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Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Sunnyvale, California
Comments, Essays, and Sermons (Collection 1) |
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Minister's Musings
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Bad News is Easy. What's the Good News?
Evangelism! This word pushes the buttons of many UUs. Many of us think it has nothing to do with us. Guess what? The very same reaction to the idea of "evangelism" is common in many of the liberal, mainline churches in America – and in the many Christians who value education, reason, freedom, and tolerance – liberal Lutherans, Congregationalists, United Methodists, etc. Nothing is UU–niquely special about our fear of this word and the images it conjures for us. But this Greek–based word means only "telling the good news." That is intimidating, I admit – telling good news. It's hard work to find good news in these anxious times. My job would be much easier if I could just tell the bad news: the Dow is down; people still do cruel things; too many are violent; too many are suffering; wars continue; the health of the earth is being assaulted. Bad news is easy. But people don't come to church for bad news. They come here for a message of hope. They come for hope and acceptance and belonging and celebration and spiritual depth. What is one message that you think UUFS offers the world for a time like the present? What is your own good news – the news that gives courage to good people? I invite you to go with others from our Fellowship to the UU Pacific Central District's church–growth seminar. It's billed as "a day of sensible talk about being evangelists for Unitarian Universalism. We will consider how and why we need to speak about our religion, sing our good news and generously share our faith in words and deeds." Don Southworth and Peter Morales, fantastic ministers, will come to lead it. Bruce Stowell says their workshop was a great experience for him at General Assembly. It takes place Saturday, February 8, at our Mt. Diablo Church in Walnut Creek. Can you go? Let me know. Even if we don't want to use the "E"–word, let's put the idea behind it to good use. Let's tell some good news to more good people. Let's ask them for theirs too. |
Yours in the spirit,
–– Rev. Roger Jones,
Parish Minister
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Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Sunnyvale, California
Comments, Essays, and Sermons (Collection 1) |
Back to index |
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