tour our intentionally-inclusive church school program and meet the teachers! *Music: Thomas Farnan-Williams, solo; Rick Fortner, piano SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OU...
Aug 18, 2019•23 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 18, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Perez-Simons, Intern Minister. DESCRIPTION Celebrate the start of the school year! We welcome our families, commission our teachers, and bless our students! Parents and caregivers, tour our intentionally-inclusive church school program and meet the teachers! *Music: Thomas Farnan-Williams, solo; Rick Fortner, piano SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE T...
Aug 18, 2019•18 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 11, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Our church is being seen on “the big screen” in theaters across the country in the feature documentary, 'American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel'. It’s certainly nothing new for Unitarians and Universalists to be accused of heresy for embracing a scientific and evolutionary worldview and for asking questio...
Aug 11, 2019•29 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 11, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Our church is being seen on “the big screen” in theaters across the country in the feature documentary, 'American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel'. It’s certainly nothing new for Unitarians and Universalists to be accused of heresy for embracing a scientific and evolutionary worldview and for asking questions about doctrines that ar...
Aug 11, 2019•23 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 28, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Laurel Carbone, Congregant, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Everyone has failed at some point in their life. Failure can be demoralizing, but it doesn't have to be where we stay. If we ask ourselves to keep moving forward, we're honest with ourselves and others, and we handle ourselves with grace, we can move into a place of healing. There will be people and societal messages along the w...
Jul 28, 2019•33 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 28, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION "Just walk a mile in his moccasins. Before you abuse, criticize and accuse. If just for one hour, you could find a way. To see through his eyes, instead of your own muse." —Excerpt from Judge Softly, Mary Lathrap, 1895 An early form of trade was to barter, trading goods or services without the use of money. What are the values and virtues you...
Jul 28, 2019•28 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 21, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Yadenee Hailu, Assistant Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION This summer I had the honor of co-chairing the Right Relationship Team at General Assembly in Spokane and visiting my family in Ethiopia. My role changed drastically in these two locations, but I found a unique trend that wove the contrasting trips together. I could speak in great lengths about my love of the UU church or...
Jul 21, 2019•20 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 21, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Yadenee Hailu, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION This summer I had the honor of co-chairing the Right Relationship Team at General Assembly in Spokane and visiting my family in Ethiopia. My role changed drastically in these two locations, but I found a unique trend that wove the contrasting trips together. I could speak in great lengths about my love of the UU church or my roots in Ethiopia. How...
Jul 21, 2019•21 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 14, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION I never thought anybody would ever attribute the word “heresy”, “heretic” to me. It was just wasn’t in my mind at all. It just means choice or opinion, or to choose differently from others, “heresies” in Hebrew/Greek. So, the whole idea of getting out the traditions of the traded down ideologies and ideas, and develo...
Jul 14, 2019•32 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 14, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rabbi Michael Weinstein, Senior Rabbi, Temple Israel. DESCRIPTION As we are engaging in the idea of trading places, really what this means is that we are adding tension to our lives. Let’s move from a place of ordinary to that of extraordinary, as we move toward intentional sacredness in our lives. With these summer months comes a sense of transition. With sabbaticals and vacations, we return...
Jul 14, 2019•33 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 7, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Diana K. Davies, Lead Minister, First Unitarian Church of Oklahoma City, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION In early September of 2004, I was doing research in Moscow. It was a time of high tension. Two Russian planes had been blown up and a major Moscow subway station had been the site of a deadly terror attack. According to the Russian press, three Chechen women – roommates – were res...
Jul 07, 2019•24 min
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, July 7, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Riley Kern, All Souls member and former Evangelical minister. DESCRIPTION Anyone who has made an intentional change in religious belief and practice has undoubtedly experienced the difficulties in navigating religious boundaries. Leaving one's tradition is rarely met with encouragement, and entering another often involves distrust and tests of sincerity. What would happen if we created comm...
Jul 07, 2019•34 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 30, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION As a boy I used to wish I had the power to become invisible. Some people in our society feel invisible and when they are seen, other people often wish they were not. Walking in another’s shoes is not really possible in every situation. I decided to spend a night in a homeless shelter and some time on the streets with people who do not have...
Jun 30, 2019•30 min
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 23, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Steven L. Williams, Pastoral Care Chaplain, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION We humans frequently reinvent ourselves, living many lives in one lifetime, trading places with ourselves as we go. Our institutions (like churches) change as we do. With self and world constantly shifting, how do we know what is passing and what is permanent? How do we embrace what we are becoming, while also af...
Jun 23, 2019•19 min
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 23, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Steven L. Williams, Pastoral Care Chaplain. DESCRIPTION We humans frequently reinvent ourselves, living many lives in one lifetime, trading places with ourselves as we go. Our institutions (like churches) change as we do. With self and world constantly shifting, how do we know what is passing and what is permanent? How do we embrace what we are becoming, while also affirming what we once were?...
Jun 23, 2019•17 min
