Expanding Horizons

Conversations

Today, with the focus of today's service on 'conversation', Kris introduced Rev. Dave  - visiting our church again, from the USA. In the course of their conservation, Kris asked Rev. Dave about his rules for living a good life. Dave responded with four rules:-

• The 12 O'Clock Rule
• The 30 second Rule
•  The 13% Rule and
• Rule number 6 -

- but you'll need to listen to today's podcast for Dave's explanation of each.

Our service ended with our conversation as we responded to several of Rev. Dave's discussion starters designed to get to know each other better and to hone our listening skills.

Transcending the human condition

Kris approaches today's address: "Transcending the human condition" (Transcendence) with some questions:-
"What do we mean by being human? - able to rise above our animal instincts?"
"How do we go from being "nice", "reasonable" people to a state of Transcendence?"
"How do we move beyond moral development to spiritual development?"
 "What holds us back?"
"What might help us to rise above the compulsion of our human instincts - to let go of the need to meet those basic human urges ...to a state of Transcendence: beyond distractions, beyond moral development to spiritual development?"
"What space is there in your life for "The Spirit"?"
"How will you create that space in your life?" - It may mean "letting-go"!
Kris offers some suggestions and ends with a story for us all.

"The Mother"

Today, Mothers Day, 2024, Kris explores the role of Motherhood and the impact Mothers have had on the lives of their children.

Novalis: German Philosopher and Poet

Kris begins his address with a question: "Who was Georg Philipp Friedrich Fruihwald von Hadenburg - alias Novalis?" a corruption from di Novali - "The Newcomers" - the name his ancestors gave to themselves when they settled on their land. Novalis b. 1772, was a Lutheran, (Pietist) mystic, in awe of the beauty and mystery of Nature and the universe that surrounded him. It was the beginning of the Age of Reason that applied Reason and Intellect to understand Nature and God. As a young mystic poet, novelist and philosopher, aged only 28, Novalis contracted tuberculosis or cystic fibrosis and died at 29 but had packed so much into his short life. Kris's biographical research will encourage you to listen on to find out more about the contribution of this young, free-thinker and "Unitarian", who expressed his "Thoughts - through Philosophy" and his "Feelings - through Poetry", but concluding - "Humanity is a comic role"?

Lessons from The Church of Saint Porphyrios

Kris introduces us to a remarkable, Eastern Orthodox Church which has stood in Gaza City for more than a millennium - resolute, obdurate - a beacon of hope and tolerance amidst the rubble, turmoil and despair.
Kris asks - "What lessons can we learn from the microcosm that is this Church of Saint Porphyrius. They were lessons that needed to be learned by Saint Porphyrios himself.

A New Beatitude? - "Blessed are those who practice Tzedekah!"

Courage and Sacrifice

In the context of an approaching Anzac Day, Kris begins today's address today by reading our seven Unitarian Principles. Altruistic as these 'Seven Principles' are as Unitarian Universalist aspirations for a better world for all, the community consensus with which they are received encourages "a certain kind of passivity" ... lip service?
"Something is missing!", Kris observes.
It's this missing thread - in the 'aspirational fabric' of our seven principles that Kris weaves into his Anzac Day address: "Courage & Sacrifice". It elevates our Seven Principles beyond banality ...beyond tokenism. It will strengthen our Unitarian fabric, but it will take us out of our comfort zone. What is Courage? Who...What are the dissuaders of us acting courageously when challenged? Do I ... Do you... Do we - have what it takes to act courageously? Listen on!

Enter the Dragon

Those lucky enough to be born in the Chinese "Year of the Dragon" are said to be endowed with Power, Abundance, Majesty and Longevity. Kris's address today takes its title from Bruce "The Dragon" Lee's martial arts film - "Enter the Dragon". It is about a darker side: that "dragon" within ourselves and commences with a reading from an interview with the Mythologist, Joseph Campbell.
At the outset, Kris asks us: "Have you got your 'inner dragon' under control?"

Well have you? Listen on to find out.

"The Matrix"

Today Kris delves into the symbolism behind the plot of the 1990s film "The Matrix", drawing from the Matrix's similarities with the Martin Scorsese film, "The Last Temptation of Christ, the folk-law of the Greek heroes and (Joseph Campbell's) The Hero's journey". There is also a Christian context to the symbolism of "The Matrix". Kris asks - "What is Reality? It is also about the choices we make - or choose not to make, and the consequences of our choices. So often it's a choice between complacency, stasis - or risk the unknown. Our journey is all about exploring Reality. It's about discovery, especially "self-discovery", risk taking, growth, especially treading the spiritual path - a spiritual journey leading to spiritual growth. Intellect will only take us so far. Listen on to begin - or to continue - your spiritual journey. Kris concludes: "Let us choose Love!"

Risen!

On this third day of Easter, Resurrection Day, in an address called "Risen", Kris explores some of the Resurrection Mythology from other cultures and religious traditions that preceded the New Testament account of the bodily resurrection of Jesus. Kris asks: "Why have humans throughout history and in so many cultures from around the world, woven stories of Gods - and even ordinary people like us, dying and being reborn again?"

It is still all about Hope, suggests Kris. But it's something more certain than our own immortality. What's more - it's something we are all capable of, and it's something we can - each of us - take away with us today.

A Good Friday Service

Today, as the focus of our Easter service, Kris talks about Courage in defiance of Authority:-

- that ultimate sacrifice of Jesus as Messiah, - to the Jews, that ultimate blasphemy.

To get us into an Easter mind-set, Kris asks us some key questions:-

• Is there a cause we feel very strongly about?
• How far would we be prepared to go in pursuit of that cause - especially if we were challenged by Authority?
• Would we be prepared to make that ultimate sacrifice - of our life in fulfillment of that cause?

We learn of one Messiah who made that ultimate sacrifice and is remembered;

- another, "wanna-be" 'messiah' who fell short but lived to tell the story - albeit one of capitulation to power - of failure and ignominy.