Expanding Horizons

This week, Aaron Poeze, a member of SA Unitarians, explores the concept of "weeds". How do we approach the plants that are unwelcome in our gardens, farm fields and wildlands? And does this hold lessons for us when considering how to approach the unwelcome elements we find in our minds and our society? 

The need a for better understanding of how we feed ourselves has never been more urgent. Most of us rely on a complex global food web of production, distribution, consumption and disposal. Jennie reflects on the dysfunctional nature of our food world, inspired by Julian Baggini's "How the World Eats". Fixing it will require wholistic thinking.

While Kris is away on leave, we'd like to share a recording of the Mozart A Major Piano Concerto (K488), as our holiday gift to you.

This was a Unitarian Church hall concert, performed in October 2023 by Brendan Moyse, with accompaniment from the delightful Margaret Lambert.

In this Christmas season, we are bombarded with messages encouraging materialistic giving. Here Kris reflects on an alternative, deeper type of generosity. Like in the story of Good King Wenceslas, can we lead the way by giving more widely and recklessly?

Each night a child is born is a holy night. Kris offers reflections on the young of today and how their worries are different to those of previous generations. Nuclear war doesn't loom as large, the cold war is over, but the struggle for resources continues to threaten world peace. Climate change looms large in the minds of our young today. Kris encourages people of all ages to remember love is an action and to find a way to serve others.

In Yeshua's Prayer, Kris looks at the origins of "The Lord's Prayer" (aka " The Our Father"). Can we determine how much of it was taught by Yeshua himself and how much was added later? And, more importantly, can we distinguish between the essential truth found in this famous prayer and the extra embellishments added as Christianity was codified? This podcast provides much food for thought and perhaps even some "essential bread" for our spirits.

This week we have another Uniting Church Chaplain, Rev Dave Williamson, a member of the Chaplaincy team at Flinders University since 2014. All at Flinders are welcomed by Oasis. The Oasis Team at Flinders is committed to supporting students and staff across multi-faiths, regardless of ethnicity, gender or gender identity. Dave introduces us to the African concept of Ubuntu, communal sharing and mutual support. A Multi-faith diversity in outreach is seen by the Oasis chaplaincy team as one of their strengths. Dave's talk may well point us to ways where we as a community can help with the work of Oasis at Flinders?

At today's Inter-faith Service, Kris interviews the Rev Liellie McLaughlin, South African-born Minister within the Uniting Church, Environmentalist and practising Physiotherapist. Liellie is the Community Connections Coordinator for Pilgrim Uniting Church, a member of the Uniting Church's Synod Refugee Advocacy Group, Environmental Action Group and Covenanting Committee. Liellie describes herself as working "at the edges of the institutional Church", intentionally stepping away from a traditional minister's role - preferring instead to deepen our understanding of the nature of God from the bonds built from wider, Inter-faith and Multi-faith connections. My hunch is that the seeds that germinated from Liellie's first religious experience as a child in South Africa, led her to initiate "Hope's Café" and the Interfaith dinners we enjoy today. This interfaith "feast" - we shared and enjoyed together today, is a spiritual one. Our Interfaith Service finishes with an Inter/Multi-faith story of our times by Grant and a conclusion by Kris. So listen on and be nourished!

P.S.I've also managed to repair the distortion on the orginal Podcast file

Many religious, philosophical and psychological traditions emphasize the importance of transcending the ego - that part of ourselves that is primarily self-interested. Kris examines these ideas and offers some suggestions for why and how we may become less controlled by our egos as we move through our spiritual journeys. 

Readings and music set the scene for Kris's exploration of the benefits and challenges of the practice of meditation. He discusses how meditation involves deep relaxation, concentration, and maybe something more...