Expanding Horizons

What we are feeling is grief.

A pastoral address given on the 24th March, 2020 by our Minister, Rev. Rob MacPherson and delivered on YouTube. Rob talks about the grieving process that many are experiencing during this time of National and Community social isolation needed to "flatten the curve" and minimise the spread of the Covid-19 virus. As Rob is now the Chaplain at Pembroke School, what he has to say will also be relevant to the students and parents of the Pembroke School community. Listen on!

Syncretic Religion

This is a podcast of an address given on Sunday 29th March by Marcus Hamilton-Smythe, a member of our Church, to an empty church, closed soon after the declaration of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
In this address, under the title "Syncretic Religion", Marcus uses the definition of the Collins Dictionary: "To combine or attempt to combine the characteristics of the teachings, belief and practises of differing systems of religions or philosophy". Marcus explores the commonalities and differences he has found in the world's major religious traditions and how they have influenced each other as well as his own, personal beliefs. Listen on!

Visitors and members are advised by the Committee of Management that our church will remain closed for gatherings in compliance with the Law and until further notice. However the Church Committee will ensure that recordings of addresses will continue to be available each week via this podcasting site, and videos will also be available via YouTube as advised via Facebook and other Social Media links.

A Brief History of Clothing

The service on Sunday March 15th, 2020 was conducted by Dr Victor Squires - a member of our Adelaide congregation. Victor talks about the history of clothing and refers to several hypotheses that help to explain the human transition from human hair/fur to clothing and high fashion through the ages to the modern era. Quoting Mark Twain, Victor asks - Do clothes really "make the Man"?

The Creation Story in Genesis

The service on Sunday February 23rd, 2020 was conducted by Marcus Hamilton-Smythe - a member of the Adelaide congregation. Marcus examines the Creation Story in Genesis and expresses surprise that the mythology is taken as "literal truth" by highly educated people - notwithstanding several anomalies within the creation mythology. Marcus suggests that there is another reason why the Story of Creation in Genesis is included in the Bible and reveals its underlying purpose. He also maintains that the Jewish creation mythology in Genesis extends back even further to the Babylonians. Listen on!

Agriculture, Religion and the Environment

Today's service was led by Jennie Dyster, our Unitarian Church President on February 16th, 2020. The address "Agriculture, Religion and the Environment" was presented by Dr Victor Squires, an Agriculturalist who is also a member of our congregation. Victor commenced with an old Native American saying: “We do not inherit the earth and all its resources from our forebears, we borrow it from our children”. Victor briefly examines environmental wisdoms from various traditional and major religions and contrasts these belief systems with the Judeo - Christian perspective in the Old Testament that viewed the world as unlimited in its capacity to be exploited. Victor challenges us to embrace an 11th Commandment that will ensure sustainable, global, environmental stewardship. Listen on!

Bare (Bear?) Necessities

Today's service and address was conducted by Jennie Dyster, our President and was recorded in the Unitarian Meeting House in Adelaide on Sunday, 9th February, 2020.

In her Address "Bare (or is it "Bear"?) Necessities", Jennie draws inspiration from several of Benjamin Hoff's books - especially "The Te of Piglet" and "Poo Way" for Buddhist wisdoms in managing human conflict. Other highlights of this service include some wonderful and spontaneous insights from one of our youngest members in response to today's "Story for All Ages". Our pianist, Margaret Lambert concludes today's service with a memorable performance of Sergei Rachmaninoff's soulfully romantic "18th Variation on The Rhapsody on a Theme of Paganini" (arr. Hermene W Eichhorn). Listen on!

A Welcoming Australia

Today's service and address was recorded in the Unitarian Meeting House in Adelaide on Sunday, 2nd February, 2020. This podcast records much of the service in its entirety and includes - for its historical value - a vivid, eye-witness account of two of our members helping as volunteers during the Kangaroo Island bushfires that recently burnt half the island.

In today's address, our member, Aaron Poeze spoke on the importance of us continuing to be a welcoming and inclusive church to our visitors and to our members. We also had some fun casting natural inhibitions and reserve aside to practise the gentle art of "open-handed welcoming" amongst ourselves.

Aaron flagged some of the challenges of "welcoming" - especially the national xenophobia to be found within this Island State of ours - as seen in our treatment of refugees. Aaron suggests how we - as a nation, might cast aside our national xenophobia to become "A Welcoming Australia". This address is not to be missed! Listen on!

Annual Unitarian In-gathering, Water Communion and Blessing of our Children's' book-bags

This service - recorded on Australia Day, Sunday, 26th January, 2020 in the Unitarian Meeting House, Adelaide is conducted by our Minister, Rev. Rob MacPherson. It is our Annual Unitarian In-gathering, Water Communion and the Blessing of our Children's book-bags - held prior to their return to school at the end of the summer vacation. Because each element in this Unitarian "sacrament", is indispensable, it is recorded in its entirety. Against the backdrop of an unprecedentedly hot, dry and destructive Australian summer, Rob also reflects on that most precious commodity - water!

Mindfulness

Today's address is on Mindfulness. It was prepared by Jennie Opie who leads our members in the practice of "mindfulness" within our Unitarian services. In Jennie's absence, her address today is presented by John Hall.
"Do you ever struggle with negative thinking?" Jennie/John asks at the outset. Jennie, through John - then proceeds to offer some useful advice and "mindfulness" strategies to help us cope with negative thoughts whenever they occur. The problem comes not when we have negative thoughts (for we all have them) - but when we believe those negative thoughts to be true. Listen on!

The Stars in the Bright Sky

This address - 11 days after Christmas - commences with readings of the familiar Christmas Story in St Matthew's Gospel written for Jews by St Matthew, a Jewish convert to a "blasphemous, breakaway Jewish sect calling themselves Christians" and the rather more succinct account of Jesus' arrival in St John's Gospel as "The Word made Flesh". There is also a brief account of "the Commercial Christmas" narrative that has insinuated itself into the spirit of Christmas, globally and terminally.
The use of the Jewish didactic convention of the Midrash in St Matthew's account - saw the creation of a narrative on a human scale that has stirred the imagination of Christian artists, musicians, writers and poets for over two millennia. However, today's address soon takes listeners away from the familiar mythology of the Nativity to focus instead on the Christmas Stars that prompted that Magi to commence their journey in search of stable, manger and Jesus. The serenity and turmoil to be found in Nature and the Cosmos beyond, provides insights into ourselves and the natural world and suggests new stories and understandings shaped by Science.