Gathered here in the mystery of the hour, Gathered here in one strong body, Gathered here in the struggle and the power.
Spirit, draw near.
Chalice Lighting + Joys and Concerns
Chalice Lighting
With the lighting of this flame:
We remember that fire can warm and comfort, Or that it can burn and destroy, Even in the ashes, new life is fertilized.
It is the chalice of our faith that directs the flame
The promises we make to ourselves and each other, Guide us to use this energy to nourish the world. 1
Please light a candle for a joy or concern that you are carrying this week. If you feel so led, consider reaching out to a member of the congregation to share your joy or concern. You can also reach out to Zeb Green if there is a particular issue weighing on you that could use a caring and listening presence.
The Politics of Passing Out By: The World Inferno Friendship Society
It was the politics of passing out and other things I thought about Wondering if, and despairing of when you and I might meet again Well I made up lines, I saved up quotes, I swam through schemes, I burned with hope Waiting for the moment when any of this might matter again We must burn but burn joyfully, and give off light Unalloyed joy, at least for tonight Alright!
With dreams so strange and insistent it's no wonder I go around kicking things While I was drunk, I dreamt I could fly I never dreamt things would be bad between you and I.
We burn joyfully and we give off light Unalloyed joy, at least for tonight.
So take it on the chin! Spit teeth shut up and sing! Like the veins in my arms, like the tattoos on your skin Night upon night, blank cassettes and cigarettes! Like lilacs off the tongue! This was supposed to be fun! This was supposed to be fun!
It was the politics of hanging out that made me feel so dumb about Going to shows or even answering the phone, I ended up hanging out all alone And burn joyfully, and giving off light Unalloyed joy, at least for tonight So take it on the chin! Spit teeth shut up and sing! Like the veins in my arms! Like the tattoos on your skin! And night upon night! Blank cassettes and cigarettes! Like lilacs off the tongue! This was supposed to be fun! And man it was no sin! Blank looks and cigarettes! Like the scars on my arms! Like the heat beneath your skin! And fight upon fight! Busted lips and cigarettes! Like curses off the tongue! We're not supposed to be so dumb! I wish we weren't so dumb! (I wish we weren't so dumb).
We must burn but burn joyfully, and give off light Unalloyed joy, at least for tonight Or maybe just tonight.
Reading
Kindness By: Naomi Shihab Nye
Before you know what kindness really is you must lose things, Feel the future dissolve in a moment Like salt in a weakened broth. What you held in your hand, What you counted and carefully saved, All this must go so you know How desolate the landscape can be Between the regions of kindness.
How you ride and ride Thinking the bus will never stop, The passengers eating maize and chicken Will stare out the window forever.
Before you learn the tender gravity of kindness, You must travel where the Indian in a white poncho Lied dead by the side of the road.
You must see how this could be you, How he too was someone.
Who journeyed through the night with plans And the simple breath that kept him alive.
Before you know kindness as the deepest thing inside, You must know sorrow as the other deepest thing. You must speak to it till your voice Catches the thread of all sorrows And you see the size of the cloth.
Then it is only kindness that makes sense anymore, Only kindness that ties your shoes And sends you into the day to mail letters and purchase bread, Only kindness that raises its head From the crowd of the world to say It is I you have been looking for,
And the goes with you everywhere Like a shadow or a friend.
Sermon
Apocalyptic Wisdom for Today and Tomorrow By: Zeb Green My name is Zeb Green. I'm an interfaith minister and grassroots organizer in El Paso, TX. My work is grounded in assistance and resistance to build communal resilience.
Musical Response
Oh No! By: Gogol Bordello
Sometimes when facing common trouble When whole town is screwed We become actually human Act like Prometheus would Suddenly there is more humor And a party tabor style People ringing one another "Yo man, how was your blackout?" Suddenly there is more music Made with the buckets in the park Girls are dancing with the flashlights I got only one guitar And you see brothers and sisters All engaged in sport of help Making merry out of nothing Like in refugee camp.
Oh yeah, oh no, it doesn't have to be so It is possible any time anywhere Even without any dough Oh yeah, oh no, it doesn't have to be so The forces of the creative mind are unstoppable.
And you think, all right, now people They have finally woked up But as soon as the trouble over Watch them take another nap Nobody is making merry Only trotting scared of boss Everybody's making hurry For some old forgotten cause But one thing is surely eternal It's condition of a man Who don't know where he is going Who don't know where does he stand Who's dream power is a bottle Put away in dry dark place Who's youth power is well buried Under propaganda waves Who's dream life is in opposition To the life he leads today Who's beaten down in believing It just kinda goes this way.
Oh yeah, oh no, it doesn't have to be so It is possible any time anywhere Even without any dough Oh yeah, oh no, it doesn't have to be so The forces of the creative mind are unstoppable.
Closing Words
By: T.S. Eliot
What we call a beginning is often the end And to make an end is to make a beginning.
The end is where we start from.
We shall not cease from exploration, And the end of all our exploring, Will be to arrive where we started, And the know the place for the first time.
CYRE
Malcolm Levitt Furr, Acting Director
Unitarian Universalist Community of El Paso Religious Education Quarantine Project One
Message from Pat White
I hope that you have enjoyed the online services while we are unable to meet as a Community, however; because of that we have not had Sunday Plate Collections. UUCEP is still paying utilities and our employees. So, please keep your pledge payments up to date. You can do this by sending a check made out to UUCEP at 4425 Byron St. El Paso, TX 79930 or through your bank's bill paying system. To do this, add UUCEP as a payee in the bill paying system using the address 4425 Byron St. El Paso, TX 79930. Then specify the day of the month, the amount to be paid to UUCEP and that it is a continuing payment. The bank will send us a check each month on the specified date for that specified amount until you tell them to stop.
Thank you for doing this and hopefully we can be together soon.