All Souls Unitarian Church: Recent Episodes
All Souls Unitarian Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma
What if life came with a GPS. Not for the roads you drive, but for the ones you're not sure how to take?In his message, 'Life is a Highway' Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar continues All Souls' summer series on living in America with a personal reflection on discernment, loss, and finding direction.Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar turns the mechanics of an actual GPS — receiver, transmitter, ground system — into a map for navigating life's biggest questions.Drawing on his own experience of grief after the death of his daughter Sienna, the story of a young man facing a life-altering diagnosis, and the practices that keep us grounded before crisis hits, he makes the case that finding our way isn't a solo drive — it's a system, built together, long before we need it.QUESTIONS TO CONSIDER:
- How do you know if you're headed the right direction?
- What helps you recover after a devastating loss?
- Who tells you the truth when you can't see it yourself?
- What practices reignite you when you're running on empty?
CHAPTERS:0:00 Opening0:48 The Road Trip1:21 Life's Big Questions2:14 The Spiritual GPS5:00 Bill's Diagnosis7:52 Losing Sienna11:15 Receiver, Transmitter, Ground13:06 Something Bigger15:05 Blocked Signal19:15 Time to Listen21:02 Who Tells You the Truth26:16 Recalibrate
What if the answer to lingering pain lies not in forced forgiveness, but in embracing acceptance and the honest acknowledgment of injustice? As we follow the unfolding questions about justice, accountability, and the lingering scars that remain, explore how far the road to genuine healing can stretch when we stop demanding forgiveness and start bearing witness.
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 2, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister.
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
@allsoulsunitarian
WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE
or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256
LET'S CONNECT:
Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa
Instagram:
https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa
All Souls Church Website:
https://www.allsoulschurch.org
What does it mean to carry both grief and joy on the same road home? Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk reflects on a solo drive down Route 66 this summer — and what 19 months of grief have taught her about memory as something we tend, together.Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk traces a single road trip into a reflection on grief, home, and belonging. Drawing on John Steinbeck's "Mother Road," a poem by Joy Harjo, the history of Tulsa's Council Oak, and stories from members of this congregation, she makes the case that memory isn't something we carry alone — it's something a community holds with us.KEY THEMES:
- What do we choose to remember — and what do we let go?
- Can grief and joy travel the same road?
- What does it mean to "guard" a memory on purpose?
- How does a community help each other remember?
- Where is home, if it's a direction and not a place?
CHAPTERS:0:00 Introduction and road trip context1:05 Measuring distance between Oklahoma cities2:30 Route 66's 100th anniversary and Tulsa's role3:26 Steinbeck's "Mother Road" from The Grapes of Wrath5:28 Grief, 19 months after her husband's death6:50 Joy Harjo's poem "Remember"9:19 The Council Oak and Muscogee history12:10 A conversation about guarding memories13:35 A memory her son gave back to her15:00 Bluegrass music and collective memory17:07 Closing reflection and blessingSUBSCRIBE ON YOUTUBE: @allsoulsunitarianGIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256LET'S CONNECT:Facebook: /allsoulstulsaInstagram: /allsoulstulsaAll Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
What if the love you need most right now is love for yourself? Rev. Cathey Edwards names the habit she calls "spiritual amnesia" — forgetting our own worth — and offers a simple two-word practice to interrupt it.Guest minister Rev. Cathey Edwards, part of the All Souls community since the 1980s, explores what it means to turn Love Beyond Belief inward. In this message, delivered in Tulsa, Oklahoma, Rev. Edwards makes the case that self-compassion isn't a self-help detour from justice work, it's the foundation of it.KEY THEMES:- Self-compassion as a spiritual practice- The "just like me" practice for dissolving judgment- Naming "spiritual amnesia" as forgetting our own worth- Sharon Salzberg's "but I love you" technique- Truth-telling as an ethical, not just emotional, stance- Holding our own contradictions and multitudesSUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarianWANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/show/1TOSFe2QQ0Di7zeiwlcZgv and Apple: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256LET'S CONNECT:Facebook: /allsoulstulsaInstagram: /allsoulstulsaAll Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org#AllSoulsTulsa #AllSoulsUnitarianChurch #LoveBeyondBelief #SelfCompassion #Tulsa
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, July 12, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister.
Explore how everyday objects become silent keepers of love, loss, and hope, and discover what unseen stories emerge when we open a forgotten chest or a sealed letter. What would happen if the treasures we hoard were actually mirrors reflecting the lives of those we’ve never met? Dive into a journey that reveals how letting go can uncover deeper connections and inspire a legacy far beyond material possessions.
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943
https://youtu.be/Zn7LKgJhwwc
https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa
All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
What is the 4th of July to someone who was never free to celebrate it? In 1852, Frederick Douglass posed that very question to a nation still holding Black Americans in bondage — and the answer he gave still cuts just as deep today.
Subscribe:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943
Watch this message on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/qzC6LDiTrek
Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief:
https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256
Let's connect:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa
All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
250 years ago, a group of rebels signed their names to words that could have gotten them killed — words that have never stopped being dangerous. What does it really mean to be a conservative in America today? And what if everything you thought you knew about that word was backwards? From Frederick Douglass to Abraham Lincoln to Martin Luther King Jr., generation after generation has reached back to the same founding promise — not as a relic, but as a lifeline. And buried inside that promise is a radical idea about happiness that may be more urgent now than ever.
Subscribe:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943
Watch this message on YouTube:
https://youtu.be/qzC6LDiTrek
Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief:
https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256
Let's connect:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa
All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
One night. One stage. One choice that kept a city from burning. And a question that has been following us ever since, hidden in a song we thought we already knew.
What does it cost to love something honestly, after you have seen the whole of it? And what are we quietly handing down while we look the other way?
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, June 21, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister.
Subscribe:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943
https://youtu.be/qzC6LDiTrek
https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa
All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
Watch this message on YouTube:Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief:Let's connect:
What does it truly take to change not just laws, but hearts? History has shown that the most powerful social transformations don't happen overnight — they unfold through years of patient, courageous, sometimes uncomfortable work done together in community. From a two-spirit love song honoring ancestors to the story of an elderly woman who stumbled into the wrong classroom and walked out transformed, this is a story about what it looks like when a community refuses to leave anyone behind. As headwinds grow stronger and hard conversations become harder, one question remains: can love — not just policy — be the foundation that makes change last?
Subscribe:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943
https://youtu.be/3QwV-BEDP8Y
https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa
All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
Watch this message on YouTube:Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief:Let's connect:
What if the faith tradition you belong to — or are curious about — has been quietly weaving together the Bible, the natural world, and human reason for over 400 years? The story begins with a shipwrecked man who swore he'd never preach again, a farmer who built a chapel and waited a decade for someone to fill it, and a wind that changed at exactly the right moment. It continues through the transcendentalists who dared to read the sacred texts of Asia alongside scripture, the humanists who placed human dignity at the center of religious life, and a bishop who had an argument with God — and lost. Three streams, one river: where do you find the sacred?
Subscribe:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943
https://youtu.be/3QwV-BEDP8Y
https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa
All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
Watch this message on YouTube:Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief:Let's connect:
As the winds of Pentecost move through the room, the question is not whether chaos will come, but whether it will claim our humanity. When fear scatters us and division grows loud, can the ember of hope still burn long enough to draw us back into a larger, braver, more compassionate community?
Subscribe:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943
https://youtu.be/6To3ns3wi8c
https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa
All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
Watch this message on YouTube:Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief:Let's connect:
What does love actually look like — not in theory, but on a Wednesday night at 10pm when the phone won't stop ringing? A Dragon software program, a frazzled minister, and a teenager who can't find their CD accidentally capture something profound: that the most sacred acts of love are often the ones no one notices. Bell hooks insisted love isn't a feeling — it's action, practice, the repeated choice to show up. And Fred Rogers once asked a question that is meant to stop us in our tracks: Who loved you into being?
Subscribe:
https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943
https://youtu.be/3QwV-BEDP8Y
https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa
All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
Watch this message on YouTube:Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief:Let's connect:
Why does mercy so often feel unfair? And why might it be the very thing that makes wholeness possible?
In “Know Mercy, No Regrets,” Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar explores mercy as the kind of love that isn’t something you earn. It isn’t a reward for good behavior, and it isn’t a transaction. Mercy is what shows up when someone could punish you… but chooses compassion instead.
Through the story of Joseph, a personal story about second chances, and the UU tradition’s emphasis on love and inclusion, Rev. Lavanhar asks what happens when we stop keeping score and start aiming for something bigger: healing, reconciliation, and a life shaped by unconditional love.
The sermon also offers a clear test: if a religion makes you less loving, more judgmental, or more interested in who’s “in” and who’s “out,” it may be doing harm. But if it grows your capacity for mercy—especially when it’s hard—it might be pointing you toward wholeness.
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256
LET'S CONNECT:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa
- All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
These messages were delivered on Sunday, April 26, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by our graduating seniors. Violet Voelker, Anjelita Letterman, Nate Gillispie, Cassius Clark,Gary Mize, Emerson Shankle-Knowlton, and Carter Viles all spoke. Together, these voices ask: What do we owe each other? What does it cost to be ourselves? And what does it look like when a community actually holds you? What does it mean to live a truly successful life? To face the thing you fear most — and survive it? To leave behind everyone you love, and discover you're still okay? In these seven senior sermons, young people on the edge of adulthood grapple with questions that don't have easy answers. One discovered that the only way past fear is through it — fencing, debate, and all. Another grew up outside every box society offered and found that difference isn't something to fix. A young person living with ADHD reflects on what support actually looks like — and what it means to finally feel like you belong. One asks a question that has haunted generations: how should a life be spent, if not in service to others? Another had their worst fear come true at 16 — and learned something unexpected about what comes after. And one delivers their sermon from across an ocean, describing what it felt like to hold hands in public without fear for the very first time. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3QwV-BEDP8Y Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, April 19, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. Description: A village builds a bell to call out harm — and rings it well. But when a child asks, "After the bell rings, what happens next?" the elders have no answer. What does it mean to hold someone accountable and still believe they can change? What happens when the mark on the door never comes down — not because the person didn't change, but because no one ever built a path back? In a cultural moment when more voices than ever can finally name injustice, we're still missing something essential: a shared practice for what comes after. Accountability without restoration isn't transformation. It's despair. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3QwV-BEDP8Y Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
"I BELIEVE" 10 AM Coming of Age Service | April 12, 2026 Speakers: Owen Showalter, David Rodman, Muriel Arthrell-Knezek, Tucker Meek, Hunter Reece Smith, Imogen Mize, Finn Burk, Cedar Jacob, Oliver Voelker Introduction by Corey Smith, Youth Coordinator and Commisioning by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar. Description: What does it mean to truly believe something — not because you were told to, but because you've wrestled with it, questioned it, and claimed it as your own? These young people stood before their community and answered that question with radical honesty: one found God in the beat of a drum and the sway of trees at Walden Pond; another discovered that doubt isn't the enemy of faith, but its guardian; one found salvation not in scripture, but in the quiet miracle of someone simply showing up. Some reached toward the cosmos, others toward Buddha, Christ, emotion, nature, or love itself. What they share is not only a creed — it's courage. And when a sword is placed in their hands and they're told, you are no longer children, something ancient and true stirs in the room. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3QwV-BEDP8Y Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, April 5, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. Description: What happens when a moment slips away, leaving you to wonder if it's truly over? Explore the delicate dance of returning to love and authenticity in our lives. Delve into the stories that have echoed through time, revealing the profound truth that loss is not the end, but rather a chance for renewal. Discover how these stories resonate in our lives, reminding us that even in the face of hardship, redemption is always possible. What does it mean to truly come back to ourselves and each other? The answers may lie in the smallest, most ordinary moments. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3QwV-BEDP8Y Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
March 22, 2026 | Celebrating 105 years of All Souls | Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar Description: What does it mean to leave something behind that truly matters? From the engineers who reshaped Oklahoma's waterways to the judges who challenged mass incarceration, one community in Tulsa has quietly shaped the arc of a city for over a century — and most people have never heard the full story. Legacy isn't found in the paper clips and nail clippers left in an apartment drawer; it lives in the ripples we send through the lives of others. There's a reason people have called this the largest gift they've ever given to anything — and it has nothing to do with money. Perhaps there is only one person's voice lacking for peace to come into the world. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BwFSNd-5PMw Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 15, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. Description: What happens when the voices that claim to speak for the divine actually silence our own? As we navigate a world where power and influence intersect, consider the cost of compliance versus the courage of authenticity. What if reclaiming your voice and story is the key to true freedom? Explore the journey of understanding who truly holds the pen in your life narrative and the profound impact of stepping into your own authority. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/BwFSNd-5PMw Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 15, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk, Program Minister. Description: What happens when a premature infant stops breathing and a world-renowned doctor declares he sees a "wise soul"? This moment sparked a 25-year contemplation on what the soul truly is—not something to be saved or damned, but our creative energy, our meaning-making force, our freedom itself. In 1932, creditors raided Gee's Bend, Alabama, seizing everything from one of America's most impoverished Black communities. Yet the women there transformed worn clothes and flour sacks into bold, geometrical quilts that warmed their homes and sustained their spirits. When Martin Luther King Jr. arrived in 1965 to find zero registered Black voters in a county that was 80% African American, these same women—hands trained at creating beauty from scraps—marched to the courthouse through tear gas and smoke bombs. Their quilts later appeared in the Sears catalog, in museums nationwide, and two mules from Gee's Bend pulled King's casket in 1968.The women had founded the Freedom Quilting Bee, turning their art into fuel for the civil rights movement. They proved a fierce truth: authorities can close the ferry, block the courthouse, make the road longer and harder—but they cannot stop hands and hearts from creating something beautiful and meaningful. Mary Oliver asked if the soul is solid like iron or tender like a moth. Perhaps it's both—tender and strong as hands that stitch something new. In times when freedoms we thought enshrined are disappearing, when the temptation is to shut down and go numb, the question becomes urgent: How is it with your soul? What are you making? Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/QIiUoY19d4o Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 8, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. Description: What does it mean to truly embrace freedom in a world shaped by history and experience? As we explore the depths of resilience, we are invited to confront the complexities of survival and the invisible scars that linger. How do we transform inherited legacies of pain into paths of healing and understanding? Journey through the echoes of the past and discover the profound questions that challenge us to redefine our narratives and relationships. In the quest for wholeness, what choices will we make to ensure our stories uplift rather than wound? Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Nl8x-Rv0Wbc Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Wil Gafney, Guest Minister. Description: What happens when the giants we face are not just individuals, but the very empires that shape our world? Explore the intricate battles of identity, sovereignty, and survival that lie beneath the surface of familiar narratives. As we confront these giants, how do we redefine our understanding of courage and strength? In a landscape marked by conflict and resilience, the call to rise against oppressive forces becomes a powerful anthem for collective freedom. Discover the deeper truths that challenge the fairy tales we've been told. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/exiG-p1ddGg Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 1, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. Description: In a world where laughter sometimes feels out of reach, what happens when the weight of grief and joy intertwines? Explore the delicate balance of human emotion and the transformative power of seeing one another as we navigate our shared realities. When fear threatens to narrow our perspectives, how do we reclaim our capacity to breathe and care? Discover the moments that remind us of our humanity and the quiet resilience that keeps us open to connection, understanding, and the flicker of joy amidst life's challenges. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/MjYZWb1MFQw Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 25, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. Description: What if the story of our existence transcends ancient texts, uniting diverse cultures and beliefs? Imagine a narrative where the very atoms in your body trace back to the stars, revealing a connection that binds us all. With thousands of creation stories across the globe, how can we find common ground in a universe so vast? Explore the profound implications of our shared heritage and the responsibility we hold as co-creators of our world. What insights lie at the intersection of science and spirituality that could reshape our understanding of life itself? Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/-Z6P61FDS4g Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 18, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk, Program Minister. Description: In a world where crises unfold and humanity grapples with injustice, how do we find our bearings? Explore the powerful connections that weave us together in an inescapable network of mutuality, echoing the wisdom of figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Thich Nhat Hanh. What does it mean to love and act in a time of uncertainty? As stories of resilience and community emerge, consider how listening, showing up, and embracing creative maladjustment can illuminate our path forward. Discover the deeper meaning of our shared existence and the power of love in navigating life's challenges. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Bhct83zc_WE Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 11, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Justin Schroeder, Guest Minister. Description: What if the very forces that break us open are the same ones that reveal what we're willing to fight for? Like a double helix winding through our lives, grief and gratitude spiral together—each one revealing the other, stretching us wider than we thought possible. From a photo spanning four generations to the losses that mark our collective moment, we're invited to stop outrunning what we feel and instead give it a corner, a name, a place to belong. Can we hold both the heartbreak and the hope, the sorrow and the love, wide enough to let them transform us into who we need to become? Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/HPi1hVK78m4 Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. Description: In a world where certainty often drowns out understanding, what happens when we embrace the complexities of belief and connection? Imagine a space that invites curiosity over judgment, where the journey of growth is celebrated rather than scrutinized. As we navigate the tension between who we are and who we're becoming, can we learn to honor our shared humanity and the marks left by our struggles? Explore the profound possibilities that arise when we choose compassion over conflict, and discover the transformative power of living in the middle. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/3CCmuOfFpV4 Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 28, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. Description: Step into a space where faith and uncertainty intertwine, where the silence of profound moments gives way to the richness of human connection. Explore the complexities of belief as you journey through the heart of what it means to live in the middle—where questions and doubt coexist with love and growth. This thought-provoking exploration invites you to embrace the nuances of your spiritual path, celebrating the beauty of being unfinished and the courage it takes to remain present in a world that often demands certainty. Discover how the middle ground can be a sacred place, fostering genuine relationships and deepening your understanding of self and others. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/kJaMYrPrbHk Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 4, 2026, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: What happens when a nation founded on self-evident truths begins to lose sight of its founding principles? As America stands at a crossroads 250 years after its founding, the fundamental question emerges: are we guided by justice and liberty, or by naked self-interest and the pursuit of power? From Lincoln's consecration of Gettysburg to Kennedy's call for sacrifice, the echoes of our past challenge us to confront what we are becoming. The soul of a nation hangs in the balance—and every generation must choose which values will define the path forward. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 21, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. Description: What happens when you've been walking through the valley of shadow for so long that you can only see far enough to place one foot in front of the other? On the darkest day of the year, discover why ancient peoples understood darkness not as emptiness, but as the fertile dark—a womb leading to new life, where all beginnings take root before emerging into light. When an 85-year-old widower faced an agonizing medical decision, something extraordinary happened in his living room that changed everything about how he understood his life's value. Can the natural cycles spinning around us—the earth, the atoms, even the very particles of existence—teach us that no descent is permanent, and that hope returns as surely as tomorrow's sunrise? Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/Um64GbQ51s4 Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 14, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk, Program Minister. Description: What if the most profound miracles are the ones we almost overlook? As the holiday season unfolds, discover the extraordinary hidden within the ordinary—a gentle reminder that life's true wonders may not always come with fanfare. Will you be the one to recognize the sacred in everyday moments? Join a journey that invites you to shift your perspective and embrace the whispers of hope and love that surround us. This season, open your heart to the unexpected and find beauty in the quiet miracles that await. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/XOEHLWKGKIM Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 7, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. Description: What if the Divine made mistakes? From Eden's miscalculation to Noah's devastating flood, journey through a startling reimagining of ancient stories where an all-powerful creator grapples with the messy consequences of wielding absolute authority. Watch as cosmic power confronts its own limitations through Job's unanswerable questions and Abraham's bold negotiations, leading to a revelation that challenges everything: some truths can only be learned by becoming mortal. The answer to divinity's greatest limitation arrives not in thunder from above, but in the vulnerability of a newborn child—and it changes where we must look to find the sacred. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/EdPkg3SdyqE Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 30, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Chaplain Devin Moss, Guest Speaker. Description: What does it mean when a Humanist chaplain becomes the last person a death-row inmate chooses to face the end with? What kind of connection forms when belief isn't shared, but mortality is? In that charged space, compassion stops being gentle. It turns into something unmistakably real. About the Speaker: Devin Moss is a Humanist Chaplain and Webby Award-winning storyteller unwavering in his pursuit to relate stories that connect us to our humanity. A natural explorer, he uses playful inquisition to examine the complexity of the human condition and the intrinsic meaning of life. Moss maintains an interdisciplinary practice of storytelling, street philosophy, and practical altruism. In 2015, Moss created The Adventures of Memento Mori podcast (https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-adventures-of-memento-mori/id1061189831). The consequence of this deep meditation on impermanence was life-changing. Uncertain of what happens after we die, Moss has dedicated his life to the positive changes that can happen while we're still alive. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/k8fIIxzI7Rk Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 16, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. Description: Inspired by @sterlinharjo's hit Tulsa-based series The Lowdown, this Sunday's message wrestles with the same timeless questions: When do you try to be the hero in your relationships and sometimes make things worse? When do you make assumptions about others thinking that you know best? When have your good intentions led you to hurt someone else?t shape a just and compassionate life. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/PnDnsbF7yt4 Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 9, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. Description: We live in an age of quick clicks and easy exits—where "I agree" means "I didn't read it." But what if the same carelessness that seeps into our choices begins to hollow out our character? What if the promises we keep—or fail to keep—are the hidden fine print of who we really are? Dare to slow down, read what we've signed with our lives, and rediscover the power of meaning what we say, even when it costs something. When words lose their weight, covenant becomes rebellion. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/LIi29Hl5j4Y Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 2, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. Description: What happens to love when someone dies? Through the lens of Día de los Muertos traditions and the poignant story of Kafka's lost doll, discover how connection transcends physical absence. When a butterfly lands unexpectedly, when a soul grieves for the body it once inhabited, when we speak the names of those we've lost—love finds its way back in forms we never imagined. Explore the rituals and moments that bridge the living and the dead, and learn why appreciating the life within us means honoring those who came before. Subscribe: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 Watch this message on YouTube: https://youtu.be/V3hDXOJ8GtA Give a donation to help us spread Love Beyond Belief: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 Let's connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 26, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Jacqueline Brett, Guest Minister. DESCRIPTION: What does it mean to truly rest in a world that equates busyness with worth? Explore the ancient wisdom of sabbatical—not as escape, but as radical preservation—and discover why even God needed to exhale after creation. Through the lens of a "sheroe's journey" rather than a hero's quest, this exploration reveals how vulnerability, presence, and intentional pauses become acts of resistance against systems that demand our constant productivity. Can five minutes of morning attention, one honest check-in, and a single concrete act of care reshape not just individual lives, but entire communities working toward justice? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/TDq18VKfNCo GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 19, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION: What if evil doesn't come with fangs or fire—but with charm? What if the real danger isn't in what terrifies us, but in what starts to feel normal? When the world tells us to harden our hearts, what happens to the light we carry? Maybe the bad moon isn't something in the sky at all—but something we've allowed to rise within us. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/ThH_HEV28Ss GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 12, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: When suffering strikes the innocent, where is divine justice? Throughout history, religions have offered comforting explanations—karma, God's plan, divine purpose—yet reality tells a different story. A mother loses her son to war, a child is taken by a drunk driver, families lose everything to circumstance beyond their control. If goodness cannot shield us from tragedy, is God a cosmic accountant, an indifferent force, or something we've misunderstood entirely? Through the ancient struggle of Job and the raw experiences of those who have faced life's cruelest inequities, discover why the question "why?" may not be the only question to ask—and what response actually matters when faith confronts unfairness. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: https://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/iq523TWv1ow GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: https://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: https://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 5, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: What does it truly mean to build a dream? Not just to chase what we want, but to create something that lifts others as we rise? Discover why the pursuit of personal goals leaves us empty when we seek only for ourselves—and how everything changes when we shift from "getting" to "giving." Explore the profound difference between achieving success and creating meaning. Learn why generosity isn't just about money, but about using every gift you possess—humor, strength, connections, time—to open doors for others. What happens when individual ambition meets collective purpose? In an era of rising authoritarianism, banned books, and threatened freedoms, some spaces become sacred. Some voices become essential. What makes a platform truly free? And what responsibility comes with that freedom? When spirituality meets the street and faith speaks to struggle, transformation begins. This isn't about comfort—it's about courage. It's about building the world we want to live in, together. The question isn't just what you dream for yourself. It's what you're willing to build for everyone. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 28, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION: What if your vision could reshape the world around you? In a landscape where justice often feels far away and truth is obscured, imagine the power of collective hope and unwavering determination. Picture a future where dignity prevails, and every voice matters—where the stories of those who came before us inspire us to act. Can you see it? This is a call to recognize the strength within our shared struggle and to envision a reality that transcends current limitations. As we navigate the challenges ahead, we must ask ourselves: What legacy will we leave for future generations? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 21, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: What if the true test of freedom is not how fiercely we defend our own views, but how deeply we honor the dignity of those we cannot accept? From Benjamin Franklin’s urgent warning to “hang together” to George W. Bush’s defense of pluralism after 9/11, history reminds us that unity has always been fragile—and essential. Could small acts of kindness, even toward those we call enemies, shift the course of our nation’s divisions? And if so, what might it take for us to rise to a higher love? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 14, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk, Program Minister. DESCRIPTION: What happens when midnight falls across a nation's soul, and darkness seems so deep we can barely see which way to turn? An ancient parable about a friend's desperate knock at midnight becomes a powerful lens for understanding our current moment—where fear builds, divisions widen, and people push one another away. Yet in this darkness comes an urgent plea not for simple charity, but for something far more transformative: the bread of love that affirms every person's worth and dignity. From the 1963 March on Washington to an 80-year-old woman's determined climb up 342 steps to the crown of the Statue of Liberty, discover how ordinary people make extraordinary choices to unfold their hearts rather than fold them closed. When the world profits from our isolation and feeds on our fear, what does it mean to choose unfolding as the ultimate act of resistance? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 7, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION What does it truly mean to find a place where you belong? In a world filled with diverse experiences and perspectives, the quest for connection and understanding is more vital than ever. Explore the depths of vision and community as we delve into the essence of shared humanity. Are you ready to discover the transformative power of belonging and the bonds that unite us all? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 31, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION What happens when sacred trust is traded for political gain? History shows us that whenever the pulpit bends to empire, the church loses more than its conscience—it loses its witness. From Constantine to segregation, the temptation to exchange integrity for influence has left scars on faith communities and society alike. Now, with the IRS stepping back from enforcing guardrails, the question is urgent: will pulpits become campaign platforms, or will they remain sanctuaries of truth, conscience, and love beyond belief? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 24, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION What if your doubts weren’t silenced but embraced as part of the journey? Picture a community where people gather not to conform, but to wrestle honestly with questions of purpose, faith, and truth. Here, stories unfold—a mother finding healing after loss, an artist discovering belonging for his free-thinking spirit—reminding us that no path is too different to be welcomed. In this space, science and scripture, reason and wonder, diversity and unity live side by side. And at its heart lies a powerful question: with one life to live, how will you shape yours? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 17, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk, Program Minister. DESCRIPTION In a world filled with noise, how do we recognize the first time we truly hear? When fear, hunger, and uncertainty cloud our senses, what does it take to discover something as unexpected as music—and where do we turn when that source seems lost forever? Through a whimsical tale of cheddar and change, we’re reminded that beauty can emerge in the most surprising places, and that perhaps what we seek on the outside has always been waiting within. What happens when you dare to create, even after everything is gone? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 10th, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. What if unity didn't require uniformity? While fundamentalist religions across the globe insist that harmony comes through conformity to one doctrine, a different path emerges—one where Muslims, Jews, Buddhists, and Christians can pray under the same roof without abandoning their distinct traditions. Can an 80-year-old woman stumble into the wrong classroom and emerge transformed, her heart opened to people she never thought she'd understand? When the human family stands divided by prejudice and ignorance, what does it truly mean to be "one with everything"? SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 3rd, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Molly Housh Gordon, Visiting Minister. What happens when grief becomes the catalyst for transformation? In a world where brutality seems to overshadow beauty, where mothers count ribs instead of blessings, a powerful truth emerges: our broken hearts hold the very power needed to resist cruelty. Can communities built on shared sorrow become crucibles for change? When the walls around our hearts finally fall, will we discover that love grows strongest in the spaces between us—in Monday's gardens, Tuesday's repairs, and Wednesday's tears? SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 27th, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: What if the greatest wisdom about love came from children? When 4 to 8-year-olds were asked "What does love mean?" their answers revealed profound truths that adults often miss. From a grandfather painting his arthritic wife's toenails to a little boy who simply sat and helped his grieving neighbor cry, these stories illuminate love's true nature. But here's the deeper question: Are you truly listening to where love is leading your life? This message explores how love becomes our most reliable compass through life's toughest decisions - from family conflicts to impossible choices. What happens when we make love our lens for every situation? Through the touching story of "Chicken Farmer, I Love You" painted on a small town rock, discover how authentic love persists even when circumstances change, people move away, or others try to paint over it. The message that appeared years later - "Chicken Farmer, I Still Love You" - reveals something eternal about love's nature. Why do some people carry deep regrets while others find peace in their choices? The answer might surprise you. When facing your most difficult decisions, there's one question that cuts through confusion and brings clarity: What would love have you do? Will choosing love always guarantee the outcome you want? What happens when love demands sacrifice, patience, or forgiveness? How can we live with "indiscriminate love" in a world full of conflict and pain? SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 2Oth, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: When you're struggling upside down like a fly on a windowsill, what force might come along to help you right yourself? Ancient stories like David and Goliath reveal timeless truths about facing seemingly impossible challenges with nothing but smooth stones and unwavering resolve. A single photograph of two girls in green dresses becomes a lifeline that transforms three lives across sixteen years, proving that small acts of kindness ripple forward in ways we never imagine. Sometimes the most profound courage isn't blind certainty, but the willingness to act when doing nothing feels like its own kind of death. What if the wind that saves us comes not from above, but from the love we dare to give each other? SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 13, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION If you could whisper one truth to your younger self, what would it be? Would you tell them how to avoid heartbreak, or remind them they were always enough? In a world rewriting reality faster than we can keep up, how do we stay grounded without giving in to fear? History shows us that even unfinished work matters. Maybe the real time machine we need isn’t a DeLorean, but the kind that brings us fully alive, here and now. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
After five decades of ministry, what compels a leader to share one final, unfiltered truth? In the high desert of Ghost Ranch, New Mexico, a young graduate heard a voice that would redirect his entire life's trajectory—but what did that voice demand of him? Now, as Rev. Gerald Davis prepares to step away from the pulpit, he delivers a raw, uncompromising message about justice, truth, and the courage required to speak out when silence would be easier. Can we truly claim to live with purpose if we turn away from the work that calls us? Some truths are too urgent to whisper. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 22nd, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Celeste Lebak, Guest Minister DESCRIPTION: What happens when collapse doesn’t look like a catastrophe—but instead wears ordinary clothes, lives behind closed doors, and passes for normal? From whispered griefs to quiet survivals, explore what it means to witness the overlooked, name the wounds we’ve hidden, and honor the sacred mess of being human. Can healing unsettle us more than brokenness ever did? And what if the act of tending—to ourselves, to each other—isn’t just restorative, but revolutionary? SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 15, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION In a world where vulnerability is rare and strength is too often confused with silence, what does it mean to be a father? What do we do with the legacy of the ones who raised us, the joyful, the steady, the absent, and the broken? We honor the cool dads, the calm dads, and the complicated ones, and we name the truth: fatherhood, like freedom, is never simple. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The service was conducted on Sunday, June 8th, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar What if the disconnect in your closest relationships isn’t about love lost, but about love spoken in a language you don’t understand? Dive into a powerful exploration of how we can move beyond surface-level reactions and learn to truly hear one another—not just with our ears, but with the heart. What might shift if, instead of responding to someone’s anger, we recognized the fear underneath? Discover the quiet strength of compassion, the clarity of mindfulness, and a new kind of freedom born from deep connection. Because sometimes the truth we’ve longed to hear has been there all along—whispered, not spoken. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The service was conducted on Sunday, June 1, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar and All Souls Worship Team, with a special presentation by Krystal Reyes, Deputy Mayor of the City of Tulsa. DESCRIPTION: On the anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre, the congregation of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa remembers, recalls and recommits itself to work to repair the ongoing impacts of this tragic history. As part of the Sunday services we share a ritual of “promises made, promise kept, promises broken and promises renewed.” Each person will have a chance to think about the promises in their own lives, and we will also acknowledge ways our collective history as a church and community have intersected with the events and aftermath of 1921. Join us for a colorful, heartfelt service that will be both personal and universal. Most of all, join us in remembering and in our commitment to do whatever we can, to be a source of restoration through love and service. We are not only promise-making creatures. We are also people of great promise. Together we can live into the promise of our times — the promise of life, liberty and justice for all. *A Ritual of Promise crafted by Jamila Batchelder and Rev. Molly Housh Gordon and adapted for ASUC Tulsa SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 25, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION What if the word “godless” wasn’t a curse—but a catalyst? When love, justice, and honesty are branded as threats, who really gets to decide what’s sacred? From quiet family exiles to courtroom crusades, this reflection cuts through the noise and asks: Is a faith built on fear still faith at all? Journey through history, hypocrisy, and healing—and discover what grows when judgment is laid down and love is lifted up. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
What happens when love becomes not just a feeling but a way of leading? In a world that often rewards fear and force, one story shows the transformative power of presence, service, courage, and connection. From California Girls in a sanctuary to music that held space for both weddings and war, a legacy unfolds—not in accolades, but in acts of deep care. What if the most powerful leadership begins not with authority, but with a heart wide open? SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on May 11th, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk. What does it mean to truly let go, even as we hold on with all our hearts? In a world that asks us to prepare children for a future we cannot see, how do we nurture without control, and love without possession? Drawing from the timeless words of Khalil Gibran and the chaotic grace of everyday parenting, this reflection explores how the raw, imperfect moments of care and connection reveal the deepest truths about growth, justice, and love. What if the most sacred path to transformation isn't found in stillness, but in the noise, mess, and unrelenting presence of those we raise? SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
What if the truths we cling to are just fragments of something much larger—something we can only glimpse through others? When misperception feels as real as fact, and confidence masks misunderstanding, how do we move beyond argument or avoidance to real connection? From the story of the blind men and the elephant to the quiet revelations of a marriage, this exploration uncovers how truth, love, and humility intersect. It challenges us to ask: are we truly listening—or just waiting to be right? In a world fractured by differing realities, maybe the path forward isn't about knowing more, but loving better. The message was delivered on May 4th, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, April 27, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Sophia Cross, Charles 'Chaz' Hall, Graciela 'Max' Moreno and Eliana Peluso-Verdend DESCRIPTION: What happens when a young life shaped by community, challenge, and personal discovery faces the vast unknown of adulthood? Through the highs of new friendships, the pain of unexpected loss, and the quiet power of music and self-belief, a new path emerges—one built not just on survival, but on the courage to thrive. How do you carry the lessons of yesterday into a future still unwritten? Explore a journey where hope defies fear, and authenticity reclaims its rightful place. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, April 20, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk. DESCRIPTION: A foggy morning, a missing horse, and an unexpected miracle—what can a moment like this teach us about fear, hope, and the quiet beauty that surrounds us? In a world often overwhelmed by noise and urgency, what does it mean to truly pay attention? From a sun setting over the Pacific to a woman planting bulbs she may never see bloom, this journey explores how wonder, memory, and transformation sustain us when everything else seems uncertain. How do we build lives rooted in possibility—especially when the future feels impossibly out of reach? SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Easter Sunday, April 20, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION What if the story you believed in shattered before your eyes? What if resurrection wasn’t a spectacle—but a quiet decision to hope again? As a world once caught between betrayal and belief teetered toward despair, something unexpected began to stir. It didn’t roar. It whispered. From behind locked doors to breaking bread with strangers, a movement reignited—not because the storm passed, but because people stood up in the middle of it. What might rise in you? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, April 13th, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar. What if a fleeting note of music or a silent statue could say more about grief, love, and transcendence than words ever could? Explore the quiet power of mythos—the stories, sounds, and symbols that reach where logic cannot. From concert halls to ancient texts, from grief to joy, we are constantly being invited into deeper ways of knowing. Can imagination, art, and emotion be as essential to our understanding as facts and science? You might find that the answer isn’t just in the mind—but in the marrow of human experience. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: to give digitally, text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, April 6th, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by 19 of our all Souls 9th graders. Remarks by Rev.Dr. Marlin Lavanhar. What if the search for meaning isn’t about choosing the “right” path, but understanding the many ways people find purpose? How does belief—or disbelief—shape how we live, love, and leave a legacy? Through raw honesty, humor, ancestral reverence, and unexpected wisdom from sources like Kanye West and Mr. Rogers, a group of young thinkers share what they’ve discovered about spirituality, morality, and the complexity of being human. Each voice offers a distinct lens, yet together they ask the same enduring question: what truly connects us?
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 30th, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar. What does it mean to take a stand when the stakes are high? One man, faced with corruption and intimidation, chose integrity over compromise, setting a powerful precedent for generations to come. His story, rooted in the fight for justice and equality, remains eerily relevant today as we navigate challenges to democracy, inclusion, and moral courage. How do we ensure that our values withstand the tests of our time? The answer lies in the legacy of those who came before us—and in the choices we make now. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: to give digitally, text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website:
IN A WORLD THAT NEVER STOPS TALKING, WHAT HAPPENS WHEN WE TRULY LISTEN? A SWELTERING SUMMER WEDDING, AN UNEXPECTED MISUNDERSTANDING, AND A PROFOUND LESSON IN SILENCE UNDOLD IN WAYS NO ONE COULD HAVE PREDICTED. WHAT IF THE KEY TO DEEPER CONNECTION, INNER PEACE AND EVEN HAPPINESS LIES NOT IN SPEAKING, BUT IN THE SPACE BETWEEN WORDS? EXPLORE THE POWER OF SILENCE, THE RICHNESS OF LISTENING, AND THE UNEXPECTED WAYS THEY SHAPE OUR LIVES.
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 16, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION What does it mean to remember? And what does it mean to forget? In a world where history is being rewritten, censored, and erased, we must ask: Who holds the pen? From the echoes of prayers at the Western Wall to the solemn silence of Dachau, this journey confronts the uncomfortable truths that shape our present. What happens when one nation chooses to reckon with its past while another buries it? As history teeters on the edge of repetition, will we stand as witnesses to truth, or let power dictate what remains? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
WHAT IF THE VERY THING WE'VE BEEN CONDITIONED TO SEE AS WEAKNESS IS ACTUALLY OUR GREATEST SOURCE OF POWER? IN A WORLD THAT GLORIFIES PRODUCTIVITY AND ENDLESS HUSTLE, REST IS OFTEN TREATED AS AN AFTERTHOUGHT-SOMETHING TO BE EARNED, DELAYED, OR SACRIFICED. BUT WHAT IF REST IS MORE THAN JUST SLEEP? WHAT IF IT'S A RADICAL ACT OF RESISTANCE, A WAY TO RECLAIM OUR HUMANITY FROM THE FORCES THAT SEEK TO GRIND US DOWN? THROUGH PERSONAL REFLECTION AND HISTORICAL INSIGHT, THIS EXPLORATION CHALLENGES THE MYTHS WE TELL OURSELVES ABOUT REST AND DARES US TO IMAGINE A DIFFERENT WAY OF BEING-ONE WHERE REST ISN'T A LUXURY, BUT A NECESSITY FOR JUSTICE, JOY, AND LIBERATION.
THIS SERMON WAS GIVEN ON SUNDAY MARCH 3RD BY REV.DR. MARLIN LAVANHAR WHAT IF THE THING HOLDING YOU BACK ISN'T YOUR PAST, BUT YOUR GRIP ON IT? WE ALL CARRY BURDENS-GRIEF, ANGER, REGRET-BUT ARE WE HOLDING THEM, OR ARE THEY HOLDING US? SOME THINGS CAN BE RELEASED, BUT OTHERS MUST BE CARRIED DIFFERENTLY. HOW DO WE KNOW THE DIFFERENCE? AND WHEN WE CAN'T LET GO, HOW DO WE ENSURE THE WEIGHT DOESN'T DEFINE US?
A visionary leader, a faith reimagined, and a movement ahead of its time. In the face of racial and theological barriers, Lewis McGee forged a new path-one that embraced reason, human dignity, and the fight for justice. From a fateful discovery of Unitarianism to the creation of a groundbreaking, multiracial congregation, his journey was one of courage, conviction, and a relentless pursuit of higher ground. The road was never easy. What happens when institutional resistance meets and unstoppable call to service?
SERMON BY MARY KATHERINE MORN, GUEST MINISTER AT ALL SOULS UNITARIAN CHURCH FEBRUARY 16TH, 2025 AMIDST OPPRESSION AND UNCERTAINTY, A VISION FOR JUSTICE AND RESILIENCE EMERGES. FROM THE EMBATTLED STREETS OF BURMA TO COMMUNITIES RESISTING TYRANNY ACROSS THE GLOBE, PEOPLE ARE DEFYING SYSTEMS THAT SEEK TO ERASE THEIR DIGNITY. WOMEN WHO HAVE ENDURED DECADES OF VIOLENCE STILL GATHER IN PURSUIT OF DEMOCRACY. REFUGEES STRETCH THEIR ARMS ACROSS BORDERS FOR LIFESAVING AID. ACTIVISTS IN THE U.S. AND BEYOND STAND TOGETHER AGAINST FORCES THAT DENY THEIR VERY EXISTENCE. LOVE ALONE IS NOT ENOUGH-POWER IS NEEDED, TOO. WHAT HAPPENS WHEN LOVE AND POWER MOVE AS ONE?
IN TIMES OF CHAOS AND UNCERTAINTY, HOW DO WE STAY GROUNDED WITHOU BECOMING NUMB? HOW DO WE TAKE ACTION WITHOUT BURNING OUT? DRAWING FROM THE WISDOM OF SPIRITUAL LEADERS, CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVISTS, AND THE RESILIENCE OF MARGINALIZED COMMUNITIES, THIS POWERFUL EXPLORATION REVEALS FOUR ESSENTIAL PRACTICES THAT CAN HELP US NAVIGATE INJUSTICE, FIND STRENGTH, AND STAY ENGAGED. WHETHER COOLING THE FIRES OF ANGER, REIGNITING OUR PASSION, STRENGTHENING OUR BODIES, OR CONFROMTING OUR INNER SHADOWS, THESE TOOLS ARE VITAL FOR ANYONE SEEKING BALANCE AND PRUPOSE THE WORLD NEEDS VOICES, NOT ECHOES-ARE YOU READY TO STEP INTO YOUR POWER?
History is rarely as simple as heroes and villains. What happens when those we admire-family, leaders, even icons of progress-also hold beliefs or take actions we find deeply troubling? Through personal ancestry and historical figures, this exploration reveals the complexities of legacy, the weight of contradictions, and the uncomfortable truths we must face. Can we honor the good while acknowledging the harm? What do we do when those who shaped our world weren't the people we hoped they were?
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 26, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION What does it mean to truly be part of the “family of things”? This message takes us on a journey to explore our profound connection to the cosmos, our role in sustaining the only planet we call home, and the sacred interplay between energy, matter, and consciousness. By weaving together ancient wisdom, science, and a call to action, it challenges us to live in ways that honor all existence—not out of fear, but out of love for the extraordinary world that sustains us. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
HWOW DO WE NAVIGATE THE TENSION BETWEEN CHAOS AND COMMUNITY? REFLECTING ON THE WORDS OF LEADERS LIKE DR.MARTIN LUTHER KING JR., THIS EXPLORATION BY REV. DR. MARLIN LAVENHAR DELVES INTO THE INTERSECTIONS OF DEMOCRACY, EQUALITY AND ECONOMIC JUSTICE. WHAT DOES IT MEAN TO TRULY PARTICIPATE IN SHAPING A GOVERNMENT 'OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, FOR THE PEOPLE"? AS THE DIVIDE BETWEEN WEALTH AND OPPORTUNITY WIDENS, AND QUESTIONS OF HUMAN RIGHTS GROW URGENT, THE CALL TO ACTION HAS NEVER BEEN CLEARER. COULD THIS BE A MOMENT OF PROFOUND REBIRTH FOR OUR NATION?
THIS REFLECTION, DELEVERED WITH HEARFLET GRATITUDE AND VULNERABILITY, CENTERS ON THE THEME OF GRACE AND THE INTERCONNECTEDNESS OF RELATIONSHIPS. PHIL HANEY OPENS BY ACKNOWLEDGING THE IMPORTANCE OF COMMUNITY AND THE RELATIONSHIPS THAT HAVE SUPPORTED AND SHAPED HIM THROUGHOUT LIFE.
THIS REFLECTION BY CHAD JOHNSON ON BOARD OF TRUSTEES SUNDAY EXPLORES THE TRANSFORMATIVE POWER OF GRACE, DEFINED AS UNMERITED FAVOR, LOVE, AND FORGIVENESS. GRACE IS PRESENTED AS A FORCE THAT HEALS BROKENNESS AND REVEALS BEAUTY IN THE WORLD. CHAD EXAMINES GRACE THROUGH THREE LENSES: CHRISTIAN TRADITION, EXISTENTIAL PHILOSOPHY, AND GREEK MYTHOLOGY.
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 5, 2025, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION In a world consumed by noise, division, and a relentless demand for judgment, where can we find hope? Beyond the headlines and viral moments lies something quieter, yet infinitely powerful—grace. Grace doesn’t scream for attention; it whispers through acts of kindness, forgiveness, and courage, transforming our lives and relationships. What if the good hasn’t disappeared but is simply waiting for us to notice it? What if we choose grace over retribution? Through profound stories of human connection and compassion, discover how grace has the power to reshape hearts, reconcile differences, and inspire us to create something better together. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 29, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION What would it take to turn the page on the pain, mistakes, and struggles that have held you back? Through the lens of Nelson Mandela’s extraordinary journey, we explore the profound act of forgiveness—not as a passive release but as a powerful declaration of freedom. Imagine facing your greatest hardship and using it to write a new chapter, one shaped by courage and compassion. As you navigate life’s challenges, will you remain confined to the roles of victim or villain, or will you rise as the hero of your story? The next chapter is unwritten—what will you choose to write? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This sermon by Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk reflects on the themes of winter, both as a literal season and a metaphor for the challenging phases of life. Drawing on the symbolism of the winter solstice, the message emphasizes the cyclical nature of life, the importance of introspection, and the quiet preparation for renewal and growth. It concludes with a call to embrace the "winters" of life as opportunities for clarity, healing, and rediscovery, reminding listeners of the enduring hope that spring will come again.
IN THE BROADWAY MUSICAL WICKED, WE FIND A NEW TWIST ON THE OLD CLASSIC, THE WIZARD OF OZ. IT TURNS OUT THE GOOD WITCH IS NOT SO GOOD AFTER ALL AND THE WICKED WITCH, WELL, SHE AIN'T SO BAD. IN THIS DELIGHTFUL TALE THE COMPLEXITIES OF WHAT CAUSES ONE PERSON TO BE DEEMED GOOD AND ANOTHER TO BE SEEN AS EVIL IS BROUGHT TO LIFE IN AN UNFORGETTABLE WAY.
REV. MARLIN LAVANHAR EXPLORES THE CONCEPT OF FINDING PEACE AMIDST LIFE'S COMPLEXITIES AND SOCIETAL CHALLENGES THROUGH PERSONAL ANECODOTES, STORES AND PHILOSOPHICAL REFLECTIONS. REV. MARLIN EMPHASIZES THE PURSUIT OF MEANINGFUL ENGAGEMENT WITH THE WORLD RATHER THAN ESCAPISM. HE UNDERSCORES THAT PEACE COMES FROM ALIGNING ONE'S PERSONAL VALUES WITH PURPOSEFUL ACTIONS THAT CONTRIBUTE TO THE GREATER GOOD.
IN THIS SERMON, REVEREND GERALD SPEAKS ABOUT THE IMPORTANCE OF INTERDEPENDENCE-THE IDEA THAT WE ARE ALL INTERCONNECTED AND RELY ON EACH OTHER FOR SUPPORT. HE REFLECTS ON HOW COMMUNITY BUILDING, WHETHER IN CHURCH, IN TIMES OF CRISIS, OR IN EVERYDAY LIFE, IS ESSENTIAL FOR COLLECTIVE STRENGTH AND SALVATION. DRAWING FROM HIS EXPERIENCES, SUCH AS SEEKING HELP DURING A CRISIS AT HIS CHURCH, HE EMPHASIZES THAT INTERDEPENDENCE ISNT JUST ABOUT RELYING ON OTHERS BUT ALSO BEING WILLING TO ASK FOR HELP WHEN NEEDED. REVEREND GERALD STRESSES THAT TRUE COMMUNITY IS BUILT ON MUTUAL RELIANCE, COMPASSION AND COLLECTIVE EFFORT, WHICH LEADS TO HEALING AND PROGRESS, EVEN IN DIFFICULT TIMES.
The sermon reflects on the symbolic and spiritual significance of a painting central to the church's identity, portraying its values and heritage. It emphasizes the Unitarian Universalist principles of inclusivity, love, and continuous revelation, drawing connections between faith, American democratic ideals, and the diversity within the community. Through elements like an antique table, books, flowers, and hearts depicted in the painting, the message conveys themes of unity, historical roots, reverence for nature, and ongoing spiritual discovery. The service integrates music, prayer, and meditative moments to inspire a collective spirit of gratitude, love, and reflection
In this sermon conversation, the main themes center around understanding tribal nations, citizenship and cultural pluralism within the Muscogee Creek, Osage and Cherokee Nations in Oklahoma. Eli Grayson and Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar discuss how tribal identity transends race, religion and nationality. Being part of a tribe like the Muscogee Creek or Cherokee is a matter of legal and political status, not just ethnicity. The homily recounts significant historical events and the complexities around citizenship within Native American nations. This conversation underscores how these nations have evolved and adapted, similar to the broader United States in some aspect, while also dealing with unique tribal governance and societal norms.
This sermon explores deep feelings of disappointment, fear, and uncertainty following a presidential election outcome that challenged Rev. Dr Marlin Lavanhar's ideals of kindness, equality, and justice. Reflecting on a legacy of activism, he shares inspiration from Unitarian minister A. Powell Davies, emphasizing that American patriotism is a commitment to justice, tolerance, and the common good. Drawing from history, he highlights the importance of continued struggle and perseverance in the face of setbacks, invoking the resilience of past movements and figures like Martin Luther King Jr. and Marsha P. Johnson. Rev. Lavanhar challenges the congregation to root themselves deeply in the fight for human rights and justice, lest they passively witness, as the German population did during Kristallnacht, the erosion of freedom and humanity.
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 3, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: This sermon addresses the pervasive fear and division facing America, especially around elections and major societal shifts. It explores how both personal and societal fears can lead to division and alienation, often exacerbated by media and political rhetoric. By emphasizing the importance of recognizing the light and shadow within both progressive and conservative values, Marlin urges listeners to find common ground and engage with differing perspectives constructively. Drawing on spiritual and philosophical insights, the sermon advocates for unity, mutual respect, and a shared commitment to preserving and improving what is good about America. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 20, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: This service explores the theme of unity in diversity and the role of religion in fostering love and healing in the world. Using the story of the Tower of Babel, Marlin illustrates how the focus of religion should be on creating a heaven-like experience on Earth. Instead of worrying about the afterlife, we are called to address the real "hells" of this world—poverty, injustice, and suffering—by being agents of love, compassion, and unity. The service emphasizes the need for religious communities to grow in soulfulness, love, and generosity, not just in their faith, but in their actions toward others. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 13, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION What if the most absurd conspiracy theory could reveal profound truths about our deepest human needs? In a world where divisions run deep and conversations can feel like battlegrounds, how do we reach across the chasms that separate us? Join us as we uncover surprising insights into why we cling to certain beliefs explore the power of love that stretches beyond comfort zones, and together discover whether the bridges between us are closer than they appear. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 6, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: In this service, Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar emphasizes the importance of embracing one's authentic self in a world that often pressures individuals to conform to others' expectations. Through the African folktale of Anansi the Spider, we discuss how everyone has unique gifts that can contribute to a greater purpose. The message calls on individuals to fully participate in their communities by being true to themselves. It underscores the idea that everyone, regardless of their role or resources, has a significant part to play in creating a more inclusive, caring, and transformative community. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 29, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: This service explores the importance of embracing our unique "genius"—the individual talents, gifts, and spirit that make each person one-of-a-kind. While society often pushes conformity through standardized education and culture, we are called to discover and express our own unique purpose in life, and help others do the same. Through the power of mentorship and authentic words, we can uplift and change each other's lives in ways we may never fully understand. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 22, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION Ever wonder what stories hide behind neglected homes or the faces we avoid at stoplights? This message invites you to look beyond the surface of everyday life and confront the quiet cries for help we often overlook. Let's explore how small acts of attention can break through indifference, reignite our shared humanity, and transform both our lives and those of others. Let’s discover together the profound impact of choosing to care. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 15, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Guest Minister. DESCRIPTION: This service centers on the theme of personal empowerment and the recognition of one's inherent power. Rev. Barbara Prose shares her own journey of overcoming self-doubt and learning to embrace her voice and influence. The message explores the idea that power is not inherently evil but a fundamental part of human existence. It encourages individuals to understand and harness their power in constructive ways, focusing on self-empowerment and the positive impact one can make in their personal lives and in the world. Ultimately, the sermon is a call to action, urging listeners to recognize their own power, overcome internal and external barriers, and use their influence to achieve meaningful change and contribute to a better world. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 8, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: In this service, Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar shares the significance of finding a "third place" in life—a space distinct from home and work where individuals can truly be themselves. Marlin emphasizes the value of having a community like All Souls, which serves as a supportive, inclusive space for personal and collective growth. The service draws a parallel between the ancient Greek Agora—a gathering place for diverse people—and modern third places that enhance our well-being. Ultimately, we reflect on the transformative impact of All Souls Unitarian Church in our lives, encouraging openness and hospitality in inviting others to experience the community's supportive environment. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 1, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk, Programs Minister. DESCRIPTION: In this service, Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk reflects on her transformative experience at the Subaki Grand Shrine in Japan, focusing on the ritual of sweeping as a metaphor for personal and spiritual purification. The act of sweeping symbolizes the removal of life's metaphorical debris that obscures our innate brightness and connection to nature. The speaker explores the concept of vocation, emphasizing the importance of listening to one's inner voice rather than external expectations. Drawing on Parker Palmer’s insights, Nicole encourages deep self-reflection and ongoing commitment to vocational discernment, stressing that true vocation is about aligning with one’s deepest values and desires. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 25, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar and Rev. Randy Lewis. DESCRIPTION: In this service, Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar and Rev. Randy Lewis engage in a thoughtful dialogue with the congregation. The discussion touches on a range of topics, including the impact of religious upbringing and the evolution of their beliefs. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 18, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: This message addresses the recent mandate by Oklahoma's superintendent requiring public schools to include the Bible in their curricula. Rev. Dr. Lavanhar argues that this mandate is unconstitutional and distracts from more pressing educational issues such as underfunding and overcrowded classrooms. Emphasizing the importance of maintaining a secular education system, Marlin critiques the rise of Christian nationalism and identity politics. He calls for community involvement to advocate for fair and effective public education while resisting ideological impositions. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 11, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION In a world often divided by fear and misunderstanding, we come together to reaffirm the values that unite us and delve deep into the principles of DEI—not as mere buzzwords, but as the essential building blocks of a more just and compassionate society. Let's explore how embracing the values of diversity, equity, and inclusion can transform our communities and bridge the divides that separate us. It’s time to move beyond labels and create a world where everyone feels they truly belong. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 4, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION In his thought-provoking message, Reverend Marlin explores the reasons why humanists, atheists, rationalists, agnostics, and many others find a spiritual home at All Souls Unitarian Church. Here, love transcends belief, and we embrace the beauty of a diverse community, where differences in faith, culture, and identity are celebrated. Whether you're seeking solace, meaningful connections, or simply curious about this unique blend of beliefs, you'll find a welcoming space to explore and grow. Join us and discover how All Souls embodies love beyond belief in ways you might never expect. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 28, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION: This message explores the concept of "triggers" — both emotional and physical. We discuss how words, images, and symbols can provoke strong emotional reactions and societal divisions. Randy emphasizes that triggers can lead to conflict and harm but can also inspire positive change and personal growth. Building relationships and fostering empathy can help mitigate the negative impacts of triggers and create a more understanding and compassionate environment. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 21, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Nicole Kirk, Guest Minister. DESCRIPTION: This message explores the transcendentalist ideas of Ralph Waldo Emerson and Howard Thurman, focusing on their spiritual connection to nature. Emerson emphasized the divine presence in nature, challenging traditional religious authority and advocating for a personal, intuitive spirituality. Thurman, influenced by Emerson, integrated nature mysticism with social justice, emphasizing humanity's interconnectedness with all life and the ethical imperative to protect and honor the natural world. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 14, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION: This sermon explores the evolving relationship between humanity and technology. We discuss the impacts of artificial intelligence (AI) on society, emphasizing the potential benefits and risks. The message advocates for maintaining genuine human connection amidst technological progress, highlighting the irreplaceable value of human empathy, authenticity, and love in our increasingly digital world. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 7, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION: This message emphasizes the importance of inclusivity and understanding across diverse backgrounds, advocating for collective action to overcome challenges and create a better world. Rev. Davis encourages listeners to embrace love as a guiding principle, capable of triumphing over barriers and injustices, ultimately fostering a community where all individuals are respected and supported. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 30, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: Today's sermon reflects on the journey from seeking universal approval to embracing the unique perspectives and beliefs that define individuality. It highlights the value of diversity within a community, especially in a world divided by race, religion, and ideology. Drawing on historical and humorous anecdotes, it underscores the Unitarian Universalist tradition of questioning established norms and promoting tolerance and acceptance of differing viewpoints. Ultimately, it emphasizes that true unity stems not from conformity of beliefs, but from mutual respect, kindness, and the collective pursuit of justice and compassion. At All Souls, we seek to Love Beyond Beliefs. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 23, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION: In today’s message, Rev. Randy Lewis shares stories that highlight the pervasive shame and fear that LGBTQ+ individuals can face, even those who exhibit immense bravery in other aspects of their lives. He emphasizes the importance of authenticity and support. The message concludes with a call to celebrate diversity, support the LGBTQ+ community, and work towards a world where everyone can live authentically without fear. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 16, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: In this service, Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar addresses the often-overlooked issue of loneliness and despair among young men in the United States. Highlighting alarming statistics, he underscores the importance of discussing and addressing the crisis facing men today without diminishing the struggles of other marginalized groups. The speaker emphasizes that the problem lies not with men themselves but with the societal structures of patriarchy and rigid gender norms. He calls for a redefinition of modern masculinity, advocating for positive male role models and a vision of masculinity that supports equality and protection for all. The sermon concludes with a call to action for men to mentor and support young boys, fostering a healthier and more inclusive society. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitaria WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 9, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. DESCRIPTION: Today, the Chautauqua movement focuses on a living history program in which performers, in costume and in character, bring historical figures to life through theatrical monologues. The 2024 Chautauqua theme is Lift Every Voice: 60 Years Since the Civil Rights Act. The theme is designed to educate, enlighten, and entertain audiences of all ages, cultures, and socio-economic demographics. In this service, Mrs. Rosa Parks, performed by Vanessa Adams-Harris, recounts her life experiences and the pivotal moment on December 1, 1955, when she refused to give up her seat to a white man on a Montgomery bus. Born in 1913 in Tuskegee, Alabama, Parks describes the systemic oppression faced by African Americans, her role as a secretary of the NAACP, and the inspiration she drew from figures like Emmett Till and Septima Clark. Rosa Parks’ story reflects her deep faith, commitment to equality, and the strength derived from her heritage and community. Her quiet but powerful resistance became a catalyst for the civil rights movement, illustrating the impact of one individual's courage in the fight for justice and equality. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 9, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. DESCRIPTION: Join us as we welcome Coretta Scott King, performed by Rebecca Marks-Jimerson, to the pulpit, where she shares her profound journey. Coretta reflects on her early relationship with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., their shared commitment to the Civil Rights Movement, and the pivotal moments that shaped their mission. Through her powerful storytelling, Coretta emphasizes the importance of unity, love, and resilience in the face of adversity. This heartfelt speech is a testament to the enduring fight for justice and equality. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 2, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: In this service, we explore the significance of promises in our lives and community. Promises are integral to our human experience. We also recognize the inherent promise within each individual. Our discussion expands to historical and communal promises, acknowledging the founding mission of All Souls in 1921 as a spiritual home for all people. However, we also confront the reality of broken promises, particularly the historical failures related to the Tulsa Massacre of 1921. We acknowledge the need to own and remember these breaches to move towards repair. This recognition extends to personal and communal brokenness, urging us to sit with our grief and the heaviness of unkept promises. The ritual ends with renewal, inviting listeners to rededicate themselves to the work of repair and renewal in their lives. Through this ritual, we affirm that while the circle can never be the same, we have the power to make it whole once more. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 26, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION: Join us as we delve into the pitfalls of instant expertise and the importance of true knowledge. We uncover how the relentless pursuit of being right can distance us from meaningful relationships and the broader truth, while we highlight the value of engaging with diverse perspectives, building emotional maturity, and responding to life's challenges with empathy. Ultimately, we are reminded that our journey is not about the certainty of our knowledge, but the kindness and humility we share along the way. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 19, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: In this message, we explore themes of belonging, identity, and the pressures to conform. Drawing parallels with classic tales and real-life experiences, we delve into the struggles many face when stepping into new chapters of their lives. From the grim lessons of Cinderella to the unwavering integrity of Emily Dickinson, this message is a reminder of the courage it takes to live authentically. To our graduates, and to everyone facing life's transitions, may you have the courage to live your truth and inspire others to do the same. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 12, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: In this Mother's Day message, we delve into the profound connection between mothers and their children. Join us as we explore the foundational bond that ties us to our mothers, whether biological or those who have nurtured us with maternal love. On this special day, let us cherish the mothers in our lives and remember the unity and connection that forms the essence of our being. Whether your mother is with you or you carry her memory in your heart, let us honor them by spreading the love and connection they have instilled in us. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 5, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: Join us in exploring transcendence and the metaphysical. In this talk, we delve into the mystical and transcendent aspects of existence that go beyond our five senses. Can we perceive realities that elude our physical senses? Is there more to life and death than what meets the eye? This talk also traces the historical influence of metaphysical ideas in American spirituality, touching on the spiritualist movement, famous personalities' involvement, and the quest to understand the unseen. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 24, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: Join us as we honor the rich heritage of All Souls. During today's service, we contemplate the significance of our lives. Does this life matter? This question resonates deeply, challenging us to consider our purpose beyond the transient nature of existence. We reflect on the fleeting essence of life and the enduring impact we seek to leave behind. As we witness the world continue after our departure, we yearn to contribute meaningfully to life's mosaic. Happy 103rd birthday, All Souls! SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, April 7, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION Delve into the intricate dance between the human yearning for stability and the relentless tide of change. It's an invitation to journey through the paradox of permanence in a world where transformation is the only constant. With the echoes of ancient Buddhist wisdom and the intimate tales of personal evolution within relationships, let's unfold the layers of our resistance to change and the liberation found in embracing it and explore how we can learn to view the shifts in our lives not as threats to stability but as opportunities for growth and deeper understanding, helping us to find peace in impermanence and purpose in the ever-changing landscape of life. In the heart of change lies the true essence of our being and the possibility of transformation beyond our wildest dreams. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 31, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Join us in embracing the Easter message of hope, transformation, and the eternal presence of love. Let us stand together at the empty tomb, rejoicing in the boundless possibilities of new beginnings. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 31, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION Dive into a thought-provoking exploration of life, evolution, and the profound symbolism of the egg. This message intertwines the age-old question of the chicken or the egg with a deep dive into the meanings of Easter eggs, cultural traditions, and the essence of renewal in human life. Let's transcend traditional narratives and embrace our vulnerabilities, the beauty of our brokenness, and the endless possibilities for new beginnings. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, March 10, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Tamara Celeste Lebak, Guest Minister. DESCRIPTION: Join us for a powerful celebration of Women's History Month. The message is a testament to resilience, empowerment, and the transformative power of embracing one's identity and experiences. We are invited to root ourselves in our history, rage against injustice, and realign with our true selves. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
This message was delivered on Sunday, March 3, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: Join us as we explore the deep human desire for connection, transcendence, and transformation. We delve into the universal quest for meaning beyond material pursuits. Discover the wisdom in recognizing our insatiable appetites and the profound fulfillment that comes from dedicating our lives to good. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, February 25, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during The Point: Humanist Hour by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: In this message, we explore the intricate history of black churches in America and their profound impact on shaping the nation's ideals. From the struggles of black Christians to find their own places of worship to the pivotal role black churches played in advancing democracy and equality, this talk delves into the roots of a powerful legacy. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: @allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during The Point: Humanist Hour by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION What happens when an atheist walks the green mile? Through a story that bridges divides, we're invited to witness the impact of genuine presence and the endless possibilities for transformation that arise from the depths of human connection and understanding. Join us in a contemplative journey through "Deeper Love," where we explore the limitless depths of love's potential to heal. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 18, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION Embark on a journey to explore the true depth of love beyond the superficial, diving into the profound insights that challenge and enlighten us. Let's reflect on love's power to transcend boundaries and inspire change within ourselves and our communities and let’s discover how deep our love can go in a world craving genuine connection and unity. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 11, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Nick Page, Guest Musician, Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister, and Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Guided by the acclaimed song leader and music educator Nick Page, discover the transformative power of music and explore how spirituals and songs of liberation inspire community, empathy, and action toward justice. Tune in to celebrate the role of music in healing and change and to experience love's light through the universal language of melody. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 4, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Kate Braestrup, Guest Minister and New York Times Best-Selling Author. DESCRIPTION Rev. Kate Braestrup, a distinguished author and the chaplain of the Maine Warden Service, takes us on the journey to the heart of Maine's wilderness with a sermon that ventures far beyond the church walls. She reveals the profound power of tangible, immediate love in action, expressed through dedication and service and through offering a hand to hold and a shoulder to lean on in moments of deep vulnerability. Let's explore the strength and beauty of loving locally, in the here and now, where it matters most. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 28, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Pastor D.E. Paulk, Guest Minister. DESCRIPTION Embrace change; embrace growth. Change, though often challenging, is a vital part of our journey. Let's examine the concept of thought progression, the importance of inclusivity and love in forming a strong community, and the transformative power of spirituality. Discover how embracing change can lead to profound self-discovery and collective harmony, creating a world where every voice matters. This is an invitation to explore the depths of your own spirit and find peace within the constant flux of life. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 21, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION The words we choose to use and identify with can make a big difference. Words can destroy and create. Sometimes a single word can change everything. A single word can help or heal or hinder. It can hurt or harm or humiliate or humble us. It can also inspire, direct, and focus us. It can tap us into our power, purpose, and passion. Do you know your word? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 14, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION Ever wondered how Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. faced his dragons of adversity? Curious about the everyday heroes shaping our world today? Join us as we delve into the hero's journey, exploring the influences behind heroism and the values that guide them. Confront the challenges of today, from discrimination to division, and discover the power of love as a guiding force. Your hero's journey matters—explore the interconnected stories that weave our collective destiny. In a world where values shape heroes, let's reflect on our own heroes. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 7, 2024, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION "I think a hero is anyone who is intent on making this a better world for all people." — Maya Angelou January 7th I launch our January Sunday Sermon Series called "The Justice League." Superheroes (such as Superman and Batman and Captain America) were invented in the 1930s and 1940s by Jewish immigrants to the USA in response to a time of immense antisemitism around the world. Today, as antisemitism and Islamophobia are on the rise, it is fascinating to recount the origins and impetus for the creation of these superheroes. Almost every superhero’s origin story includes experiences of profound trauma and/or rejection. The 21st Century has seen the emergence of the first Muslim-American superheroes. Most notably, is the character Ms. Marvel, a Pakistani-American teenager from New Jersey. Come hear about some of the amazing history and what we can take from it to fuel our own work to make the world a more just and inclusive place. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 31, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Is there something you have done that you vowed you would never do? Do you consider this to be a triumph or a failure? What caused you to do it? Was it courage, necessity, or was it a mistake? How has your life changed for this unexpected experience? This is the work of the inner life. Soul work. You don’t have to be religious to grow your soul and nurture your spirit. However, it certainly helps to have a supportive and wise community. In this message, with the help of a poet, and an Inuit, I will share an epic journey of the inner life and how we can nurture our soul and broaden our life in the year to come. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 24, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION Here we go again. It’s Christmas time, and many churches will preach about the promised Messiah, the Child in the manger who is to become the Prince of Peace. In the Christian tradition, we are told that some 2,000 years ago, the angelic choir proclaimed “peace on earth and goodwill to all men.” And yet, year after year, again and again, peace remains elusive and short-lived at best, and goodwill is often overshadowed by self-interest and greed. Join us for the Christmas Eve morning service that will delve into the heart of the matter. Beyond the symbolic birth, we'll explore meaningful actions to foster lasting peace and goodwill. It's time to move beyond relying on miracles or babies to fix our problems. Let's embrace a message that resonates in our actions and is a catalyst for positive change! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 17, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 10, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION In the grand scheme of global challenges, wars, terrorism, and humanitarian, economic, and ecological crises, participating in local school board elections may seem insignificant. But as renowned anthropologist Margaret Mead once wisely noted, "Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world. Indeed, it is the only thing that ever has." This sentiment underscores the profound connection between seemingly small actions and the potential for significant change. Drawing inspiration from Mead's words, Sunday’s message explores the idea that hope is not just a passive emotion but an active force, a tangible product of intentional, collective actions that contribute to the building of a better, more hopeful world for ourselves and future generations. Let's explore the pathways to possibility together. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 3, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Some weeks are harder than others. One thing I can always count on is coming to All Souls on Sunday morning and the people, the music and the spirit of the place fills my heart. As we launch into the month of December on the theme of Hope, our church is one place I know I can go to find it in abundance. Not hope in the future, but hope right now. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The service took place on Sunday, November 19, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERVICE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text AllSoulsTulsa to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 12, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Stories of nations and groups are passed down between the generations and sometimes create seemingly endless conflicts, like we are seeing in Israel and Gaza. In Oklahoma and across the USA, schools and governments are in conflict about how to tell our state and country’s history. How do groups rewrite such stories to come up with a common history that is both true and makes room for a positive future for all? Perhaps more importantly, what is it about the stories you tell yourself, about yourself and others, that keeps you in perpetual conflicts? Often such stories contain our ideal images of what a person should be. We have conceptions of what a person must be like to be lovable, to be successful, to be powerful or to be good. We also have stories about the ideal spouse or partner or the ideal child and family. These are images we pick up that often get in the way of our seeing the true beauty and holiness in the people we love - and even in ourselves .These stories we have about ourselves and others are "real" and powerful in that they shape our lives and relationships. When we realize they’re destructive - we need to go back and re-author our stories. What is the story you tell yourself about why you do what you do. Is it time to rewrite any parts of your life story? Should you be seeking a ceasefire to end the casualties created by the stories you tell? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 5, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Ruth Bible-Ingram, Guest Speaker, Lei Rumley, Worship Assistant, Deborah Fritts, a member of the Board of Trustees, Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION November is Native American Heritage Month and we're honored to have a guest speaker and musicians who represent the culture. We acknowledge that All Souls Unitarian Church is on the Muscogee Nation Reservation which is the original land of Osage Nation, and we look forward to welcoming our guests, and you, to our Sunday Services as we honor and celebrate Native American Heritage. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 29, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION In the book: “Breaking Bread with the Dead” Alan Jacobs is concerned about children watching only stuff that is marketed to and for them, that is “fired like an arrow to their amygdala.” Stuff that was manufactured for their immediate effortless consumption. Rather than pushing them out of their comfort zone, experiencing some ambiguity and thematic density. He also writes about the importance for all of us of engaging the ideas, art and music of people from previous generations as a way of living with less anxiety in the present. One of the major ways that attending All Souls adds value to our lives is by regularly introducing us to ideas and music from the past in ways that improve our lives in the present. This Sunday we will recognize 71 new members who have joined All Souls over the last few months. The following quote from Jacobs’ book introduces my theme for Sunday and one of the reasons so many people are drawn to All Souls in these times. "…information overload—a sense that we are always receiving more sheer data than we know how to evaluate—and a more general feeling of social acceleration—the perception that the world is not only changing but changing faster and faster. What those closely related experiences tend to require from us is a rough-and-ready kind of informational triage." Triage—it’s a French word meaning to separate and sort—is what nurses and doctors on the battlefield do: during and after a battle, as wounded soldiers flow in, the limited resources of a medical unit are sorely tested. The medical staff must learn to make instantaneous judgments: this person needs treatment now, that one can wait a little while, a third one will have to wait longer, preferably somewhere other than the medical tent. To the wounded soldiers, this system will often seem peremptory and harsh, uncompassionate, and perhaps even cruel; but it’s absolutely necessary for the nurses and doctors to be ruthlessly brisk. They cannot afford for one soldier to die while they’re comforting one whose injuries don’t threaten his life. Navigating daily life in the internet age is a lot like doing battlefield triage. Given that what cultural critic Matthew Crawford calls the “attentional commons” is constantly noisy—there are days we can’t even put gas in our cars without being assaulted by advertisements blared at ear-rattling volume—we also learn to be ruthless in deciding how to deploy our attention. We only have so much of it, and often the decision of whether or not to “pay” it must be made in an instant. To avoid madness we must learn to reject appeals to our time, and reject them without hesitation or pity. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 22, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Justin Schroeder, Guest Minister. DESCRIPTION Justin came to All Souls in 2001 as the Young Adult Programs Director and led our Soulful Sundown services that blended arts, video, contemporary music and spirituality. One of his final acts of ministry, in Tulsa, was delivering the eulogy for Marlin and Anitra's daughter Sienna Lavanhar's memorial, in May of 2006. Justin brings over two decades of spiritual leadership experience, prominently leading a large, progressive Unitarian Universalist congregation in Minneapolis for 12 years. This Sunday, Reverend Justin Schroeder returns to All Souls! Justin came to All Souls in 2001 as the Young Adult Programs Director. He led our Soulful Sundown services that blended arts, video, contemporary music, and spirituality. One of his final acts of ministry in Tulsa was delivering the eulogy for Marlin and Anitra's daughter Sienna Lavanhar's memorial in May 2006. Justin brings over two decades of spiritual leadership experience, prominently leading a large, progressive Unitarian Universalist congregation in Minneapolis for 12 years after. Justin, along with his wife Juliana, co-founded "Holding Space for Change" which accompanies individuals and groups through the process of change, transition, and transformation. They offer counseling, spiritual direction, rites and rituals as well as retreats and workshops to support people through significant life passages. Visit . SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 15, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Recently, I came across the term "Fundamental Neighborliness." It is said to be a barometer of the soul and an indicator of the attitude of one’s heart. Generosity is one of life’s greatest joys to be able to share what we have to help someone else to have an opportunity to grow or experience life’s possibilities. Even in those times when we feel lacking, being able to share something can bring us alive. Most of us struggle in some ways with generosity. Some are too generous, and some are not generous enough. How can we balance our generosity so that it is a central component of our life’s satisfaction and a true expression of our love? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, October 8, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION Gazing at the profound mystery of life, we stand in this present moment, where the everlasting and the transient meet. Our days on this earthly journey are but fleeting shadows, casting a reminder of the impermanence of existence. We realize that time is indeed a precious gift. In the absence of certainty and clarity, how are we to find meaning, hope, and perseverance for our journey? How do we redeem our days and make them count? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS REFLECTION ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 1, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION People who love the book “To Kill a Mocking Bird” are often shocked and disoriented if they read Harper Lee’s second book, “Go Set a Watchman,” when they discover that Atticus Finch ends up a member of the Ku Klux Klan. We don’t expect that one of the most noble heroes of American literature has a shadow side. Even more surprising is when they finish the second book and they still like Atticus despite his imperfections. We live in a time of “cancel culture.” Increasingly it seems people assume there is a purity or perfection that people must attain. Today one misstatement or misdeed or old photograph can cause a person to lose their job or get kicked off social media. We want our heroes to be flawless and increasingly we expect that in each other. Yet, people are complex and multidimensional and have the ability to evolve and change. The first week of October is Banned Books Week in America, and Harper Lee’s books are being banned across the country. However, I believe that together, they offer us an important lesson in being human. Atticus’ daughter Scout and son Jem came of age in “To Kill a Mockingbird,” and perhaps the rest of us have a chance to come of age, in a way, from her second book. In accepting other people’s imperfections, we may be able to begin to accept our own. Or perhaps it’s the other way around. “Let the one without sin among you, cast the first stone…” John 8:7 SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 24, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, September 17, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS REFLECTION ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, September 10, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS REFLECTION ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 3, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, August 27, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Sallie Gardner, Kelli McLoud-Schingen, and Berkeley Shouse. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS REFLECTION ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 20, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 13, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 6, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 23, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 16, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 9, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Randy Lewis, Assistant Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 2, 2023, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, June 25, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Barbara Prose in a special 10:30 am Service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, June 11, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Randy Lewis in the 10am Service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, May 7, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in The Point Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, May 28, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Carlton D. Pearson in the 10am Service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, May 21, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in the 10am Service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, May 14, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Barbara Prose in the 10am Service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
Is there a limit to mercy, and who decides? And when we don't know how to forgive ourselves, where can we find the permission, or the courage, to do so? In this timely message, Rev. Randy reflects on the challenges of forgiving ourselves, even from terrible things we've done, and the importance of letting mercy courageously enter our lives. This message was delivered on Sunday, May 7, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Randy Lewis in the 10am Service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, April 30, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in the 10am Service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: https://www.youtube.com/user/allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa/ All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/connect
This message was delivered on Sunday, April 16th, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Carlton D. Pearson during The Point service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: https://www.youtube.com/user/allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa/ All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/connect
Marlin gives his Easter message This message was delivered on Sunday, April 9th, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in the 10am Service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: https://www.youtube.com/user/allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa/ All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/connect
This message was delivered on Sunday, April 2nd, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Randy Lewis in the Humanist Service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This Sunday is a special Family Festival Heritage Sunday Service, celebrating All Souls' 102nd birthday. Both Marlin and Barbara deliver messages about what it means for us to honor the legacy of those who came before — they planted seeds that grew into trees for us, and we in turn plant seeds from those trees for those will be here beyond us. This message was delivered on Sunday, March 26, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar and Rev. Barbara Prose in the 10am Service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
We cannot understand religious authority without understanding our relationship to consent. What is our relationship to our own consent? What does it feel like to be fully bought in? What do we do when we feel someone else is not fully bought in? How do we work with the parts of ourselves that are not bought in when someone imposes on us? Join me at the 10:00 am Worship service as we explore how we can be (as in 1 Corinthians 3:9) co-workers in G*d’s service and at the same time be the field and the building. This message was delivered on Sunday, March 19, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Tamara Lebak in the 10am Service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
How do we manage all of the roles we play in our lives — and does playing a role make us inauthentic? This Sunday, Carlton Pearson explores the what it means for us to remain authentic as we inhabit all of the pressures that surround what we hold to be precious. There are so many versions of us that we present that sometimes it can be challenging to find our true inner voices. This message was delivered on Sunday, March 12, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Carlton D. Pearson in the The Point Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
Are you ever afraid you might say the wrong thing or ask the wrong question? Do you wonder what to think about current debates, such as the ones about Transgender issues? Are you unsure where and when you can raise your concerns and receive a respectful and well-considered answers? This is a message about courageous love and the problem of certainty. On both sides of the current debate about whether a person can “change their gender” there are people who are certain. One side says, “Absolutely not!” and the other says “Absolutely yes” and there is not much room to question. In between these polarities most people wrestle (silently) with real questions and concerns about what is right and age-appropriate regarding gender fluidity, hormone treatments and various laws that seek to regulate gender in school sports, education and society. Who has the authority to decide a person’s gender? The person? Parents? Pastors? Politicians? Pediatricians? Coaches? This message is much more than a talk about gender and rights, it is a deeply personal exploration of what it means to be human and how we show up for one another. This message was delivered on Sunday, March 5, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in the The Point Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
How do we manage the contradictions inherent in our group identities? Can we authentically agree to disagree, or does going along to get along actually fracture our authenticity? The answers to these questions are never static, but it matters that we get ahead of the questions — it’s better to address our civil rights and needs before a civil war becomes necessary! This message was delivered on Sunday, February 26, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Carlton D. Pearson in the The Point Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: https://www.youtube.com/user/allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa/ All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/connect
Come for the music and stay for the message! The soundtrack of our lives is infused with influences from African American musicians and creators. To distinguish between American music and Black Music would be impossible. In the same way, it is impossible to distinguish between American History and Black History. This Sunday with the help of our musicians and our special musical guest, Booker Gillespie, we will tap our toes, move our hearts and consider how the soul of Black music has helped shape our own soul. This message was delivered on Sunday, February 19, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in the The Point Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This Sunday, Randy Lewis challenges our understanding of race through the lens of black and white by exploring the simple fact that none of us are actually black or white — we are all simply varying shades of very light to very dark brown. A black/white dichotomy sets up false archetypes that serve to separate us. This message was delivered on Sunday, February 12, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Randy Lewis in the The Point Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
Have you ever acted on an incomplete story and paid the price for it? Every story has multiple sides depending on where we sit. As we launch our theme of “Freedom” and celebrate Black History, this month, we will examine the power of the stories we tell and how they can bless or curse our life. Some stories involve the casting of a spell which creates a false reality. This message may come like a kiss to break the spell that keeps us fractured. This message was delivered on Sunday, February 5, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in the 10am Service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
Perhaps nothing is more desirable for humans than healthy community to hold us, to make our lives more meaningful and bearable, so why is it so hard and rare to find this community? The scarcity of beloved community only highlights our profound need for it. So what does it take? At All Souls, we aren't bound by a creed or a cross, instead we are held together by our covenant - our commitment to each other to love beyond belief. It turns out that our differences aren't problems that keep us from community - they are the very opportunities to reach out and create bridges to one another. As Søren Kierkegaard said, “When one has fully entered the realm of love, the world — no matter how imperfect — becomes rich and beautiful, consisting solely of opportunities for love.” This message was delivered on Sunday, January 29, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Randy Lewis in The Point Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
What does it mean for a myth to be true? Does it have to be literal and factual in order for us to glean meaning from it? This Sunday, Rev. Marlin explores the value of myth in our lives and in our world. It might require us to expand our imagination and interpret - indeed, to co-create the universe through our understanding. This message was delivered on Sunday, January 22, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in The Point Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
"Power concedes nothing without a demand. It never did and it never will." — Frederick Douglass As we celebrate and learn from the life and legacy of Martin Luther King, Jr. this MLK Sunday, Rev. Gerald Davis reflects on the "santa-clause-ification" of MLK, a process in which we remember him as a soft and simply well-meaning figure, when in reality he was a radical political and social advocate — to the point that powerful people wanted him killed. This message was delivered on Sunday, January 15, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Gerald Davis in The Point Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
Joni Mitchell famously sung "We are stardust... and we've got to get ourselves back to the garden." What does it mean for us to be made of stardust, floating around on a speck of a speck in the vastness of the cosmos? Does it provoke a sense of wonder that we are here at all? Or maybe a sense of profound uncertainty as to how we got here, or where we are going? These feelings have been provoking us for millennia to create religions about how the stardust turned into us, and also about how we might get back to the garden. Maybe instead of explaining it all, these feelings can remind us how rare it is that we get to consciously exist at all, and maybe this can create a new kind of religious impulse... one that expands our worlds rather than limits them. This message was delivered on Sunday, January 8, 2023 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in The Point Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
In his book, The Naked Now: Learning to See as the Mystics, Richard Rohr, wrote: The most amazing fact about Jesus, unlike almost any other religious founder, is that he found God in disorder and imperfection — and told us that we must do the same or we would never be content on this earth… The struggle to forgive reality for being exactly what it is right now often breaks us through to nondual consciousness.” The mystics of every culture have a way of discovering the divine in all things. In our tradition, Ralph Waldo Emerson encouraged us to discover God, or the Oneness of life, in nature and relationships and inside ourselves. As we explore the multifaceted theme of “God” this month, let us look for the Ultimate in tiny, everyday things. This message was delivered on Sunday, December 11, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in 10 am service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
In the Bible, there is a moment when God says about humans, "they have become like us." Well, who exactly is "us" there, and what does it mean to become like gods? As humans, we have immense power to create and destroy, but perhaps the thing that makes us most like "the gods" is our ability to decide what we will believe about them. Even if we were to see God face to face, we would still be responsible to interpret what we saw! This message was delivered on Sunday, December 3, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Carlton D. Pearson in The Point Humanist Hour service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
Do we have to agree in order to get along? Or maybe it's more accurate to say we agree to get along. The Greek word "symphoneo," from which we our English word "symphony" simply means "to sound together" — not necessarily to sound alike. It's likely impossible for us to ever find someone who agrees with us on everything, and instead of those differences threatening our belonging, perhaps they are precisely what makes connection real and meaningful! This message was delivered on Sunday, November 27, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Carlton D. Pearson in The Point Humanist Hour service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This Sunday after the United States midterm elections, Randy Lewis reflects on what it takes to stay in relationship with those we love, and those we might love, across all of our differences and as we change. We may disagree about so many things on the surface, but beyond that there might be a greater love that holds us together. This message was delivered on Sunday, November 13, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Randy Lewis in The Point Humanist Hour service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
Our country is built on a promise we make to each other as citizens. It is far from a perfect system, but at its best it is guided by core values articulated in the Declaration of Independence regarding liberty and justice for all. As we head into an extraordinary election week, in America, people on both sides of the aisle seem to fear a win by the other side could be the end of our country as we know it. What do you do with your feelings that democracy may be failing? It is a time when having a community that cares about these things really matters. This message was delivered on Sunday, November 6, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in the 10 am service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This Sunday, minister Randy Lewis explores the uniquely American problem with violence — particularly gun violence — and what it means to protect ourselves, not just from physical threats, but from corrosive positions in our own hearts. Is there a political stance that can elevate us out of our current struggles with violence, or is this something that must begin within and spread outward? This message was delivered on Sunday, October 30, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Randy Lewis in the 10 am service. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The importance of accessibility to a broad range of literature has been held up over the course of our democracy by American luminaries as broad across the cultural spectrum as Emily Dickinson, Frederick Douglass, Ronald Reagan and Laura Bush. These individuals each spoke of the intellectual freedom and ethical instruction they received from literature in their times. From volumes as diverse as the philosophy of Sappho to the adventures of Superman. Because no book, no literature should be placed beyond the reach of any human mind. Instead, we must encourage a collective responsibility, shared in collaboration and concert, to contextualize the transcendent power of literature toward the betterment of all humankind. The brunt of the current attack on literary culture is being felt by our nation’s librarians. A once revered and admirable profession now under immense pressure and public scrutiny. One such public servant recently described the painstaking care with which they try to curate and provide for our community; “We develop our library collections very intentionally, based on the ages, experiences, and needs of the students we serve. We deeply respect the right of parents to monitor what their own children read, while also fighting to the end that no parent can decide what other children can read.” This message was delivered on Sunday, October 23, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Cory Lovell and Marlin Lavanhar in The Point Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The importance of accessibility to a broad range of literature has been held up over the course of our democracy by American luminaries as broad across the cultural spectrum as Emily Dickinson, Frederick Douglass, Ronald Reagan and Laura Bush. These individuals each spoke of the intellectual freedom and ethical instruction they received from literature in their times. From volumes as diverse as the philosophy of Sappho to the adventures of Superman. Because no book, no literature should be placed beyond the reach of any human mind. Instead, we must encourage a collective responsibility, shared in collaboration and concert, to contextualize the transcendent power of literature toward the betterment of all humankind. The brunt of the current attack on literary culture is being felt by our nation’s librarians. A once revered and admirable profession now under immense pressure and public scrutiny. One such public servant recently described the painstaking care with which they try to curate and provide for our community; “We develop our library collections very intentionally, based on the ages, experiences, and needs of the students we serve. We deeply respect the right of parents to monitor what their own children read, while also fighting to the end that no parent can decide what other children can read.” This message was delivered on Sunday, October 23, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Cory Lovell and Marlin Lavanhar in The Point Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
The word conscience (or "con-science") roughly means "with knowledge." What, then, does it mean for us to have a conscience about good and evil? How do we learn about what is evil, and how do we know it's true? In this message, Carlton Pearson reflects on his own journey of understanding of what we might call God (or the "Good") and what we might call Evil. How does someone transition from believing a Unitarian Church is evil to actively being a preacher at one? This message was delivered on Sunday, October 16, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Carlton D. Pearson in The Point: Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: https://www.youtube.com/user/allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa/ All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/connect
The word conscience (or "con-science") roughly means "with knowledge." What, then, does it mean for us to have a conscience about good and evil? How do we learn about what is evil, and how do we know it's true? In this message, Carlton Pearson reflects on his own journey of understanding of what we might call God (or the "Good") and what we might call Evil. How does someone transition from believing a Unitarian Church is evil to actively being a preacher at one? This message was delivered on Sunday, October 16, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Carlton D. Pearson in The Point: Humanist Hour. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH SERMONS FROM OUR MINISTERS: https://www.youtube.com/user/allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE TO SUPPORT LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/allsoulstulsa/ All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/connect
This message was delivered on Sunday, October 2, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in the 10 am service. Description: Perhaps more harm has been done in the world by foolish people who think they are doing right than by people who deliberately act wrongly. So when we ask the question "why do good people do bad things," we might instead ask, "how do we know if what we do is right or not?" Many of history's worst atrocities were committed by groups who believed it was for a greater good. In this line of thinking, Rev. Marlin brings us back to some of the shadowy corners of our own hearts, where a proper amount of skepticism can turn good intentions into positive results. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, September 25, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in the 11:30 am The Point Humanist Hour service. Description: Irish poet John O'Donohue once said of the soul that "there is a part you that has never been wounded." What does that part of us know — what is it capable of? What would it look for us to feed that part of ourselves? Our bodies and minds are so hungry for our time and attention, that often our souls eat last in our lives. We hurry through our lives, and consume meaningful moments without really absorbing them, and we are left wondering my we struggle to find richer meaning in our daily lives. But with just a slight shift in how we see ourselves and our worlds, a new mode of life comes into view — one that is rich with depth of experience, and, most surprisingly of all, is easy to find. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, September 18, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Randy Lewis in the 10 am service. Description: Our lives are made up of stories. Every day we are telling stories to ourselves about ourselves and others. Stories about what will happen to us in the future, and who we were in the past. Some of these stories define us, for better or worse, but how do we know they are true? What if we want to break out of an old story? What if we want to write a new one? It is so crucial when we are writing stories about ourselves and our world that we are compassionate. We never know what other people have been through or what is in their hearts now, and we often negate or forget parts ourselves — the difficult parts we might want to gloss over as well as the beautiful parts of us that we sometimes struggle to embrace. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, September 11, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in The Point Humanist Hour service. Description: As the world continues to open back up following the COVID-19 pandemic, we are all left to reckon with everything we have been putting off. That might mean something literal like getting married, or switching jobs, or maybe it's something simultaneously more abstract and closer to home for us, like feeling our feelings. We often live our lives attempting to buffer difficult feelings — to insulate ourselves from the uncertainties and pain that life brings. But we not only fail to stop pain, we also numb our joy when we do this. What would it look like if we decided not to buffer these experiences, but to embrace them? SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, September 4, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Carlton D. Pearson in The Point Humanist Hour service. Description: Our imaginations are our gateway into our worlds. Our past, present, and future all has to go through an interpretive lens that we get to choose. We always have the opportunity to reimagine our relationships to ourselves and each other, and to imagine a different world that maybe just doesn't exist yet. Sometimes when we feel stuck in our own lives or in the stories others have about us, it's time to imagine a new story about ourselves... a story with an unwritten ending. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, August 28, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Randy Lewis in The Point Humanist Hour service. Description: What does it mean to have emotional intelligence, and how might we increase it? Why would we even want to? This Sunday, Randy Lewis explores what it means to practice kindness as a serious business that has consequences in our own lives and those around us. But in order to this, it's important to be transparent with ourselves about how we really feel about the people around us. By internally addressing what we really think, we can slowly change our thought patterns into something truly helpful. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, August 21, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in The Point Humanist Hour service. Description: Salman Rushdie, who has spoken twice at All Souls in Tulsa, was violently attacked, on stage, last week. One of our congregation’s middle school girls had to be escorted out of a Public School Board meeting this summer by police because adults, wearing red, white and blue, were aggressive and hostile toward her for expressing her view that our schools should support LGBTQ students. Our state has passed laws making it illegal to have an abortion or to teach history that might make someone uncomfortable. College professors, comedians and commentators are being “cancelled” for expressing their perspectives. All Souls stands in a centuries-long religious tradition that has seen God (and the good) in history to be present in the unfolding of freedom. Examples include: the freedom of the Jews, and anyone, from slavery, freedom of Christians to worship, freedom of scientists, freedom of speech, freedom to marry and more. What’s happening to freedom and what have our forebears done before and what should we do now about it? SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, August 14, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in The Point Humanist Hour service. Description: How are you feeling right now? Happy, anxious, depressed, or maybe even numb? Or perhaps there is a fear or uncertainty of what will happen when we really let our feelings reach the surface. Sometimes we aren't even aware of what we're feeling, but it still follows us. This Sunday, Rev. Marlin explores what it means to become aware of our own awareness. Reflecting on his time on sabbatical, Marlin encourages us to pay more attention to what we pay attention to, and in that space we will find a rich quality of life that is worth it. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: https://www.youtube.com/user/allsoulsunitarian WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Instagram: All Souls Church Website:
This message was delivered on Sunday, August 7, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Barbara Prose Description: "One expression I will take with me when I leave All Souls is 'I appreciate you.' It’s one of the ways I’ve learned to say thank you here. Those words express that what someone just did or said—or simply who they are—makes a difference in my life and in the life of the church. Now, if I were to try to thank each and every one of you individually, our Sunday service would last all weekend and still be incomplete. Much as author AJ Jacobs discovered when he tried to thank every person involved with his morning cup of coffee, I’ve discovered that each and every act of generosity, kindness, and service, is linked to at least 1000 other acts of service, kindness and generosity. So I need your help. And am inviting you to attend church this Sunday, so you can thank people too – and be thanked yourself!"
This message was delivered on Sunday, July 31, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Tamara Lebak Description: Maybe there is a part of you that wants to come to church and a part of you that wants to stay home. Maybe there is a part of you that wants to flee the country and a part of you that wants to firmly plant yourself in the resistance. Maybe there is a part of you who is skeptical of everything and a part of you that has experienced something truly mystical in nature. I certainly have all of these parts. What does it mean that we have these parts? How do we balance the tension between our polarized parts? How do we navigate respecting all the parts of ourselves to take our next right step? Join me as I explore the respect through the construct of multiplicity of self, an indigenous concept that has been pathologized by academia and demonized by the culture of the Christian church.
This message was delivered on Sunday, July 24, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Carlton D. Pearson. Description: What does it mean to become more inclusive toward ourselves? As we venture into radical inclusivity, sometimes we are surprised to find old parts of our stories coming back to make us feel guilt, shame, or self-loathing that we thought we had left behind. This Sunday, Carlton explores what it means to move past a kind of militaristic kind of love and step into a more compassionate and real form of liking ourselves.
This message was delivered on Sunday, July 17, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Cory Lovell. Description: We are living through times that will ask more of us and challenge our faith in ways we never imagined but now can't possibly ignore. The values of Unitarian Universalism call upon us to be compassionate, innovative, and steadfast even amidst such unpredictability. By rooting ourselves in respect for our tradition's past, respect for the sobering and complicated reality of our present, and respect for a more hopeful future... we can meet the moment with love and courage.
This message was delivered on Sunday, July 10, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Randy Lewis. Description: This Sunday, Randy Lewis explores what it means to try to love another person when we don't even know what it means to love ourselves. The golden rule tells us to "do unto other as we would have done unto us," but many people treat themselves with no love at all. Through growing in our self-love, we become strong to love others beyond belief.
This message was delivered on Sunday, July 3, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Barbara Prose. Description: Our country stands on the edge of a precipice. It feels impossible that on the weekend that our nation celebrates its 246th birthday, some of the freedoms and rights we hold dear have been taken away and other rights and freedom are so vulnerable. In these extraordinary and urgent times, we declare that we dissent. Those who pursue authoritarian forms of power also provoke violence, spread disinformation, politicize independent institutions, corrupt elections and target vulnerable or marginalized communities. Voices of people in Oklahoma who are not being represented by local or national leaders must be heard across our nation as we insist on the importance of the separation between church and state and share our understanding of a God who always stands on the side of freedom and equality.
This message was delivered on Sunday, June 29, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Randy Lewis. Description: This Sunday, Randy Lewis, Sabbatical Minister reflects on the enduring meaning of LBGTQ Pride in America and in his own life, and leads us to think more dynamically about cultural progress in our current age, when the Supreme Court has just overturned Roe v. Wade and many other crucial civil liberties are either absent or threatened. The civil rights era never ended.
This message was delivered on Sunday, June 19, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa Oklahoma by Carlton D. Pearson. Description This Sunday, on both Father's Day and Juneteenth, Carlton Pearson explores what it means to reckon with our fraught histories surrounding inclusion. Some of us are victims of exclusion — maybe in our own lifetimes, or maybe through our inherited histories, such as native black Americans that are descended from slavery. Maybe we ourselves have excluded others in our pasts. This Sunday, Carlton seeks a way to let go of our stories that no longer serve us while also seeking full disclosure of our painful pasts.
This message was delivered on Sunday, June 12, 2022 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry in The Point Humanist Hour Service. Description: This Sunday, Rev. Barbara reflects on the chaotic moment we are living in and asked the question, "Is peace even possible right now?" What would it look like for us to choose peace at a moment like this, and should we? Channeling Buddhist monk and peace activist Thich Nhat Hanh, Rev. Barbara explores an active understanding of peace that empowers us toward change rather than neutralizes us in the face of danger. Instead of waging war, we can wage peace!
The homily was delivered on Sunday, April 19, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Many people around the world have taken to wearing masks. Masks are being worn in the hopes that they will keep us safe from the coronavirus. However, people also wear masks for other reasons. Join me to explore the use of various kinds of masks with the idea that on the other side of this pandemic, perhaps, we can also take off some of the other masks we tend to wear in public. There is something about this current crisis that reminds us of our vulnerability and the preciousness of life and relationships. A mask today might allow us to be in each other’s presence, whereas another mask we wear might serve to hide parts of us from one another. Let’s be thoughtful about the masks we wear and allow them to serve us. We can also be courageous in taking off our masks at the right time and in the right circumstances. This Sunday also marks the 25th anniversary of the tragic Oklahoma City Bombing. Rev. Barbara Prose and our worship, music and communications teams have created a tribute to honor the anniversary in our services. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS HOMILY ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 5, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Pérez-Simons, Intern Minister. The recording includes a pastoral-care message from Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION “Survival of the fittest” has always been a deeply misunderstood concept, but now, after decades of research by sociologists and evolutionary biologists, a new picture of human nature has emerged, showing how human beings—in order to survive as a species—had to learn to cooperate. While we can act in selfish ways, there’s well-researched evidence that shows how we are actually wired for goodness and how altruism is part of our true nature. While our culture has an impact on our personality, there are deeper, ancient forces working through us, propelling us toward goodness, love, and collaboration. This Sunday, our ministerial intern, Mariela Pérez-Simons, makes a passionate case for cultivating altruistic love and compassion for our well-being and the well-being of others. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The service was held on Sunday, March 22, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Kelli McLoud-Schingen, Guest Speaker, Mariela Pérez-Simons, Intern Minister, and Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION Our celebration of Women’s History Month continues. “Enlightenment is intimacy with all things.” —The Zen master Dogen (1200-1253), founder of the Sōtō school of Zen On this Sunday, as we delve into the concept of the Divine Feminine, we will be exploring how we can cultivate intimacy as a spiritual practice. Intimacy with our feelings, with the earth, with one another, with spirit, with the soul, with our heartbeat… and perhaps even with the virus itself. Because we already have the impulse to connect, intimacy allows us to move from division to wholeness… We are invited to get closer and closer until we realize that we are, in fact, not separate but a part of everything. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERVICE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The service took place on Sunday, March 15, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister, Mariela Pérez-Simons, Intern Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERVICE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 8, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION Authority is one of the most needed and yet intimidating words in the English language. Authority must first come from your human essence. You share and/or delegate portions of your authority in life, but never all of it. We learn to honor our authorship of our own lives and our authority to live based on our assignment in life. Join us as we explore ways to reclaim our authenticity and personal authority! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 8, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION There is a positive death movement happening. It involves talking openly about our bodies: how we age, get sick, and die. It includes practices like: death doulas, death dinners, death care guides and more. For so long, our culture has kept death hidden from us. Here at All Souls, we face death openly, as a way to honor our lives. We have a hospice choir and honor our dead in moving memorial services that celebrate life. I hope you’ll join me, SpiritSong, our Life Decisions Team and Nicole Ogundare, our Life Events Coordinator, as we explore who has the authority to make decisions about our lives – and our deaths. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 1, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Pérez-Simons, Intern Minister. DESCRIPTION “What a long time it can take to become the person one has always been,” says the writer and teacher Parker Palmer. This sermon is inspired by Palmer’s words. I want to explore the ways in which the human soul goes into “hiding” because of acculturation, oppression, or trauma. Psychologists have a term for it, disassociation, and some indigenous cultures call it “the loss of soul” while offering options for healing, such as “soul retrieval” journeys. Join me to look at the ways we can free our truest, most authentic selves and lead lives of presence and wholeness. As Zora Neale Hurston once said, “Love makes your soul crawl out from its hiding place.” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 23, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION There is a long history of using the Bible to further discrimination. During the years of legalized slavery, many Christians used biblical explanations to justify their “right” to own slaves. Today religious freedom is, again, being weaponized as a tool of discrimination and political gain by those who want to deny the rights of LGBT people, women, Muslims, immigrants and others. As All Souls stands firmly on the side of freedom of religion, what do we have to say to those who are using such language in ways that harm others? As we continue to celebrate black history and our theme of “choosing freedom” let’s look to the past to see how we can live more freely and stand on the side of liberty in our own times. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 23, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Jan Peppler, Ph.D., Guest Speaker, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Courage isn’t reserved for the few. Every day we are each face the need to be courageous in both small and big ways. The courage to step up, to surrender, to do the right thing, to choose love over fear, and—perhaps scariest of all—the courage to be the person we are meant to be. This is what the world needs more than anything: You. Authentic, Courageous, You. ABOUT Dr. Peppler is the founder of the Joseph Campbell Foundation Mythological RoundTable of Ketchum, Idaho, and co-chair of Goddess Studies for the American Academy of Religion Western Region. Her background includes social services, teaching, counseling, therapeutic massage, and sacred ceremonies. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 16, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION “Find out just what any people will quietly submit to and you have the exact measure of the injustice and wrong which will be imposed on them.” These words from Fredrick Douglass seem quite fitting for the current state of the American republic. We are a county that was founded on the principle of freedom and yet freedom, and its synonym liberty, have often been a source of conflict and confusion throughout the American experiment in democracy. Abraham Lincoln, whose birthday is celebrated on Monday, once wrote: “We all declare for liberty, but in using the same word we do not all mean the same thing.” Lincoln and Fredrick Douglass were both fighting for the freedom of people to be able to benefit from their own labor. Their opponents were fighting for the freedom to benefit from someone else’s labor. Despite their diametrically opposing definitions and goals, each side claimed to be fighting for freedom. As a community of free-thinkers we can learn a lot from this history about the nature of our own freedom today. Join me as we continue to explore this month’s theme of Choosing Freedom and celebrate Black History Month in a way that uplifts and enlightens us all. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 16, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION In an election year, 32 years ago, John Wolf preached this sermon and said, “If the people of this country do not feel manipulated, if their basic instincts for fair play and for justice are not confounded, then something ominous has to have happened. Human nature being what it is, as Emerson says, we have a natural affinity for truth. But we smother those natural instincts when we are so offended by what we hear being said that we despair that anything we do makes any difference, that the truth doesn’t matter, that the powers that be are in control and the ends justify the means. And when no one rises up to challenge the offenses, apathy can turn to bitterness. And bitterness easily turns to hate.” Sound familiar? Join me this President’s Day weekend, to hear how John found his way, from there, or here—back to faith, hope and love—back to freedom, reason and tolerance. We have lived through perilous times before. No one said it better than the poet Langston Hughes, who John quotes in this sermon. “We the people must redeem America. We the people must redeem the land, the mines, the plants, the rivers. The mountains and the endless plain. All, all the stretch of these great states. And the faith, the great faith we have lost—and make America America again!” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Talking about race and racism is often so painful, we want to avoid the conversation. Still, in the depths of our being, we understand that none of us will be free, until all of us are free. If we are white, that often means learning how to talk about race and how to listen to talk about race, without shutting down or acting out. This Sunday, holding a deep awareness of our own basic goodness, we will explore how becoming more mindful of being white leads to liberation. I hope you’ll join me as we explore a daily practice for freedom as a year-round response to our nation’s celebration of black history month. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 9, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Arthur F. Carter, Jr., Ph.D., Guest Minister. DESCRIPTION Successful organizations, institutions, and movements often have visionary leadership. When these entities fail, onlookers frequently point to leadership as the locus of failure. While not the source of hierarchy, this tendency supports top-down views of the world. Many well-intended persons regularly evaluate success from top to bottom: how does the economy work for the wealthy; how do educational systems work for the majority of students with resources; how safe is our city for the mobile, the educated and the employed? This re-reading of Mark 14.3-9 suggests that the woman who anoints Jesus with perfume reminds us how dangerously susceptible we are to replicate the systems of oppression that we claim to denounce. Mark remembers this woman as an angelic worker; her presence and actions critique our prominent top-down approaches to identity-making and history-writing. The good news (Gospel), however, is that Jesus saw her, affirmed her work, and remembers her name; The good news (Gospel) is, thus, also that each day is our own opportunity to free her story from shackled, top-down mentalities, model her labor amidst unjust systems of oppression and exploitation, and commemorate those unnamed, un-titled angels [messengers] who sustain our pursuits of love, justice, and faith. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 2, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Janis Joplin famously sang: “Freedom is just another word for ‘nothing left to lose.” I would contest that we all have things to lose. How do our attachments keep us from being free? What is the right relationship to have between freedom and attachment? How and when must we choose freedom over everything else? Taking inspiration in part from the remarkable story of Harriet Tubman, the worship team and I have created a service that we hope will prompt us all to live more freely. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 2, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION Freedom is a commodity. Freedom of choice is more to be treasured than any possession or privilege life can offer. Freedom is the power to act, speak, or think as one wants without hindrance or restraint. The act of Freedom isn't for cowards. It takes courage to be free and a little "crazy" too. Join in February at All Souls as we present and perform freedom to choose who we are and how we express that honestly, earnestly, and authentically! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 2, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Janis Joplin famously sang: “Freedom is just another word for ‘nothing left to lose.” I would contest that we all have things to lose. How do our attachments keep us from being free? What is the right relationship to have between freedom and attachment? How and when must we choose freedom over everything else? Taking inspiration in part from the remarkable story of Harriet Tubman, the worship team and I have created a service that we hope will prompt us all to live more freely. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 26, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Pérez-Simons, Intern Minister. DESCRIPTION Throughout history, human beings have felt a sacred kinship to the sun—being the bestower of life and light. For instance, sun-worshipers such as the priests of the Incas used to blow kisses to the rising sun during religious ceremonies. Join our ministerial intern, Mariela Pérez-Simons, on this special SUNday as she shares new reasons to have reverence for the sun. One specific reason to love the sun is proper sun exposure can boost our nervous and immune systems! We will also get a boost from the uplifting music of The Beatles. Sing with us, “Here Comes the Sun (doo-dun doo doo.)" You won't want to miss Beatles SUNday! *Music: YAVE; Dionne Lambert, soloist; Rick Fortner, piano; Recco Bennett, bass; Matt Edwards, drums SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 19, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION THROWBACK SERMON SUNDAY Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Throwback from Rev. Dr. John Wolf, 1966 In 1966, a young Dr. John B. Wolf spoke to All Souls in Tulsa about Black Power in no uncertain terms. A year earlier Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had spoken to the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in a message titled “Don’t Sleep Through the Revolution.” These were some of the most divisive and crucial times of the Civil Rights movement that put non-violence to the test. It is hard to imagine any other white preacher in Tulsa saying what Dr. Wolf said that day. Come here his words and my commentary that make them even more relevant for our times today. Join us on MLK Sunday to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, in music and words. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 19, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION It is a main, and sometimes impossible, challenge to change what someone else created, we can only manage it as responsibly as we can. However we can change and/or save what we have created using our own innate abilities to imagine and re-imagine it creatively. We save creation by saving ourselves and save ourselves by saving creation. We must do what we can and the universe (God) will do what we can't! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 19, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION THROWBACK SERMON SUNDAY Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Throwback from Rev. Dr. John Wolf, 1966 In 1966, a young Dr. John B. Wolf spoke to All Souls in Tulsa about Black Power in no uncertain terms. A year earlier Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. had spoken to the Unitarian Universalist General Assembly in a message titled “Don’t Sleep Through the Revolution.” These were some of the most divisive and crucial times of the Civil Rights movement that put non-violence to the test. It is hard to imagine any other white preacher in Tulsa saying what Dr. Wolf said that day. Come here his words and my commentary that make them even more relevant for our times today. Join us on MLK Sunday to celebrate Dr. Martin Luther King Jr, in music and words. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 12, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Did you know that nearly 91,000 people were removed from the voter rolls in Oklahoma this past April? Jason Nichols, an instructor of political science at Northeastern State University, and former mayor of Tahlequah recommends we all double check our registration with our county election board to be sure we will able to vote in upcoming elections. One of the fundamental principles of our faith is the democratic process and the foundation of all our freedoms is our right to vote. Our justice team and ACTION leaders are inviting you to join with other local organizations and with congregations nationwide in voter registration, protecting voting rights and Get-Out-the-Vote drives. There are over 50 million people in the U.S.A. who are eligible to vote but who are not registered, and millions of registered voters who are infrequent voters. This Sunday, on the same Sunday as the UUA launches their #VOTELOVE campaign, we will launch our own campaign here at All Souls, #VOTELOVEBEYONDBELIEF. I need to know I have done all I can do to make our democracy strong. Let’s learn how to do democracy together. You’re invited! #DODEMOCRACY #VOTELOVEBEYONDBELIEF SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 12, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION Saving Creation may possibly be the number one planetary charge and challenge of the 21st century. We are obviously too late to save some of it, but we're never too late to begin to more aggressively correct what we have insulted and assaulted on the planet's natural virtue, value, and valor. Creation can be describe as anything invented, concocted or even imagined. It is the action or process of bringing something into existence. Correction means to free from error or inaccuracy, in accordance with fact, clarity and truth in a sense, science. Faith is an ethereal aspect of life, but in fact it's a more presenting and sometimes pressing reality in life and of it. We may not be able to save what "God" created in nature, but we certainly can change what we as humans have created that has destroyed some of what God is perceived to have created. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 12, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION Did you know that nearly 91,000 people were removed from the voter rolls in Oklahoma this past April? Jason Nichols, an instructor of political science at Northeastern State University, and former mayor of Tahlequah recommends we all double check our registration with our county election board to be sure we will able to vote in upcoming elections. One of the fundamental principles of our faith is the democratic process and the foundation of all our freedoms is our right to vote. Our justice team and ACTION leaders are inviting you to join with other local organizations and with congregations nationwide in voter registration, protecting voting rights and Get-Out-the-Vote drives. There are over 50 million people in the U.S.A. who are eligible to vote but who are not registered, and millions of registered voters who are infrequent voters. This Sunday, on the same Sunday as the UUA launches their #VOTELOVE campaign, we will launch our own campaign here at All Souls, #VOTELOVEBEYONDBELIEF. I need to know I have done all I can do to make our democracy strong. Let’s learn how to do democracy together. You’re invited! #DODEMOCRACY #VOTELOVEBEYONDBELIEF SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 5, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Brother David Stendal-Rast, a Benedictine monk has observed: "Ninety-nine percent of the time we have an opportunity to be grateful for something. We just don’t notice it. We go through our days in a daze." We often don’t realize what we have until it’s gone. It’s often after a relationship ends that we realize how much it meant to us or when we leave a job or when our children go away to school or when our health changes and we realize we’ve taken it for granted. How can we appreciate what we have now in this moment and not when we come to die, realize we have not lived? Join me to experience the profound joy and gratitude of this moment and this life and share tools for living with presence and purpose. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 5, 2020, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION We are in the third decade of the 21st century. We’ve split the atom, discovered quarks and the most microscopic of things. We have telescopes that let us peer into the ageless past. Yet there are still people who think that everything there is to know about life and spirituality and truth is written down in the Bible. Not just any people think this, but people at the highest level of our government and military and judicial systems who get their values from reading the Bible literally. As we enter the 2020’s, I want to explore how we can celebrate the marvel of creation and how we can save and preserve it, but I also want to discuss how we can live with people who think they know the Truth and who want to impress there version of it upon the rest of us? There is an anti-scientific and anti-intellectual movement that threatens our way of life. We need to pay attention to who is going on our school boards and city counsel and courts. We need to have a fire in our belly about what’s happening in this world. I feel some fire burning inside and out as we enter this new decade and I hope you do too. We need new ways to interpret religion and community and to figure out how to live upon this earth. It is great to be a part of this church at this time in this place – with you. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 29, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Carmen White-Janak, Guest Minister. DESCRIPTION 2009 through 2019 closes out a decade. A decade where many travelers on their journey have chosen conformity over releasing old patterns, habits, and pathologies, leaving them tired and weary. My message, "I’m Tired of This Church," is an exploration of what’s possible when we give ourselves permission to step into greater possibility by not conforming to what’s always been. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 29, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION On this final Sunday of the year (and of the decade) I will share both evocative and practical tools to visualize your future. Discover innovative ways to bring the right things into your life in the coming weeks and year and decade. We are about to enter the 20’s, on the calendar, but what decade of your life are you in? Do you have a vision of what you hope for yourself and the world? Come explore possibilities both extravagant and real. I have some colorful and creative suggestions that may help you bring your imagined and hard to imagine future into reality. Isn’t this the time to do it? What will you do with the abundant possibilities that are before you? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 22, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Last year on the Sunday before Christmas, the hilarious and talented Dionne Lambert joined me on the chancel for a short skit of God talking to his angel Gabrielle (Gabriela in this case) about whether or not to go down to Earth as a human being in the incarnation of Jesus. We will reprise this provocative and heartwarming dramatization of the tensions, struggles, doubts and hopes of a "God in heaven" making the tremendous decision to become human and walk the Earth. It is truly a story about our own lives as much as it is a way of understanding a God of incarnation. If you’ve never seen this skit, you will love it! If you saw it last year, we have a few new surprises in store. The message following the skit will offer hope, joy and spirit for the holidays. Come experience the spirit and carry it home. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 22, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Pérez-Simons, Intern Minister. DESCRIPTION On this special Sunday before Christmas, Mariela will speak of the Latin-American tradition Las Posadas and will share stories of hospitality from her own life. All are invited to see hospitality as a spiritual practice—as an opportunity to encounter the mystery and wonder of life that presents itself when we open our doors and our hearts. This will be an uplifting multigenerational and multi-sensory service. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 15, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION Humans are born into an ongoing personal and collective anxiety to experience their own natural divinity or "power" as a species. We often call this "seeking" God, seeking Source or seeking the Force. I like to refer to this Self Actualization. By nature we are seekers and survivalists, simultaneously. The two traits are inseparably connected and in some ways are powerfully identical. We all want to last forever or for as long as we can, adding years to life and life to our years. Let's learn to recover and recapture our divine DNA and release its fuller manifestation in, to, through and as us living out our immeasurable and immortal potential. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 15, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Humanist author Michael Werner writes: “For all the talk about reason and science, Humanism is really about a passionate love affair. It is a love affair with life, not a mythical hereafter. Humanism is a love affair with a progressive vision of civilization in which each of us can add to our growing library of wisdom, our evolving knowledge of what there is and what is truly important. None of the great achievements in history would have been possible without a love of the adventure of learning and the adventure of creating a better life. Our great cultural achievements in science, art, music, literature, philosophy, history, psychology, and political thought all inform each other and have been born of that long Humanist tradition.” How are you passionately in love with life? Does your love affair with this world need rekindling? *Music: Rick Fortner SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 15, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION My throwback sermon to Rev. Wolf was the fourth in a series describing the pathway from Vision to Mission. It is poignant and powerful message of love beyond belief and I look forward to sharing it with you. Here’s a taste, “Deep within the understanding of a congregation is a sharing of two worlds – one of things as they are, the other of things as they ought to be - and loving them both. This is the capacity to see the divine in the human.” I invite you to join me, as John’s words are sure to help us all prepare a place in our hearts for the simple miracles of this season. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 8, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Yadenee Hailu, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION Octavia Butler, an accomplished and prophetic black, queer, American, science fiction writer proposed in one trilogy, god is change. And change is inevitable. From marginalized communities and people we have the vital opportunity to learn and remember skills of resilience, transformation, and healing to not only survive but shape change. Our power and hope is in how we practice shaping it towards our values rooted in liberation. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 8, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION “The Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table, Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able, Lighting trees in darkness, learning new ways from the old, and Making sense of history and drawing warmth out of the cold.” —lyric from Dar Williams' "The Christians and the Pagans," Mortal City album, 1996 This lyric reminds me of the underlying unity that is the spirit of All Souls. We can we find common ground across our religious differences in ways that make the holidays a time of connection and love rather than separation and judgement. Rick Fortner will accompany my message with his version of Dar Williams song, The Christians and the Pagans. *Music: Sarah Tirrell, Mike Pryor, Rick Fortner SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 8, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION “The Christians and the Pagans sat together at the table, Finding faith and common ground the best that they were able, Lighting trees in darkness, learning new ways from the old, and Making sense of history and drawing warmth out of the cold.” —lyric from Dar Williams' "The Christians and the Pagans," Mortal City album, 1996 This lyric reminds me of the underlying unity that is the spirit of All Souls. We can we find common ground across our religious differences in ways that make the holidays a time of connection and love rather than separation and judgement. Rick Fortner will accompany my message with his version of Dar Williams song, The Christians and the Pagans. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 1, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Yadenee Hailu, Assistant Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Octavia Butler, an accomplished and prophetic black, queer, American, science fiction writer proposed in one trilogy, God is change. And change is inevitable. From marginalized communities and people, we have the vital opportunity to learn and remember skills of resilience, transformation, and healing to not only survive but shape change. Our power and hope is in how we practice shaping it towards our values rooted in liberation. Let’s harmonize our efforts together uplifting wisdom and tools from the LGBTQIA community on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2019. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 1, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION “The curative force in psychotherapy is man’s tendency to actualize himself, to become his/her potentialities.” —Carl Rogers This desire to become more of what you already are—to be actually, factually, functionally and punctually YOU—unedited and unaudited, the raw, rare, rough as well as a refined and more unlimited you. Join us in December for the theme of Seeking God/Source. Reconnect with the inner source or force, indeed the gene, genius or even “genie” you were born with. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 1, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Yadenee Hailu, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION Octavia Butler, an accomplished and prophetic black, queer, American, science fiction writer proposed in one trilogy, God is change. And change is inevitable. From marginalized communities and people, we have the vital opportunity to learn and remember skills of resilience, transformation, and healing to not only survive but shape change. Our power and hope is in how we practice shaping it towards our values rooted in liberation. Let’s harmonize our efforts together uplifting wisdom and tools from the LGBTQIA community on World AIDS Day, December 1, 2019. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The service took place on Sunday, November 24, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. DESCRIPTION Come together in gratitude to celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday at All Souls! Our Cherub, Children’s, Youth, and all Adult Choirs will share their gifts of song. Families and children are encouraged to bring fresh foods for the traditional children’s procession of giving to the cornucopia. All food collected will be donated to the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERVICE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 17, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION A Soul Mate is described as a person with whom one has a feeling of deep or natural affinity. This may involve similarity, love, romance, platonic relationships, comfort, intimacy, sexuality, spirituality, compatibility and trust. Soul Ties are connections from one person's soul to (or into) another person's soul. They are emotional bonds that form an attachment, whether for good or for bad. Join me Sunday for a healthy discussion on the good, the bad and the ugly around unhealthy covenants. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 17, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Pérez-Simons, Intern Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION This Sunday, at The Point, we will explore the place where ancient wisdom and modern science meet, the place where the yearnings of the human soul can be met, and where we find the right conditions for the flourishing of life! *Music: Shalem Joy Baissa (soloist), Rick Fortner (piano) SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 17, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION All Souls is known for our ministers preaching impactful sermons that benefit our church and Tulsa community. In preparation for our Centennial in 2021 we are bringing some of those amazing sermons back! Join Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar as he reimagines Rev. Dr. John Wolf's sermon from 1960 and how it applies to the church we know today. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 10, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION Jesus was born into a closed, covenanted community and spent his years of ministry queering that covenant. Could members of the community work on the sabbath? Yes! Could their fellowship include women? Yes! Could their communities include sex workers and tax collectors? Yes! Were touch and intimacy allowed? Yes! The concept of covenant is powerful enough to create exclusive and inclusive communities. As our covenant here at All Souls expands and queers itself, we need tools to keep the circle whole. This Sunday, join me as we explore the power of apology and other tools to help us heal and return to and/or create right relationship. “When you are offering your gift at the altar, if you remember that your brother or sister has something against you, leave your gift there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother or sister, and then come and offer your gift.” (Matthew 5:23-24) SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 10, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION We promise not because we are all good, but because we all suffer. At the heart of All Souls is a promise we make to each other. In a highly individualistic and materialistic culture like ours, to covenant with others is counter-cultural. Why do we bind our lives with people who are not family and who may be quite different from ourselves? When we show up for each other what happens to our fears, our hopes and our dreams? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 10, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION We promise not because we are all good, but because we all suffer. At the heart of All Souls is a promise we make to each other. In a highly individualistic and materialistic culture like ours, to covenant with others is counter-cultural. Why do we bind our lives with people who are not family and who may be quite different from ourselves? When we show up for each other what happens to our fears, our hopes and our dreams? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 3, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Apologies can restore dignity and self-respect, repair harm, assure both parties that they have shared values, create renewed safety and new, shared meaning in relationships. Empathy, guilt and shame—our conscience—propels us forward; while fear of feeling vulnerable, of never being forgiven, of losing the relationship, losing respect, or losing our self-image or even our “self” holds us back. In our community, where our covenant—the promise which binds us together rather than a creed,—the art of apology is an essential tie and tool. Join me Sunday to explore the power of apology to restore right relationships in covenanted communities. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 3, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION The words covenant, coven, convene, and convention derive from the same root. They all refer to agreement of coming together— entering contract and contact with others in a cooperative, committed and devoted manner. Symphoneo is the Greek word for agreement, which we also get the word symphony. It doesn't mean to sound the same. It doesn't even mean to sound alike. It simply means to sound together. All month we are exploring the theme of covenant. As in the tradition of our church, we honor our covenant as it is read aloud at every services. In covenant together, we encourage, enjoy and lovingly make our force of a positive and powerful forward thrust of common growth and personal expansion. *Music: Majeste Pearson, solo; David B. Smith, keyboards; Matthew Edwards, drums SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 3, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION The Greek word for church is ecclesia. This word translates to "called out." So we know we are called out to do justice work. But we are also called out to listen for ways to be in covenant. Our covenant is recited every Sunday, but how are you doing covenant? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 27, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION Good and Evil were somehow created by the "Sky God" of Hebrew scripture, and yet everything "God" created is said in scripture to have been good. If this is true, even allegorically, that would mean evil is nothing more or less than good extorted, contorted, and distorted! Join me as I continue to explore the good in evil and the evil in good SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 27, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Perez-Simons, Intern Minister. DESCRIPTION The dancer Martha Graham once said: “There is a vitality, a life force, a quickening that is translated through you into action, and since there is only one of you in all time, this expression is unique; if you block it, it will never exist through any other medium and will be lost." Inspired by this quote, we will talk about the sacred life force (or spark) that runs through each of us, and we’ll explore the practices, beliefs, and systems that, like the dementors in Harry Potter, drain the vitality from our lives. Come experience an uplifting and inspiring service that will help us reclaim passion and vibrancy in our lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 20, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Perez-Simons, Intern Minister. DESCRIPTION Experiences of awe make us stop. They leave us spellbound and “captivated,” like being apprehended in the most delicious way. But what is awe? Awe is an emotional response, a feeling that arises from being in the presence of something larger than the self; something so much more expansive than our understanding; it’s mind-shattering in a way… And having our minds blown like that has many benefits, for our spirit, for our health, and for our community; come learn more. It’s going to be Awe-mazing!!! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 20, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Victor M. Parachin, Guest Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION The Buddha spoke a great deal about happiness emphasizing that all beings are entitled to happiness. His teachings outline "user friendly" ways to cultivate happiness on a daily basis. *Music: Rick Fortner SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 20, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION Preached by Rev. John Wolf at his church in Meadville, PA. “We need more anger. We need more hate today.” The Rev Dr. John Wolf continued, “We need more emotion today …. anger, hate, sympathy, love, compassion, and religious fervor.” What was Rev. Wolf referring to? And why would he say such things? Join me for the next Throwback Sunday and hear a good word about human emotions. Certainly, it is the excess of emotion in religions and politics that brought many of us to All Souls, but a lack of emotion just as easily leads to evil, as an excess. As Artificial Intelligence (AI) creeps its way into our lives, let’s hear what Rev. Wolf had to say about being an emotional person and listen for its relevance in our lives today. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 13, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION I am intrigued with the scriptural passage that forbids us humans to eat from the tree (truth) of the knowledge (science) of both good and evil. Evidently, both were somehow created by the "Sky God" of Hebrew scripture, and yet everything "God" created is said in scripture to have been good. If this is true, even allegorically, that would mean evil is nothing more or less than good extorted, contorted, and distorted. Join me on Sunday, I will share my thoughts on the "good" or God in "evil" and the evil in "good" or God! What if they're not so much enemies, but cooperative friends? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 13, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Yadenee Hailu, Assistant Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Duality is a terrifying loop to get stuck in, and yet when so much pain and tragedy is all around us it’s hard not to see all the evil. What else is there if not frustration and cynicism? How do we not swing from despair to apathy or tunnel vision based bliss? Let us uncover and practice together sustainable ways of being where in our lifetime overcomes evil. *Music: Cynthia Simmons Taylor, vocal solo; Tommy Poole, saxophone; Nathan Eicher, bass; Chris Peters, drums; Rick Fortner, piano. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 13, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION There is a lot of talk of treason these days! It is a word that means betraying your country. By many it is considered one of the worst crimes someone can commit. What about spiritual treason? How does someone betray their spirit? What are the elements and consequences of spiritual treason? Is it a high crime or a misdemeanor? Perhaps the most important question is, “Are you being true to your own heart?” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 6, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Come experience and learn about ecstatic worship. I will be drawing on stories and photos from three years of travel on a mountain bicycle around Asia, the Middle-East and Europe in my early 20’s as I explore the ecstatic in worship. Why are people drawn to transcendence and what are some of the diverse and colorful ways people find it? I’ll share stories of Sufi mystics who dance into a trance and Hindu holy men, called Sadhus, who use drugs as a way to connect to the god Shiva. I will also draw parallels to Christian Pentecostalism and the Great Awakening of Christianity in the 18th and 19th centuries in America. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 6, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION As agnostics, atheists and humanists, it feels so good to let go of inherited or culturally imposed beliefs about a punishing God, and to embrace our inherent worth and dignity. The next step – which sometimes lasts a lifetime - is a struggle to accept our human responsibility for evil in the world. This Sunday we will explore the principle and practice of non-harm as a response to modern day evils. Primum non nocere, first do no harm, is central in the Hippocratic oath taken by physicians, in the teachings of Siddhartha Gautama Buddha, and in the yoga sutras. If you were to practice non-harm for a month, a week, or a day …. how would your choices change? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 6, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Yadenee Hailu, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION Evil is in how systems and institutions build and repeat un-(w)holy roles for people. Evil that comes from within me, is when voices and expectations in myself perpetuate images and roles for myself which are (you guessed it) not whole. Let's make beautiful the art of healing- which is found in reclaiming worth, dignity, interconnection, and agency... again, again, and again. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 29, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION While pondering the skills needed to fulfill a vision, I became curious about what makes a vision fulfilling—as in, truly satisfying and full. How do we know a vision is a whole and nourishing one? Also, when can we reap the benefits of our grand visions while remaining honest? It isn't sustainable (for me) if rewards are only at the end. I need sustenance for the here and now! We will reflect on what traditions and personal experience reveal are our accessible means to nourishment through our (w)holy visions and the power we have to heal and grow towards a fulfilling communal vision. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 29, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION The late Helen Keller, who was born blind said: "The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision." I call that sleep walking, which is basically eyes wide shut not wired shut! It is said that there are three kinds of people: those who make things happen, those who watch things happen and those who wonder what happened! Vision isn't just sight, it is feeling and being. It is emotion, devotion and often commotion. Vision can be disturbing, interrupting and even disruptive. Be willing to be disturbed in order to work and walk out the vision. Team work makes the dream work! Join me on Sunday for a healthy discussion on feeling as well as seeing the vision! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 29, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION While pondering the skills needed to fulfill a vision, I became curious about what makes a vision fulfilling—as in, truly satisfying and full. How do we know a vision is a whole and nourishing one? Also, when can we reap the benefits of our grand visions while remaining honest? It isn't sustainable (for me) if rewards are only at the end. I need sustenance for the here and now! We will reflect on what traditions and personal experience reveal are our accessible means to nourishment through our (w)holy visions and the power we have to heal and grow towards a fulfilling communal vision. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 22, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Perez-Simons, Intern Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Our senses are the bridge between our outer world and our inner realms; they can also be a grounding vehicle that can sustain us through the most trying of circumstances. Drawing from neuroscience, Buddhism, indigenous cultures, and my own lived experiences, I will explore the ways of being that promote human flourishing, resilience, and altruism. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 22, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Yadenee Hailu, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION While pondering the skills needed to fulfill a vision, I became curious about what makes a vision fulfilling—as in, truly satisfying and full. How do we know a vision is a whole and nourishing one? Also, when can we reap the benefits of our grand visions while remaining honest? It isn't sustainable (for me) if rewards are only at the end. I need sustenance for the here and now! We will reflect on what traditions and personal experience reveal are our accessible means to nourishment through our (w)holy visions and the power we have to heal and grow towards a fulfilling communal vision. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 15, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION What do you do when things are falling apart? Forests burning in the Amazon and hurricanes blowing through and up from the Bahamas, stir up our anxieties and awaken our fears. Learning how to stay present with our emotions is one way to weather the storms of our times and our personal lives. When we accept that there’s no place to run to, we can learn to stay present to what is, and find freedom and joy in the here and now. If you’re struggling to keep up with the news, wondering whether it’s even worth it to try, or feeling overwhelmed by your life and/or the world’s challenges, please join me at The Point. We have what we need to face our lives and these times, right inside of us. *Music: Tommy Poole (saxophone), Rick Fortner (piano) SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 15, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Third Sunday Throwback Sermon Series: Beginning in September, once a month, the ministers are selecting sermons from the historic ministers of All Souls and giving them new life by reworking them with their contemporary perspective for living in the 21st century. As All Souls approaches its 100th year, we will be offering a special “throwback” message at the Traditional service on the 3rd Sunday of each month. In the coming year, come hear the words of John Wolf, Brent Smith, Robert Sonen, Suzanne Meyers, Alfred Von Stilli, and other luminaries, who shepherded this religiously liberal church through some of the most significant events of the 20th century. Find out what they were saying then and what it means for us today. --------------------------------------------- On the third Sunday in September in 1955, Rev. Robert W. Sonen (All Souls Sr. Minster 1944-1959) delivered a powerful sermon from the All Souls pulpit titled, “The Foolish Wisdom of Faith”. Kicking off the new Third Sunday Throwback Sermon Series, I will deliver a version of his message updated with a contemporary perspective and my own thinking on the subject. Rev. Sonen is known as one of the best preachers who served as Senior Minister of All Souls. In this message he takes up the topic of faith and why we lose our faith and what kinds of faith we are smart to maintain. Even in 1955, the concept of faith was controversial in a Unitarian church. It was the same year that the first McDonalds was opened; Chuck Berry recorded his first song; Emit Till was murdered; Dwight Eisenhower was the president, and a few months later, in December, Rosa Parks was arrested on a bus in Montgomery. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 8, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Some people want to understand how Humanists and Naturalists, Christians, Jews and Buddhists and people of multiple faiths and philosophies have created such a vibrant congregation together in the heart of the Bible Belt. It’s not always easy to explain, but I’ll give it a go on Sunday. It seems as if humanity is at a spiritual crossroads in which one fork leads to more fear and division and the other leads to more love and greater cooperation. In an effort to grow love and cooperation All Souls has discovered that in a pluralistic society different spiritual languages and styles of services are helpful to various people to open doors to an experience of wholeness and love beyond belief. With our summer series over, All Souls returns this week to three Sunday services. Each service provides a different spiritual language and style and yet in their own ways each lifts up enduring wisdom and offers love beyond belief. In whichever style or language, a primary aim of All Souls is to freely cultivate compassion, courage and connection in individuals and the human family. There will be a children’s story at the Traditional Service at 10:00 am. If you’ve been gone over the summer, Welcome Home! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 8, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 8, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Some people want to understand how Humanists and Naturalists, Christians, Jews and Buddhists and people of multiple faiths and philosophies have created such a vibrant congregation together in the heart of the Bible Belt. It’s not always easy to explain, but I’ll give it a go on Sunday. It seems as if humanity is at a spiritual crossroads in which one fork leads to more fear and division and the other leads to more love and greater cooperation. In an effort to grow love and cooperation All Souls has discovered that in a pluralistic society different spiritual languages and styles of services are helpful to various people to open doors to an experience of wholeness and love beyond belief. With our summer series over, All Souls returns this week to three Sunday services. Each service provides a different spiritual language and style and yet in their own ways each lifts up enduring wisdom and offers love beyond belief. In whichever style or language, a primary aim of All Souls is to freely cultivate compassion, courage and connection in individuals and the human family. There will be a children’s story at the Traditional Service at 10:00 am. If you’ve been gone over the summer, Welcome Home! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 1, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION How should we try to relate to what feels totally “other?” Can black or ethnic “under-privilege” relate to white privilege, and vice versa? Does the Trading Places idea work in such a setting? How about humanist mindsets with super-human mindsets? Something is futile when it becomes incapable of producing any useful result—it’s pointless. We mustn’t allow any situation to reduce our hopes to such a state. In the words of Jessie Jackson, we must “keep hope alive.’” Thomas Edison said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Here at All Souls, we aim to make it work best for all of us. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 1, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION How should we try to relate to what feels totally “other?” Can black or ethnic “under-privilege” relate to white privilege, and vice versa? Does the Trading Places idea work in such a setting? How about humanist mindsets with super-human mindsets? Something is futile when it becomes incapable of producing any useful result—it’s pointless. We mustn’t allow any situation to reduce our hopes to such a state. In the words of Jessie Jackson, we must “keep hope alive.’” Thomas Edison said, “Many of life’s failures are people who did not realize how close they were to success when they gave up.” Here at All Souls, we aim to make it work best for all of us. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 25, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. *Music: Booker Gillespie, Majeste Pearson, Dionne Lambert, Eric Himan's Band, Tommy Poole, Rick Fortner, David B. Smith SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 25, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. *Music: Booker Gillespie, Majeste Pearson, Dionne Lambert, Eric Himan's Band, Tommy Poole, Rick Fortner, David B. Smith SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 18, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Perez-Simons, Intern Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Celebrate the start of the school year! We welcome our families, commission our teachers, and bless our students! Parents and caregivers, tour our intentionally-inclusive church school program and meet the teachers! *Music: Thomas Farnan-Williams, solo; Rick Fortner, piano SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 18, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mariela Perez-Simons, Intern Minister. DESCRIPTION Celebrate the start of the school year! We welcome our families, commission our teachers, and bless our students! Parents and caregivers, tour our intentionally-inclusive church school program and meet the teachers! *Music: Thomas Farnan-Williams, solo; Rick Fortner, piano SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 11, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Our church is being seen on “the big screen” in theaters across the country in the feature documentary, 'American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel'. It’s certainly nothing new for Unitarians and Universalists to be accused of heresy for embracing a scientific and evolutionary worldview and for asking questions about doctrines that are considered unquestionable by some. Yet, as one watches the film the question arises “Who are the heretics in this story?” The folks who tend to call progressive religious thinkers “heretics” are shown to have strayed quite far from the foundations of Christianity. In the spirit of our summer series, Trading Places, I will explore what it’s like to be on both sides of the heresy debate. I like to think if Jesus were to come back today he would feel more welcome at All Souls than at a lot of the churches that believe they are waiting for and working for Him. Whether you are a Humanist, a Buddhist, Jewish, UU, a progressive Christian or none of the above, you will find yourself in this story. *Music: YAVE Ensemble; Rick Fortner, piano/vocals SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 11, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Our church is being seen on “the big screen” in theaters across the country in the feature documentary, 'American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel'. It’s certainly nothing new for Unitarians and Universalists to be accused of heresy for embracing a scientific and evolutionary worldview and for asking questions about doctrines that are considered unquestionable by some. Yet, as one watches the film the question arises “Who are the heretics in this story?” The folks who tend to call progressive religious thinkers “heretics” are shown to have strayed quite far from the foundations of Christianity. In the spirit of our summer series, Trading Places, I will explore what it’s like to be on both sides of the heresy debate. I like to think if Jesus were to come back today he would feel more welcome at All Souls than at a lot of the churches that believe they are waiting for and working for Him. Whether you are a Humanist, a Buddhist, Jewish, UU, a progressive Christian or none of the above, you will find yourself in this story. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 11, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Our church is being seen on “the big screen” in theaters across the country in the feature documentary, 'American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel'. It’s certainly nothing new for Unitarians and Universalists to be accused of heresy for embracing a scientific and evolutionary worldview and for asking questions about doctrines that are considered unquestionable by some. Yet, as one watches the film the question arises “Who are the heretics in this story?” The folks who tend to call progressive religious thinkers “heretics” are shown to have strayed quite far from the foundations of Christianity. In the spirit of our summer series, Trading Places, I will explore what it’s like to be on both sides of the heresy debate. I like to think if Jesus were to come back today he would feel more welcome at All Souls than at a lot of the churches that believe they are waiting for and working for Him. Whether you are a Humanist, a Buddhist, Jewish, UU, a progressive Christian or none of the above, you will find yourself in this story. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 28, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Laurel Carbone, Congregant, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Everyone has failed at some point in their life. Failure can be demoralizing, but it doesn't have to be where we stay. If we ask ourselves to keep moving forward, we're honest with ourselves and others, and we handle ourselves with grace, we can move into a place of healing. There will be people and societal messages along the way that work against your progress, but there will also be helpers. Always look for the helpers, and where you can, be a helper. Laurel will share her journey of moving from an abusive childhood to being a felon in prison to being a licensed attorney. (Comments regarding her abusive childhood will be kept brief and only used to provide context.) *Music: Sarah Maud, soloist; Jordan Hehl, bass; Matt Edwards, drums; Rick Fortner, piano. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 28, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION "Just walk a mile in his moccasins. Before you abuse, criticize and accuse. If just for one hour, you could find a way. To see through his eyes, instead of your own muse." —Excerpt from Judge Softly, Mary Lathrap, 1895 An early form of trade was to barter, trading goods or services without the use of money. What are the values and virtues you trade that don't involve money and that you consider more valuable than money? Virtue has value that money cannot buy or pay for. Compassion is identifying with the pain or passion of someone else and tends to go deeper than love—love cares, but doesn't always feel. Nothing enhances relationships more than allowing compassion to be the primary virtue that buoys and buttresses our connection to the social, moral, and spiritual base and balance of community. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 21, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Yadenee Hailu, Assistant Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION This summer I had the honor of co-chairing the Right Relationship Team at General Assembly in Spokane and visiting my family in Ethiopia. My role changed drastically in these two locations, but I found a unique trend that wove the contrasting trips together. I could speak in great lengths about my love of the UU church or my roots in Ethiopia. However that would be much less helpful than the real, vulnerable, gritty, messy, tiring work of honestly engaging one's communities' shadow sides and all. What posture can aid us in maneuvering the inevitable embarrassment of not the 'other' but how our own community acts? Let's unpack our responsibility in holistic engagement with our friends turned foe. *Music: Booker Gillespie (vocals) & Myron Oliver (saxophone) with Rick Fortner (piano), Matt Edwards (drums) SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 21, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Yadenee Hailu, Assistant Minister. DESCRIPTION This summer I had the honor of co-chairing the Right Relationship Team at General Assembly in Spokane and visiting my family in Ethiopia. My role changed drastically in these two locations, but I found a unique trend that wove the contrasting trips together. I could speak in great lengths about my love of the UU church or my roots in Ethiopia. However that would be much less helpful than the real, vulnerable, gritty, messy, tiring work of honestly engaging one's communities' shadow sides and all. What posture can aid us in maneuvering the inevitable embarrassment of not the 'other' but how our own community acts? Let's unpack our responsibility in holistic engagement with our friends turned foe. *Music: Booker Gillespie (vocals) & Myron Oliver (saxophone) with David B. Smith (keys), Rick Fortner (piano), Matt Edwards (drums) SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 14, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION I never thought anybody would ever attribute the word “heresy”, “heretic” to me. It was just wasn’t in my mind at all. It just means choice or opinion, or to choose differently from others, “heresies” in Hebrew/Greek. So, the whole idea of getting out the traditions of the traded down ideologies and ideas, and developing an independent way of thinking, is dangerous. Join me in The Point, Humanist Hour as I trade places from my traditional pulpit to talking about my experience and the subject matter in the documentary, American Heretics: The Politics of the Gospel. *Music: Majeste Pearson, vocal solo; David B. Smith, piano SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 14, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rabbi Michael Weinstein, Senior Rabbi, Temple Israel. DESCRIPTION As we are engaging in the idea of trading places, really what this means is that we are adding tension to our lives. Let’s move from a place of ordinary to that of extraordinary, as we move toward intentional sacredness in our lives. With these summer months comes a sense of transition. With sabbaticals and vacations, we return refreshed. How quickly that feeling diminishes, as we return to our daily schedules and practices; the daily grind! WhiteSpace provides us with the opportunity to return refreshed, and continue to feel refreshed, with the new year before us. ABOUT Rabbi Michael Weinstein assumed the role of Senior Rabbi of Temple Israel in July of 2018, when he moved to Tulsa with his family. Michael was ordained as Rabbi in 2010. Rabbi Weinstein has served congregations in the greater Boston, Atlanta, and Washington DC communities, in addition to spending time working in the Jewish Day School and Jewish Federation environments. Rabbi’s professional interests are relationship based, in the areas of community organizing, engagement, and creating a welcoming community. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 7, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Diana K. Davies, Lead Minister, First Unitarian Church of Oklahoma City, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION In early September of 2004, I was doing research in Moscow. It was a time of high tension. Two Russian planes had been blown up and a major Moscow subway station had been the site of a deadly terror attack. According to the Russian press, three Chechen women – roommates – were responsible for the plane and subway bombings. But there was a fourth roommate, believed to be at large in Moscow, who had gone missing. It turned out that I bore a resemblance to that woman. Everywhere I went, I was met with glares, stares, and harsh words. Back home in the post-9/11 U.S., the mainstream press and popular culture depicted terrorists as people who looked very different from me. So, it was a shock to find myself in the role of the feared “other,” presumed guilty, presumed to be a terrorist. I’ll share what I learned through this experience, as well as the questions that it raised for me about the legacy of violence, the tragedy of “othering,” and how we might move beyond fear. *Music: Riley Kern, piano and vocal solo; Rick Fortner, piano SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, July 7, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Riley Kern, All Souls member and former Evangelical minister. DESCRIPTION Anyone who has made an intentional change in religious belief and practice has undoubtedly experienced the difficulties in navigating religious boundaries. Leaving one's tradition is rarely met with encouragement, and entering another often involves distrust and tests of sincerity. What would happen if we created communities of belief and practice with fewer walls and more tables? Can a tradition be faithful and have "open borders?" Riley will share his story of moving from fundamentalism to Unitarianism, and his experience of entering this "beyond belief" community. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS REFLECTION ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 30, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION As a boy I used to wish I had the power to become invisible. Some people in our society feel invisible and when they are seen, other people often wish they were not. Walking in another’s shoes is not really possible in every situation. I decided to spend a night in a homeless shelter and some time on the streets with people who do not have homes in our community. I certainly cannot say I experienced what it is like to be homeless. Yet, I’ll share what I did experience and what it taught me about life, belonging, community and home. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 23, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Steven L. Williams, Pastoral Care Chaplain, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION We humans frequently reinvent ourselves, living many lives in one lifetime, trading places with ourselves as we go. Our institutions (like churches) change as we do. With self and world constantly shifting, how do we know what is passing and what is permanent? How do we embrace what we are becoming, while also affirming what we once were? How do we stay connected to each other as we change? And, when it’s time to trade places again, how do we do so with grace and love for ourselves and others? I have traded places in this church many times in my journey from infant in the nursery to minister in the pulpit, and in the process, I’ve learned some valuable lessons about transition and adaptation. Please join me on June 23 for my last sermon as your Pastoral Care Chaplain, as I prepare to trade places once more. *Music: YAVE, Rick Fortner SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 23, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Steven L. Williams, Pastoral Care Chaplain. DESCRIPTION We humans frequently reinvent ourselves, living many lives in one lifetime, trading places with ourselves as we go. Our institutions (like churches) change as we do. With self and world constantly shifting, how do we know what is passing and what is permanent? How do we embrace what we are becoming, while also affirming what we once were? How do we stay connected to each other as we change? And, when it’s time to trade places again, how do we do so with grace and love for ourselves and others? I have traded places in this church many times in my journey from infant in the nursery to minister in the pulpit, and in the process, I’ve learned some valuable lessons about transition and adaptation. Please join me on June 23 for my last sermon as your Pastoral Care Chaplain, as I prepare to trade places once more. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 16, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Until recently, Majeste was commonly known as Carlton Pearson’s daughter. High profile parents often shadow their children and create energy the offspring must manage. These days, it’s not so much that Majeste is the preacher’s daughter, but the other way around. Carlton gets asked if he is Majeste’s father more than her being asked “aren’t you Carlton Pearson’s daughter?” And he’s loving it. They’ve traded places, but not spaces, in each other’s life. *Music: Majeste Pearson, vocals, Majeste Pearson, vocals, David B. Smith, piano/background vocals SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 16, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION In preparation for a Father’s Day message, I have decided I will let my daughter be “Daddy for a Day.” I’m still not sure what to expect. Will we be eating waffles for dinner and pizza for breakfast? Will I be told to go to bed at 8:30 p.m. and finish my broccoli before I leave the table? More importantly, what will it reveal about each of us and our family roles as we swap places for 24 hours? It is said that somewhere just beyond our comfort zone is the learning zone. I expect to be over the edge of comfort and I look forward to sharing what I learn. *Music: Brooklyn Benway, soloist; Steven Hardwick, vocals/guitar; Rick Fortner, piano/vocals SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 9, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, and Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Rev. Gerald Davis has been learning to maneuver with a walking stick for the visually impaired. Learning to walk with this type of aid is a high risk and greatly rewarding skill. In the spirit of our Trading Places series, I stepped into Rev. Davis's shoes. Working and walking along side Rev. Davis this month, I’ve experienced what breaking through feels like. Breaking through is taking risks, relying on physical and spiritual senses we've ignored, and learning to trust ourselves in new ways. If you are feeling stuck in any part of your life, this Trading Places Sunday is for you. Rev. Davis and I will share why we believe that there is no challenge you can’t face. *Music: Rick Fortner, piano, Matt Edwards, percussion, Josh Massad, percussion, Zachary Avery, singing bowls SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 9, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, and Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION Rev. Gerald Davis has been learning to maneuver with a walking stick for the visually impaired. Learning to walk with this type of aid is a high risk and greatly rewarding skill. In the spirit of our Trading Places series, I stepped into Rev. Davis's shoes. Working and walking along side Rev. Davis this month, I’ve experienced what breaking through feels like. Breaking through is taking risks, relying on physical and spiritual senses we've ignored, and learning to trust ourselves in new ways. If you are feeling stuck in any part of your life, this Trading Places Sunday is for you. Rev. Davis and I will share why we believe that there is no challenge you can’t face. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 2, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, and Hank Fincken, Actor, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION In both services this Sunday, performer Hank Finken will bring to life the historic figure of Francisco Pizarro González in an unforgettable way. We will share commentary and discussion based on his epic and brutal story. Born in Spain, Francisco was poor, illegitimate, and had few prospects for success. Yet, he died in the Americas with power, status and wealth. His change of circumstances came at the cost of the destruction of the Incan Empire and many lives. To those who criticized him he would say, “I am told that God sits on a throne made of gold. Then I honor him in imitation. If you disagree, then abandon your life of soft pleasure and commit to the god of your choosing. I chose mine and he has given me a continent, riches and a name that will be remembered for all history.” His is a story of overcoming, of success and failure, of war and deceit, of conquest and conversion. Be careful of the goals you set or the “God” you choose to believe in. Francisco’s appearance is courtesy of Tulsa Chautauqua. Special thanks to the Tulsa Historical Society & Museum for hosting Tulsa Chautauqua on the theme From Pizarro to Picasso: Hispanic Legacy in America Today, June 4 through 8. Learn more at tulsahistory.org. *Music: Andrew Michael, guitar SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 26, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Em Kianka, Intern Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION There are so many different reasons why it can be so hard to trust ourselves and to take leaps of faith—leaving behind perfectionism, "what if's," fears, and anxieties—towards accepting who we are and ultimately to our freedom. No matter how comfortable we are or become with ourselves, we never quite evolve past the leap it takes to trust that small but true inner voice that speaks to who we are and listen to the call of our heart. So, how do we leap? What does it mean to recognize, listen, and honor our own inner voice of truth? *Music: Kara Staiger, soloist, Rick Fortner, piano SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 26, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Em Kianka, Intern Minister. DESCRIPTION There are so many different reasons why it can be so hard to trust ourselves and to take leaps of faith—leaving behind perfectionism, "what if's," fears, and anxieties—towards accepting who we are and ultimately to our freedom. No matter how comfortable we are or become with ourselves, we never quite evolve past the leap it takes to trust that small but true inner voice that speaks to who we are and listen to the call of our heart. So, how do we leap? What does it mean to recognize, listen, and honor our own inner voice of truth? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 19, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION As we celebrate graduates this Sunday, there is something to be said about living our truth, post-graduation. High school grads will step into the world as their true selves, finding their way. Older grads will embark on their genuine paths. I charge our grads and community to stay fluid and flexible us room to grow and learn. Staying fluid and flexible enables us to influence and even change truth as we know it, experience it and perceive it. That’s what fascinates me most about the concept to truth. It’s malleable to our own understanding and relationship with it. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 19, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Something I read in the New York Times struck me as a truth we are facing today. “...toxic anonymity of virtual interaction through social media, ...we have the ingredients for a culture polarized by the perception that we are good and virtuous, while they are inhuman and evil.” Media culture today allows people to live in “thought silos” where their ideas are rarely challenged. Relationships between people with different opinions are becoming more rare and more difficult. As we say “Congratulations!” to our graduates, I ask myself if we've prepared them to be disrupters of this new paradigm? Have we taught them to listen and engage across social, political, and cultural differences? Let's talk about what role religious liberals can play in promoting freedom and open discourse. This is not a simple subject, but it may be central to the future of our democracy and our search for the truth. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 19, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Something I read in the New York Times struck me as a truth we are facing today. “...toxic anonymity of virtual interaction through social media, ...we have the ingredients for a culture polarized by the perception that we are good and virtuous, while they are inhuman and evil.” Media culture today allows people to live in “thought silos” where their ideas are rarely challenged. Relationships between people with different opinions are becoming more rare and more difficult. As we say “Congratulations!” to our graduates, I ask myself if we've prepared them to be disrupters of this new paradigm? Have we taught them to listen and engage across social, political, and cultural differences? Let's talk about what role religious liberals can play in promoting freedom and open discourse. This is not a simple subject, but it may be central to the future of our democracy and our search for the truth. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 12, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION In the west, God is usually referred to as the Father. In some traditions, God is also consider the Son. What if we imagine God as Mother? The images we have for the divine have a significant impact on how we see the world. This Mother’s Day, I want to consider sacred images of Mother and see how they can influence our ideas of the Ultimate and of ourselves. Bring a fresh flower to celebrate the mothers in your life in our Flower Communion. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 12, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION Growing up, my mother would tell us we were wonderful children because when she wasn’t feeling well, we were better behaved—as if we were taking care of her. My mother is now turning 88 and has been asking for help and guidance in ways she never has before. As we celebrate Mother’s Day—all the ways parents and grandparents care for children, we will also lift up how children care for their parents and grandparents. Bring a fresh flower to celebrate the mothers in your life. Happy Mother's day to all! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 5, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION In this time of “alternative facts,” “truthiness,” and “truth is not truth,” our theme of truth in May could not be more relevant. Something does not necessarily have to be factual in order to be true. The best novels are filled with truths that are elucidated through fiction. How can we determine the truth? Is there any truth anymore? *Music performed by Booker Gillespie and Rick Fortner SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 5, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION Static fact or linear truth can easily become stagnant truth and as the old axiom says, familiarity breeds contempt. Pure truth is informative, transformative, entertaining, engaging, and creative. This non-linear truth is flexible and fluid as our own understanding and spiritual growth evolves. Otherwise, truth would only be lifeless facts and stats that don't invigorate the human spirit. This month at All Souls, we'll be discussing and discovering aspects of truth that relate to the development and expansion of our humanity, community, and individuality. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 5, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION In this time of “alternative facts,” “truthiness,” and “truth is not truth,” our theme of truth in May could not be more relevant. Something does not necessarily have to be factual in order to be true. The best novels are filled with truths that are elucidated through fiction. How can we determine the truth? Is there any truth anymore? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 28, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION What does it mean that within weeks of each other, three churches in St. Landry Parish, Louisiana and Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris, France were burning? Is it the end of organized religion? The end of French connection? Is it a sign that the old ways no longer serve us? Maybe a test of faith? Or, is "God using these moments to bring us closer together as a world" as Pastor Harry Richard of Greater Union Baptist Church said as he watched Notre Dame go up in flames. On Sunday, join me to reflect on these fires and what they have meant to me. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 21, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION Celebrate Easter at our Easter services with Communion following each service. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, April 21, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Celebrate Easter at our Easter services with Communion following each service. Our Adult, Cherub and Children's Choirs will sing in the Traditional Service and our Youth and New Dimensions choirs will sing in the Contemporary Service. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS HOMILY ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The was delivered on Sunday, April 7, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION The root word in the word salvation is salve. Salve is something that is soothing or consoling for physical pain and soreness, including wounded feelings or an uneasy conscience. Impacting millions, it's important to note, some religion is built on the idea or ideology of being saved from God by God. For me, this is probably more of a mythological fairytale. Salvation, to me, is more spiritual and practical as the above description portrays it than traditional doctrines and dogma. Do we really need Jesus to protect us from God? This month, we will think and re-think salvation as the soothing salve our souls and selves need in this stress-filled human journey helping us to bridge our humanity to our innate and inner divinity. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 7, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Man’s inhumanities to man and human triumph over adversity are all on vivid and unforgettable display in Gilcrease Museum's current exhibition, Pulitzer Prize Photographs, from the Newseum in Washington D.C. (https://gilcrease.org/exhibitions/pulitzer/). If those photographs do not cause a person to ask big questions about life and death then perhaps nothing will. Join me to seek out and to make sense of this world without the burden of orthodoxies and superstitions or outworn beliefs. With the stories from these award winning photographs, I will look at our existence with all its fierceness and triumph. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 31, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, Unitarian Universalist Association President, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Unitarian Universalists are being called in this moment to live more powerfully and boldly into a vision of Beloved Community. What does this look like and how do we answer “Yes” to this calling in our lives and in our congregations? ABOUT Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray was elected President of the Unitarian Universalist Association in 2017. Prior to her election, she served as Lead Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix, Arizona. Susan played a critical role in the long-term campaign to end the constitutional violations of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Susan received a Masters of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School and a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She is a lifelong UU who grew up at in the St. Louis area. She lives now in Cambridge, MA with her husband, Brian and their son. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 31, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Yadenee Hailu, Intern Minister of Hope Unitarian Church. DESCRIPTION In the art of letting go, we make space. Learning from our ancestors our vision for the opportunities created will fuel our effort to de-center hate and make clear what we are reaching for. Yadenee Hailu is a MDiv graduate of Phillips Theological Seminary. She is a first generation Ethiopian American who is grateful to call Tulsa her home base. She has an Instagram video blog project titled be.love.ED where she posts short videos about lessons she learns on how to be love in the world. Follow her @YadeneeHailu. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 31, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray, Unitarian Universalist Association President. DESCRIPTION Unitarian Universalists are being called in this moment to live more powerfully and boldly into a vision of Beloved Community. What does this look like and how do we answer “Yes” to this calling in our lives and in our congregations? ABOUT Rev. Susan Frederick-Gray was elected President of the Unitarian Universalist Association in 2017. Prior to her election, she served as Lead Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Phoenix, Arizona. Susan played a critical role in the long-term campaign to end the constitutional violations of Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio. Susan received a Masters of Divinity from Harvard Divinity School and a Bachelor of Science in Molecular Biology from the University of Wisconsin, Madison. She is a lifelong UU who grew up at in the St. Louis area. She lives now in Cambridge, MA with her husband, Brian and their son. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on the occasion of the Installation of Rev. Barbara Prose as Associate Minister on Sunday, March 24, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rabbi Marc Fitzerman, Guest Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The Charge to the Congregation was delivered on the occasion of the Installation of Rev. Barbara Prose as Associate Minister on Sunday, March 24, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION All Souls Unitarian Church called its first minister, Rev. Dr. James Kennedy, after the charter for ‘All Souls Liberal Church’ was signed on March 28, 1921. It was thought at the time that the word Liberal would be more widely accepted than Unitarian. Ninety-eight years later, the historic and largest Unitarian church, will officially install The Reverend Barbara Prose as minister of the current congregation. Everyone is invited to celebrate 98 years of liberal ministers in Tulsa, including Alfred von Stilli, Robert Sonen, John B. Wolf, and others on Heritage Sunday in one special service for all at 10:30 a.m. CST. If you can’t join us in person, please join us via live stream at allsoulschurch.org/live. Rev. Barbara Prose was hired by All Souls Senior Minister Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar in 2011. In 2014, she became the Executive Director of Ministry. Her leadership has included the development of 24/7 pastoral care for members, SpiritSong hospice choir, numerous justice initiatives including New Sanctuary Network Tulsa, and the continued development of the organization. All of our choirs will share their gifts of song during the service. Rev. Cathey Edwards, Senior Minister of Hope Unitarian Church, and Rabbi Marc Fitzerman, B’nai Emunah Synogogue, will join Rev. Lavanhar and Rev. Gerald Davis during the service and installation of Rev. Barbara Prose. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS CHARGE TO THE CONGREGATION ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 17, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Em Kianka, Intern Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION "No" is an incredibly life-giving full-stop sentence. It creates boundaries and space for life and growth and it can also be a protest against unjust realities and the spark of movements for liberation: it makes us free. In this larger culture of ours, however, it often feels like “yes” is preferable to “no"--that "no" is negative and limiting while "yes" is affirming and positive. How do we destigmatize "no", stop sending the ubiquitous message to say "yes", and what stories and examples are available to us as a spiritual community? *Music: Kara Staiger, soloist SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 17, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION We learned last week that Jesus was a feminist. But what about you? If not, what would you have to let go of in order to become one? Bell Hooks said, “Feminist knowledge is for everybody. If women and men want to know love, we have to yearn for feminism. For without feminist thinking and practice we lack the foundation to create loving bonds. There can be no love when there is domination.” *Watch TED Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie referenced to in the sermon: SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 17, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION We learned last week that Jesus was a feminist. But what about you? If not, what would you have to let go of in order to become one? Bell Hooks said, “Feminist knowledge is for everybody. If women and men want to know love, we have to yearn for feminism. For without feminist thinking and practice we lack the foundation to create loving bonds. There can be no love when there is domination.” *Watch TED Talk by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie referenced to in the sermon: SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 10, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION Some people proudly use the word, others hate it. How about you? Do you think of yourself as a feminist? What would you have to let go of in order to claim the name? Bell hooks said, “ Feminist knowledge is for everybody. If women and men want to know love, we have to yearn for feminism. For without feminist thinking and practice we lack the foundation to create loving bonds. There can be no love when there is domination.” *Music: Kara Staiger, soloist SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 10, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Just because the dominant factions of Christianity today perpetuate women’s submission and oppression does not mean it was the vision Jesus held out for the world. In fact, Jesus was way ahead of his time regarding women’s empowerment and liberation. Honestly, so was Muhammad at the founding of Islam. Why is it that these traditions have more often become tools of misogyny rather than forces for continued liberation? More importantly, what can we all do in these times to create a new way of gender equity and wholeness? I have some ideas and hope you will join me. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION The show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, is an example of the trend sweeping the nation, tidying up and organizing our homes. Marie Kondo is the new guru of de-cluttering one’s life. She asks, “Does it spark joy?” and says that if it doesn’t, let it go! We begin March with our monthly theme of Letting Go. I have been inspired by this de-cluttering movement and will share about how we can de-clutter our spirit. We will also honor Women's History month in our services. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION Human nature tends to have a "hang or hold on" mentality, as if something is always being forcibly, or even subtly taken away. We naturally tend to fight to avoid being victimized and vandalized by life. Thus the idea of letting go, releasing, or relinquishing seems foreign and a kind of malady, weakness or liability. When in reality, letting go can be the most powerful asset of your soul. Letting go can lead to an expanded self, releasing you to your most liberated and engaged personal existence. Letting go can sometimes mean letting God to artfully and graciously bridge your humanity to your divinity in the most sublime way. Join us all month while we work and walk through the process an progress of letting go! *Music: Cynthia Simmons, vocals, and Barron Ryan, piano SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 3, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION The show, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo, is an example of the trend sweeping the nation, tidying up and organizing our homes. Marie Kondo is the new guru of de-cluttering one’s life. She asks, “Does it spark joy?” and says that if it doesn’t, let it go! We begin March with our monthly theme of Letting Go. I have been inspired by this de-cluttering movement and will share about how we can de-clutter our spirit. We will also honor Women's History month in our services. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 17, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION To survive is to manage to keep going in difficult circumstances. Human spirituality can be both daring and dangerous because it involves imagination and experimentation with a neglected but natural part of our human essence. We're not just human beings seeking spiritual experiences, we are a spirit having an earthly encounter. Managing both is the primary charge and challenge of our human and humane psyche or soul. We have a mind and we have a body, but we ARE a spirit. Navigating and negotiating same is a daily and daunting task. Let's talk about it! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 10, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION How often have you had the thought, "I am not able …"? We come to this dead end when we put on our plate what we think is an overwhelming mess. The result, of course, is we do nothing and back away from the table. In this time of confusion, steadily-unsteady leadership, and incoherence, it is easy to slip away under the shadow of distress. But here comes a word from an unknown source, that like a magnet pulls us back. I want to explore the mystic qualities of our historic journey as a community of faith. We are a people of many colors, beliefs, and odysseys. But still we rise and let us do so this Sunday! *Musical solo: Olivia Davis SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 10, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION African American History is steeped in the spiritual practices of both ancient African spirituality and Western Christianity. The belief that one can be possessed by spirit, whether holy or unholy, is a form of superstition, myth and fairytale but so is life itself. Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King combined both the tale and fairytales of life to create a movement that impacted challenges and changed important realities in our country and our culture. Join us all month here at All Souls as we continue to challenge and change the thinking of those who care and dare to connect to the experience and expression of our spiritual community! *Musical solo: Majeste Pearson SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 10, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION How often have you had the thought, "I am not able …"? We come to this dead end when we put on our plate what we think is an overwhelming mess. The result, of course, is we do nothing and back away from the table. In this time of confusion, steadily-unsteady leadership, and incoherence, it is easy to slip away under the shadow of distress. But here comes a word from an unknown source, that like a magnet pulls us back. I want to explore the mystic qualities of our historic journey as a community of faith. We are a people of many colors, beliefs, and odysseys. But still we rise and let us do so this Sunday! *Musical solo: Olivia Davis SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 3, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, and Rev. Timea Nagy-Mátéfi, Special Guest, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Have you noticed how in the headlong rush to the future we often forget wisdom from the past. Former knowledge can be considered "out-of-date.” Yet, so many wise practices and understandings come from ancient traditions and people of the past. Perhaps there are times when we need to go back in order to move forward. This Sunday, our Partner Church minister from the Unitarian Church of Enlaka, Transylvania, The Rev. Timea Nagy-Mátéfi will join us as we draw wisdom from the roots of Unitarianism, as far back as 1568 in Europe, and from other sources of love and transformation. *Music: Sharla Ember, piano/soloist SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 3, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Carmen White-Janak, Guest Minister. DESCRIPTION This year, 2019, commemorates 400 years since Africans were brought to these shores. This is also our 93rd year since Carter G. Woodson initiated Black History Month—lifting our collective awareness to acknowledge Black folks incredible influence, creative genius, and indelible contributions made in this country. Black history is American history. This historical context impacts All Souls as a community leader to truly embrace all souls. What if we, as a loving beyond belief community, named it, called it out and called ourselves in refusing to allow racism or any other "isms" to live among us. What if we used our collective intelligence and power to transform and transcend hatred, or indifference. What if when we passed one another in the hallway at church, work or play we actually stopped to acknowledge that we were in the Presence of The Divine. What if... SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 3, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, and Rev. Timea Nagy-Mátéfi, Special Guest. DESCRIPTION Have you noticed how in the headlong rush to the future we often forget wisdom from the past. Former knowledge can be considered "out-of-date.” Yet, so many wise practices and understandings come from ancient traditions and people of the past. Perhaps there are times when we need to go back in order to move forward. This Sunday, our Partner Church minister from the Unitarian Church of Enlaka, Transylvania, The Rev. Timea Nagy-Mátéfi will join us as we draw wisdom from the roots of Unitarianism, as far back as 1568 in Europe, and from other sources of love and transformation. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 27, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Em Kianka, Intern Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION No one wants to experience heartbreak and suffering—instead, they are experiences we often hope to avoid. However, empathy expert Dr. Brené Brown says our capacity for sincere, full-hearted living is the same as our capacity to experience heartbreak. If we harden our hearts to avoid paying attention to pain, we stop connecting to our hearts. Our own connection to our hearts and our empathy is essential to the work of justice and building a more compassionate world. Our heartbreak, and our willingness to pay attention to it, gives us the grace to bring into being a world that is more empathetic and more just. How do we receive the grace of heartbreak? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 27, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION One morning we wake to blue skies and other mornings we wake up moaning —and sometimes it’s the same morning. From feeling good to feeling blue, we get out of bed and go about our lives. What is this energy of life that sustains us when we are feeling down and fills us with joy when we are at our best? Join me to explore a full range of emotions with the exquisite jazz and blues music of Cynthia Simmons and Scott McQuade as we touch the source of life. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 20, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION I took my daughter to see her birth-mother and siblings in Alabama over the winter holiday. Along the way we stopped at the Laramie Hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. It was a painful and poignant journey through some of the sacred places of the Civil Rights era. In Birmingham I visited the 16th Street Baptist Church where a bomb killed four girls on a Sunday morning in 1963. As we celebrate Dr. King’s birthday this year, I find myself inspired by this trip of a Caucasian father and his ten year old African American daughter in which we traveled to the heart of human inhumanity and heroism. All of our adult choirs and our children and youth choirs have prepared special music for the services. Some of our youngest have also prepared a beautiful medley of select lines from Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. Come be moved and inspired to live the dream! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 20, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION What's amazing about the humanity of grace is that it can be expressed and experienced in and to every extreme and polarity. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was the epitome of the expression of Grace. John Newton, the author of the famous song "Amazing Grace", a slave owner and trader most of his life, experienced an element of it in a most profound, life-threatening and supposedly life-changing way. To some, grace is unmerited favor, and to others it's enabling and/or empowerment. Grace is a human faculty and a spiritual charisma. When the two virtues are combined harmoniously is when it becomes truly amazing, positively effecting every area of your self, your soul and your life! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 20, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION I took my daughter to see her birth-mother and siblings in Alabama over the winter holiday. Along the way we stopped at the Laramie Hotel where Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated. It was a painful and poignant journey through some of the sacred places of the Civil Rights era. In Birmingham I visited the 16th Street Baptist Church where a bomb killed four girls on a Sunday morning in 1963. As we celebrate Dr. King’s birthday this year, I find myself inspired by this trip of a Caucasian father and his ten year old African American daughter in which we traveled to the heart of human inhumanity and heroism. All of our adult choirs and our children and youth choirs have prepared special music for the services. Some of our youngest have also prepared a beautiful medley of select lines from Dr. King’s “I Have A Dream” speech. Come be moved and inspired to live the dream! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 13, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION According to Dogen Zenji, the 12th-century founder of Soto Zen Buddhism, reality is created and destroyed 6,400,099,980 times a day - or around 70,000 times a second. Modern science agrees with this ancient wisdom. The Higgs boson, or “God particle,” the building block of the universe, exists for only a millionth of a millionth of a millionth of a millionth of a second. This means that life is in a constant state of refreshing itself, suggesting that we can do the same. This is one way to understand grace. Can we accept and surrender to what is constantly becoming, allowing our minds and our relationships another chance ... to begin again ... in love? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 13, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION The idea of grace tends to trigger religious thoughts of a God who measures grace through sympathy and a kindness. In a non-religious sense, grace is one reflecting the same traits of sympathy and kindness as entirely human, evolving and including benevolence, simple elegance, and refinement of movement or mind. Grace and graciousness is a culture and characteristic we embrace and encourage as a spiritual community here at All Souls. We begin 2019 with an emphasis on grace through January, projecting it into the entire year. Join me to make the start of the year a freshly inspired reality. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 13, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION According to Dogen Zenji, the 12th-century founder of Soto Zen Buddhism, reality is created and destroyed 6,400,099,980 times a day - or around 70,000 times a second. Modern science agrees with this ancient wisdom. The Higgs boson, or “God particle,” the building block of the universe, exists for only a millionth of a millionth of a millionth of a millionth of a second. This means that life is in a constant state of refreshing itself, suggesting that we can do the same. This is one way to understand grace. Can we accept and surrender to what is constantly becoming, allowing our minds and our relationships another chance ... to begin again ... in love? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 6, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Victor M. Parachin, Guest Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Sometime in 46 BC, Julius Caesar established January 1 as New Year's day. Since that time, people have used this transition time of year to audit themselves and make adjustments which might bring them more happiness. Join me to explore the Buddhist way to have a happy new year. *Music performed by Rick Fortner, Director of Music SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 6, 2019, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION One of the most wonderful and potentially problematic ideas in religion is grace. It implies that no matter what a person has done, that person can still enjoy the gift of grace. Most people prefer a world in which people who do wrong face the negative consequences of their actions. Grace, it would seem, flies in the face of justice. It begs the question, “What’s So Amazing About Grace?” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 30, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Loyce Newton-Edwards, M.Ed., M.Div., Guest Speaker, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Inspired by Christel Manning's book Losing Our Religion: How Unaffiliated Parents Are Raising Their Children, I'll share insight from my journey to Humanism and the movement of the fastest growing religion in America—none! Join me to explore what "nones" believe and how we negotiate tensions with those convinced children should have a religious upbringing. *Music performed by Booker Gillespie, solo, and Rick Fortner, piano. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 30, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION As we end this year seeking peace and expecting grace, may we understand we have a role to play in this equation. Peace comes from Justice and Grace is assured. But, if you consider that the odds against achieving a peaceful and graceful world are greater than any useful fiction you may hold, then you're missing the whole point. Come join me in worship on Sunday as we unpack and make an impact. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 23, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION A Christmas Story and reflection. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 23, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, and Em Kianka, Intern Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Celebrate the longest night of the year for our Humanist Solstice service. Barbara Prose and Em Kianka take us through a solstice ritual to mark this powerful point. Special guest musician Jared Tyler leads the music with Rick Fortner. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 16, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION: Human reasoning is incapable of fully comprehending transcendent peace or the peace of God, Divine Mind, or Higher Consciousness. Peace is not circumstantial, it is psychological. It is the science of mind. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 16, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Em Kianka, Intern Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION The days are getting darker as we approach the darkest day of the year in this part of the world. What is your relationship to the dark? What poignant, funny, transformational, and painful lessons do we learn from the dark? Join me to explore what invitations—including the call to rest, to move more slowly, to embrace uncertainty—await us in this darker season of the year. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 16, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION: Why do Unitarian Universalists celebrate Christmas? I'm often asked this question because, historically members of UU congregations don’t believe in the virgin birth or the divinity of Jesus. But, if you look at the history of Christmas in America, a better question might be “Why do Christians celebrate Christmas since the holiday is so deeply influenced by Unitarians and Universalists?" I may sound as if I'm being provocative, but the reality is that Unitarians and Universalists have played a major role in shaping the meaning, music, stories, and practice of Christmas as we know it. WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 9, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION Peace is the most natural asset and desire of human nature—nothing satisfies us more. Mental calm, serenity and freedom from disturbance with quiet and tranquility are heaven on Earth. But, Peace comes in many forms. Peace is a life source and a life force. At All Souls, we profess to be peace agents, and brokers when necessary, while being responsible to notice the things that prevent or impede peace in our character, church, country or culture. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 9, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Helen Keller said, "I do not want the peace that passeth understanding. I want the understanding which bringeth peace.” We see this word PEACE hanging all over homes, offices, stores and churches during the winter holidays. What do we really know about how to attain it? Let’s be honest about this time of year feeling peaceful is often a challenge. Through words and music we will discover and experience a rare and delightful peace. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 2, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Dr. Willie Parker, Guest Speaker. DESCRIPTION Dr. Willie Parker, reproductive justice advocate and friend of All Souls, became a household name when the headline, "Christian Provides Abortions" hit the mainstream. ABOUT Dr. Willie J. Parker, MD, MPH, MSC is an outspoken, Christian abortion provider. His work includes a focus on violence against women, sexual assault prevention, and reproductive health rights through advocacy, provision of contraceptive and abortion services, and men's reproductive health. Author of 'Life’s Work', Dr. Parker is the chair of the board of Physicians for Reproductive Health, and a board member of The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and URGE. He was recently honored by the United Nations Office of Human Rights as one of twelve Women’s Human Rights Defenders. Learn more about Dr. Parker on his website: . Read the interview, "NPR builds a social justice relationship," between Dr. Parker and Rev. Prose, they talk about the importance of being allies for each other and the role he, as a man, plays in dismantling systems of patriarchy. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 2, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION As we begin the December theme of “Peace," I ask myself if peace is an inner state or an outer reality. In Thich Nhat Hanh's book Being Peace, the Vietnamese Buddhist monk shares about watching monks burn themselves in the middle of the street to protest war. Had those monks found inner peace? If so, does such peace seem achievable or even worthwhile? What is true peace? I want to discuss how we might find our own peace in these turbulent times. Music: Sheri Scales-Neubauer, violin; Rick Fortner, piano. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 2, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Dr. Willie Parker, Guest Speaker. DESCRIPTION Dr. Willie Parker, reproductive justice advocate and friend of All Souls, became a household name when the headline, "Christian Provides Abortions" hit the mainstream. ABOUT Dr. Willie J. Parker, MD, MPH, MSC is an outspoken, Christian abortion provider. His work includes a focus on violence against women, sexual assault prevention, and reproductive health rights through advocacy, provision of contraceptive and abortion services, and men's reproductive health. Author of 'Life’s Work', Dr. Parker is the chair of the board of Physicians for Reproductive Health, and a board member of The Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and URGE. He was recently honored by the United Nations Office of Human Rights as one of twelve Women’s Human Rights Defenders. Learn more about Dr. Parker on his website: . Read the beyondbelief.online interview, "NPR builds a social justice relationship," between Dr. Parker and Rev. Prose, they talk about the importance of being allies for each other and the role he, as a man, plays in dismantling systems of patriarchy. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 25, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Em Kianka, Intern Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION What thoughts and beliefs do Unitarian Universalists share about miracles? What makes a story about a miracle different from any other story? What stories do we hold from our own lives of miraculous moments that draw us into and connect us to our rich web of interdependent life? This Sunday, we will explore these stories of miracles and miraculous moments, both big and small, as sources of gratitude during a season of the year that can often feel stressful and challenging. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 25, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION “Thankfulness is the beginning of gratitude. Gratitude is the completion of thankfulness. Thankfulness may consist merely of words. Gratitude is shown in acts.” —Henri Frederic Amiel Showing and sharing gratitude is a common commodity intrinsic to the human experience. The acts of gratitude are felt, not only to those who receive them, but also to those who are genuinely thankful. Feelings of gratitude can spread, affecting all aspects of your life. Join me in celebrating the power of gratitude. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 25, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Em Kianka, Intern Minister. DESCRIPTION What thoughts and beliefs do Unitarian Universalists share about miracles? What makes a story about a miracle different from any other story? What stories do we hold from our own lives of miraculous moments that draw us into and connect us to our rich web of interdependent life? This Sunday, we will explore these stories of miracles and miraculous moments, both big and small, as sources of gratitude during a season of the year that can often feel stressful and challenging. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 18, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, and Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION Come together in gratitude to celebrate the Thanksgiving holiday with your All Souls family. Our Cherub, Children’s, Youth, YAVE, New Dimensions, and Adult Choirs will share their gifts of song. Rev. Lavanhar will share an interactive presentation of the heart and soul of our church and will bring our Simple Gifts, Too painting, by P.S. Gordon, to life. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 11, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION “Reflect upon your present blessings—of which every man (person) has many—not on your past misfortunes, of which all men have some.” — Charles Dickens Gratefulness is the easiest and most common commodity intrinsic to the human experience. All Souls joins millions of Americans this month saying, showing and sharing gratefulness for blessings counted and even those that are uncountable. We’re amplifying and celebrating the good fortune in us and around us—individually and collectively. The energy and vibrations will be high! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 11, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION If you could write a letter to America, what would you say? As I write this, the election looms ahead of us. When we gather on Sunday, November 11, the election will be behind us. One hundred years after Armistice Day, which ended World War I—“the war to end all wars”—Marlin and I will share our concerns for and our faith and the people of this country. One hundred and sixty years ago Abraham Lincoln said, “If we could first know where we are, and whither we are tending, we could then better judge what to do, and how to do it,” in his speech, A House Divided. On Sunday, we will honor our veterans, our history and the power of a people filled and fueled by our free-faith. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 4, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Dr. Lachlan Forrow, Guest Speaker, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION Medical doctor, philosopher, musician, and scholar Albert Schweitzer won the Nobel Peace Prize for his ethical philosophy known as Reverence for Life in 1952. It was his historical and ethical interpretation of Christianity that first led him on a search for a universal concept of ethics. He concluded that ethics was synonymous with reverence for life: "Reverence for Life affords me my fundamental principle of morality, namely, that good consists in maintaining, assisting and enhancing life, and to destroy, to harm or to hinder life is evil." Today, the Albert Schweitzer Fellowship's vision is to create a global corporation of leaders who promote positive change with and in our communities, our health and human service systems, and our world. Please join us to welcome special guest, Dr. Farrow as he carries on Dr. Schweitzer’s philosophy in our times. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 4, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Scientific expert on gratitude, Robert Emmon's research demonstrates that practicing gratitude has significant physical and mental health benefits. People who practice gratitude have fewer health complaints, more energy and determination, greater satisfaction with life, and more optimism and resilience. He knows this as a scientific reality, I know it as a sacred principle. Practicing gratitude can enhance your life in many unexpected ways. Join me as we explore ways to bring gratefulness into our everyday lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 28, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION In this age of uncivility, we’ll hear from a master of civility and love, Mr. Rogers, who said, “I know how tough it is some days, to look with confidence at the months and years ahead.” Some say he is part of the past. But after the Ariana Grande concert terrorist attack in England in 2017, a Mr. Rogers video went viral. In it he quotes his mother’s advice, “Always look for the helpers. There will always be helpers.” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 28, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION The United States is less united today than we’ve been experientially in decades, if not centuries. And we hurt and are even angry because we miss being united, being one. However, we're not a melting pot, we're a stew, with each part of us maintaining its individuality while intentionally harmonizing and celebrating our differences and valuing the strength of our emotional, racial and political diversity—intentionally, syncopating and synchronizing our collective drumbeats. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 28, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION I recently heard a story about a Tibetan choir comprised of Buddhist monks. These were all very small men, who wear simple saffron robes and sandals. They appear soft spoken, with shaved heads and bring the scent of sandalwood emanating from the carved beads worn around their necks and wrists. They were coming to chant and sing and have a meal at a maximum security prison here in the US. There was some concerns, on all sides, about whether these mild mannered monks would be able to forge a meaningful connection with the much larger, muscle-bound and diverse population of prisoners. The encounter is instructive for us all regarding how we connect with people who may be very different from ourselves. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 21, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, at the Humanist Service, featuring pilgrimage stories by Rachel Mize, Elizabeth Arnett, and Carla Clark. DESCRIPTION In June, a group of All Souls members and friends met in Madrid, Spain, to walk the ancient pilgrimage route, Camino de Santiago. Like all pilgrims before us, we came with hopes and regrets, concerns and expectations. Without exception, we were surprised and changed by our experiences. Come hear our stories, see our photos, and consider how you will walk forward in your own life. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 21, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, featuring pilgrimage stories by Rachel Mize, Elizabeth Arnett, and Carla Clark. DESCRIPTION In June, a group of All Souls members and friends met in Madrid, Spain, to walk the ancient pilgrimage route, Camino de Santiago. Like all pilgrims before us, we came with hopes and regrets, concerns and expectations. Without exception, we were surprised and changed by our experiences. Come hear our stories, see our photos, and consider how you will walk forward in your own life. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 14, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION William Cowper, the son of a minister, and 18th century poet, hymnodist wrote the phrase: “Variety's the very spice of life, that gives it all its flavor.” A friend and mentee of John Newton, who wrote Amazing Grace, was an abolitionist and seems to have understood while living in England, the beauty of diversity and human community. A community is a small or large social unit that has something in common—norms, religion, values, or identity. The word itself is a combination of the two words; common and unity. Communion is likewise, common and union. Jesus prayed, "That they may be one." We pray "that we may be one." Our vision here at ALL Souls is to be both a physical and spiritual example of unity, diversity, a rainbow of colors, flavors and love beyond belief. Join us all month while we present and re-present this unique trait, trend, and target of our church community! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 14, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION At the heart of American democracy is... (wait for it...) “heart!” One of America’s foremost 21st century liberal theologians, Dr. Rev. Thandeka, teaches that when liberal religion displaces emotion from the moral equation, a contradiction of moral reasoning diminishes the impact of the liberal voice in American public life. Mainstream churches and liberal politicians will continue to lose ground unless this contradiction is reconciled. The most well-reasoned, documented and articulated facts, figures and solutions will continue to fail to move people to change. Thandeka says, “Liberal moral reasoning does not parse the American heart.” At All Souls, reconciliation is at the heart of our work. Join me to explore solutions we strive to achieve in our liberal religious faith. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 14, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION At the heart of American democracy is... (wait for it...) “heart!” One of America’s foremost 21st century liberal theologians, Dr. Rev. Thandeka, teaches that when liberal religion displaces emotion from the moral equation, a contradiction of moral reasoning diminishes the impact of the liberal voice in American public life. Mainstream churches and liberal politicians will continue to lose ground unless this contradiction is reconciled. The most well-reasoned, documented and articulated facts, figures and solutions will continue to fail to move people to change. Thandeka says, “Liberal moral reasoning does not parse the American heart.” At All Souls, reconciliation is at the heart of our work. Join me to explore solutions we strive to achieve in our liberal religious faith. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 7, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION In the Pledge of Allegiance we say “...one nation, under God, indivisible...”. Yet, America seems very divided. As we begin our October theme of “Unity and Diversity,” the worship team and I are working to create services that aim to unify in love what is divided by politics, prejudices, and preferences. This year’s Children and Youth Choirs will make their debut performances and our children will begin our Traditional service in the sanctuary with a special message for them on our month’s theme. It will be a glorious day at All Souls! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 7, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Victor M. Parachin, Guest Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION It’s simply not possible to escape adversity in life. Sooner or later everyone experiences an issue— unpleasant, unwelcome, uninvited. These experiences can range from the deeply disappointing to the profoundly painful. Join Victor Parachin in The Point, our Humanist Hour. He will explore and share the Buddhist ways of dealing with adversity in our lives. Music: Sharla Ember, piano/solo SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, September 30, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION After a week full of conflict, confessions and consequences on the national and international stage, there is a need for comfort and for commentary that can unify and inspire. Join our ministers, Marlin and Barbara as they offer a message for all of us. However you are being impacted by the news and current events, come and experience love beyond belief and perhaps discover how you are called to respond. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS HOMILY ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, September 30, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION After a week full of conflict, confessions and consequences on the national and international stage, there is a need for comfort and for commentary that can unify and inspire. Join our ministers, Marlin and Barbara as they offer a message for all of us. However you are being impacted by the news and current events, come and experience love beyond belief and perhaps discover how you are called to respond. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS HOMILY ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, September 30, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, and Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION After a week full of conflict, confessions and consequences on the national and international stage, there is a need for comfort and for commentary that can unify and inspire. Join our ministers, Marlin and Barbara as they offer a message for all of us. However you are being impacted by the news and current events, come and experience love beyond belief and perhaps discover how you are called to respond. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, September 23, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. DESCRIPTION The insatiable human desire for more often gets portrayed as a negative characteristic that leads to excess. What if its origin is a deep knowing that there is more to our lives then we often perceive or actualize? Do you feel the tug for more of something in your life? Perhaps it is the most important message you are avoiding. As we continue on the theme of “calling” I will be exploring the positive possibilities of our yearnings for more. The idea for this message came from a conversation with Ryan and Sarah Darby who won the prize of choosing a sermon topic and a song in last year’s Love and Light Gala. The song they chose is titled “More” from the band Phish. Rick Fortner has been working on a special version of the song for the services this Sunday. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 23, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION The insatiable human desire for more often gets portrayed as a negative characteristic that leads to excess. What if its origin is a deep knowing that there is more to our lives then we often perceive or actualize? Do you feel the tug for more of something in your life? Perhaps it is the most important message you are avoiding. As we continue on the theme of “calling” I will be exploring the positive possibilities of our yearnings for more. The idea for this message came from a conversation with Ryan and Sarah Darby who won the prize of choosing a sermon topic and a song in last year’s Love and Light Gala. The song they chose is titled “More” from the band Phish. Rick Fortner has been working on a special version of the song for the services this Sunday. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 16, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION All Souls is redefining what religious community can be in a modern, culturally-aware, and ever-evolving world. This Sunday, during our services, we will reveal the design of the new All Souls downtown church campus. Come hear why we’ve become the largest Unitarian Universalist church in the world and how we are reaching people across the country and around the globe. People everywhere are seriously questioning traditional creeds and religions and the impact they’re having on our collective future. All Souls has an epic past and with your help, a very bright future. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 9, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION Where are the places that gather people in meaningful ways? There’s a big difference between being in other people’s company and encountering people in ways that change us all. This weekend is both All Souls annual Homecoming Sunday and the opening of Tulsa’s new $460,000,000 “Gathering Place” park. All Souls is a gathering place for people of various backgrounds and beliefs. If you’ve taken the summer off this is the day to return to All Souls. If you haven’t seen someone at church for a while, please reach out and invite them to come. The choirs have some wonderful music planned and our youth group will be serving fajitas for lunch as a fundraiser. We will have tables on the lawn and in Emerson Hall to gather and eat. Come to a service and then perhaps head to checkout the new park afterward. *Musical solo by Majeste Pearson. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 9, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Where are the places that gather people in meaningful ways? There’s a big difference between being in other people’s company and encountering people in ways that change us all. This weekend is both All Souls annual Homecoming Sunday and the opening of Tulsa’s new $460,000,000 “Gathering Place” park. All Souls is a gathering place for people of various backgrounds and beliefs. If you’ve taken the summer off this is the day to return to All Souls. If you haven’t seen someone at church for a while, please reach out and invite them to come. The choirs have some wonderful music planned and our youth group will be serving fajitas for lunch as a fundraiser. We will have tables on the lawn and in Emerson Hall to gather and eat. Come to a service and then perhaps head to checkout the new park afterward. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 2, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION “Your profession is not what brings home your weekly paycheck, your profession is what you're put here on earth to do, with such passion and such intensity that it becomes spiritual in calling.” ―Vincent van Gogh There is a tense, intense and intended inner tug in the soul, that is so irresistible, that no spiritually alive person can ignore. This tug is both magnified and amplified—an urgent demand of the soul and on the life. The volume of this summons becomes the very signature of your soul, the spiritual acoustics that add divine resonance. This calling is the interior decoration of your soul and the external architect of your life. It is the nature and nurture of the Self and substance of your innate realities and proclivities. There are patents of the soul, whose copyrights you own and must honor. These patents and patterns invite the official vocations, and the only honest ovations, that your spirit recognizes and relates to. All others are superficial. Vocation is a strong feeling of suitability for a particular career, occupation or personal objective. It derives from the from Latin word 'vocare', which means ‘to call, call out, or call out to'. The late Howard Thurman said, "Don't ask what the world needs. Ask what makes you come alive and go do it. What the world needs, is people who have come alive." Join your All Souls community in September for thematic messages on 'Vocation and Calling' that will inspire and encourage you to recognize the voice and choice inside you and our spiritual community's purpose, calling and vocation here in the city of Tulsa and around the world! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 26, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION What do you believe and why do you believe it? And how do your beliefs add to or subtract from the quality of your life? How have your beliefs changed and how has your change in beliefs changed you? I have entered a new age and stage in my life and my beliefs about life that has greatly altered my world view, my view of the world, and the way the world views me. I’ve never felt better! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 26, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION How can science not just inform, but inspire your values? I wrote a paper in college about the relationship of science and religion. The idea was we had to choose between science and religion or have a strong theory of how they can interact and relate. Thirty years later, my thoughts on the subject have, you might say, evolved! Many of us are looking for a community like All Souls where we values science wholeheartedly and also sees a role for religious knowledge. What is a balanced relationship between science and religion or between evolution and love? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 19, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. DESCRIPTION What eight letter word can have one letter taken away at a time, until there’s only one letter at the end and every time a letter is taken away, there’s a word left, including the last time? A riddle is a puzzling question posed as a problem to be solved or something or someone difficult to understand. In school, we learn a lot of important things, from basic arithmetic to algebra. But often, we learn the most important lessons when we’re simply curious, fooling around with a problem we can’t solve, or creating something for the sake of creating. As we celebrate our children and grandchildren who are heading back to school, and lift up our members who are continuing their education, we’ll also honor the overwhelming importance of spiritual and intellectual freedom. Most of the great discoveries of the world have been made by women and men who were driven by the desire not to be useful, but to satisfy their curiosity. How do you approach the riddles in your life? What have your learned in the process? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 12, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. DESCRIPTION Let's begin the process of revisiting, revising or, in some cases, reversing ideas and concepts based on varying cryptic interpretations of the bible. Interpretations have been programmed into the minds of people by religious systems, statements, and statutes—including church doctrines, dogma, and some church disciplines—causing millions of people to accept and/or adopt beliefs that have resulted in their loss of contact with what is real, factual, historical and spiritual. We need deprograming for reprograming to regain 21st century relevance. Music performed by Annie Ellicott, soloist; Jordan Hehl, bass; Rick Fortner, piano; David B. Smith, keyboards; Matthew Edwards, drums/percussion. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 12, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION This summer, I've been inspired our Life Beyond Certainty series, the work of Charles Darwin, and the spirit of Jazz. Darwin's approach to the discovery of truth and his curiosity opened his mind to revolutionary wisdom and understanding. Jazz music requires an openness that allows for fresh and delightful innovations. Uncertainty can be a gift of creativity and knowledge. Please, join me and local Jazz singer Annie Ellicott. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 5, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar & Colin Bent. DESCRIPTION Beloved member Colin Bent, who served three terms on All Souls Board of Trustees and was an original member of the All Souls Intercultural Bridging Team, embodies the expression “life-long learner." As we continue our Life Beyond series, Colin and I will explore the idea that the more we discover, we realize the less we know. Colin was born and raised the son of a Protestant Bishop in Jamaica and came to Tulsa to attend Oral Roberts University. In 2008, Colin came to All Souls along with Carlton Pearson and the New Dimensions Congregation and he will share stories about his personal shifts in understanding from his life. “The changes that I have experienced have been geographic, ideological, and theological," Colin said. "Even though I have become more informed, many questions still exist.” Questions and questioning are always welcome at All Souls! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 29, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose & Dr. Teresa Reed. DESCRIPTION How do we transcend whatever is weighing us down or holding us back? And, when we manage to transcend, what else gets disconnected? Do we have to lose meaningful family relationships when our faith grows? We may find some answers in our faith tradition, as a major stream in the river of Unitarian Universalism is Transcendentalism. Dr. Teresa Reed shares how, over the past 15 years, she has moved beyond the limitations of scripture and discovered a deeper love for the broader world. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 22, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION After spending the last two decades rebuilding and rebooting my life and ministry, my new purpose is aimed to help you examine and reconsider what you believe, why you believe it, and how those beliefs add to or subtract from the quality of your life. Life’s breakdowns can be turned into breakthroughs. We all go through Hell on Earth, but those experiences can transcend into positive experiences through how we react and respond to the Hell we experience. We must not just go with the flow but grow with the flow, even when it becomes a flood! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, July 15, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Doug Henderson, Congregant. REFLECTION DESCRIPTION What does it take for our beliefs to change? Sometimes, something cataclysmic. For Doug, it was attending Higher Dimensions. For me, it was moving to Oklahoma. What has allowed your thinking to evolve? Who or what has made it safe for you to grow and are you ready to offer that to others? As Doug says, “I have very deep evangelical roots. Almost fundamentalist roots. For anyone to walk away, to turn their back on those sort of roots is not something human beings do. And, it was not something I expected to do, or wanted to do, or foresaw in anyway.” Doug will share insights from his personal and spiritual journey–from fundamentalism to worshipping, joining and photographing us here at All Souls. Come hear how this merging of hearts and cultures has changed us both. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS REFLECTION ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, July 15, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. HOMILY DESCRIPTION What does it take for our beliefs to change? Sometimes, something cataclysmic. For Doug, it was attending Higher Dimensions. For me, it was moving to Oklahoma. What has allowed your thinking to evolve? Who or what has made it safe for you to grow and are you ready to offer that to others? As Doug says, “I have very deep evangelical roots. Almost fundamentalist roots. For anyone to walk away, to turn their back on those sort of roots is not something human beings do. And, it was not something I expected to do, or wanted to do, or foresaw in anyway.” Doug will share insights from his personal and spiritual journey–from fundamentalism to worshipping, joining and photographing us here at All Souls. Come hear how this merging of hearts and cultures has changed us both. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS HOMILY ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 8, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The concept of hell is the most psychologically and emotionally debilitating concepts in human psychology, theology and philosophy. It has produced a kind of global psychosis and mental illness that has crippled and, all but paralyzed, the development of planetary peace and co-existence. After 50 years of believing and buying into the doctrine of eternal judgement and biblical torment, I stopped believing in such an aberrant concept, and I can assure you that there is a positive, practical, and spiritual life without the traditional teachings of infinite weeping, wailing, and gnashing of the teeth we’ve been taught the last 2000 years. Join us at All Souls where we are continuing to discuss the idea of Life Beyond Hell. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 8, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION After traveling throughout the European Union, meeting Unitarian Universalists from around the world, driving from Tulsa to Oregon and back, and watching our daughter marry, I am more curious than ever about the ways we learn to identify with each other--or not. What tribes do you already belong and to? What tribe do you long to belong? I can’t wait to share my journey through and among the tribes of my travels and to see you! It’s been so long! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, July 1, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis & Dorothy Checotah. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Well, it is summer time so that must mean Rev. Gerald is in the pulpit. It is important for all us to understand each day gives us an opportunity to grow deeper spiritually inside and outside. Therefore, if your sensibilities have been aroused from the news you have seen and heard coming from our southern borders, your alert system is on high. We will explore our theme, "Life Beyond Certainty" and "Life Beyond Hell" by deciphering our headlines and our values. Dorothy Checotah shares her personal journey that led her to Higher Dimensions Church with Bishop Carlton Pearson and eventually brought her into the family of All Souls Unitarian Church. Join us in our harbor of All Souls. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 24, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Carmen White Janak, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Throughout our lifetime we will encounter hellish experiences, some will impact us greatly and some will be debilitating. On average, we meet 80,000 people throughout our lifetime. I promise, with some of those you meet, you will experience some fresh hell. We can't always control what occurs, but we can command how we respond. Rev. Carmen White Janak is a 4th-generation preacher whose ministry is provocative, powerful, and progressive. She brings her whole self and shares stories and humor with a deep abiding love for humanity. *Featuring music performed by Kara Staiger, Thomas Williams, Rick Fortner, David B. Smith, Matthew Edwards. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 24, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Doug Inhofe, Sabbatical Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION More than we imagine, aspects of our lives are arranged as games. We participate in games with rules. We opt to play or not with others. In the games of life, there are time limits, areas of responsibilities, and, ultimately, there’s a winner. This predictability, this certainty, we imagine, can salve our anxiety about our futures. But there are useful games that are not time-limited or modeled by the games with winners. These games are infinite—they are games for a life beyond certainty. They leave behind a “winning” effort in favor of insuring the continuation of play itself. This is a meta-world where the rules may change, even the participants, but the game never ends. These games can give us a standard for how to be: if you’re in love with someone or something, a project or a congregation, then the game plan is to do what keeps the love going. *Featuring music performed by Kara Staiger, Rick Fortner, David B. Smith, Matthew Edwards. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 17, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The majority of conservative evangelical thinkers still believe in an orthodox hell as do most of the billion Roman Catholics in the world. This includes eternal damnation and torture in a lake of fire and brimstone. It all sounds frighteningly obscure, absurd and obscene. And for the most part, they all wish it were not true, or at least that they don't and won't go there. Some are afraid to deny the existence of hell, because that would make Jesus, whom most see as little less than a divine "fire escape" and whom they worship, unnecessary and that is anathema above all anathemas. So?.... Christian orthodoxy needs hell to be orthodox, so that means we need to reconsider orthodoxy and ortho/dogma anew. We're doing so all of the month of June here at All Souls. Lets reconsider what we believe and why we believe it and do those beliefs add to or subtract from the quality of life and consciousness! *Featuring music performed by Colin Bent, Toneille Bent, Brooklyn Benway, Benway-Caldwell Band, Majeste Pearson, Rick Fortner, David B. Smith, Matthew Edwards. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 17, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Talk about uncertainty, children don’t come with instruction manuals. There is no application process or credentialing necessary to become a father biologically. Yet, parenting and fatherhood are typically the most important role that a lot of people will ever have. The path of parenthood is a worthwhile metaphor and framework for a spiritual path or a path for living the good life. On this Father’s Day I will explore how being a dad has crucial elements of what it takes to master the art of living which is also the art of loving. *Featuring music performed by Brooklyn Benway, Benway-Caldwell Band, Toneille Bent, Colin Bent, Larry Cochran, Rick Fortner, David B. Smith, Matthew Edwards. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 10, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION In recognition of Pride month, I'll share stories of how being a welcoming and affirming church with gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender members and staff has provided a foundation for All Souls to become a growing multicultural community with a strong Humanist complement. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, June 10, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar and Nicole Ogundare. DESCRIPTION Ten years ago, I met Nicole Ogundare when Carlton Pearson and members from Higher Dimensions Church came to share our building. None of us knew then what would transpire among, between, and around us over the following decade. Nicole will join me in both services. She will share insight from her personal and spiritual journey -- from mega-church Pentecostalism to worshipping, joining, and working with All Souls. Come hear how this merging of hearts and cultures has changed us. As part of our Summer Sundays, we've invited a handful of our members who came to All Souls with Carlton Pearson to share their heart-opening and profoundly inspirational stories. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS REFLECTION ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 3, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Rev. Carlton D. Pearson and All Souls ministers will preach in our Life Beyond Hell services. Former members of Higher Dimensions Church will share personal stories of their religious journeys since coming to All Souls in 2008. Since the film Come Sunday was released on Netflix, many of our members have been asked questions like, "How has your life and values changed?" This will be a space for them to share their stories. Music will be led by David B. Smith with the New Dimensions Chorale and special musical guests. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 3, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. DESCRIPTION Life Beyond Certainty will lean heavily toward our Humanist approach which is the basis of our Humanist Hour (The Point) service. This service will be held in the Sanctuary and include some Traditional service elements. Our speakers and ministers will share relevant messages and Rick Fortner will lead the music along with special musical guests. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 27, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Michael Dowd, Guest Speaker. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION A deep-time big picture is vital for staying sane and sober in confusing and contracting times. Such an evidence-based “sacred realism” can help us accept what is inevitable, avoid what is futile, and be a blessing to friends, family, and neighbors in a difficult and uncertain world. This sermon by renowned eco-theologian and TEDx speaker, Michael Dowd, bridges the gap between head and heart and celebrates the convergence of science, inspiration, and sustainability. *Rev. Michael Dowd is a bestselling eco-theologian and pro-science, pro-future ‘evangelist’ whose work has been featured in The New York Times, LA Times, Wall Street Journal, Washington Post, Newsweek, Discover, and on television nationally. His book, Thank God for Evolution, was endorsed by 6 Nobel Prize-winning scientists, noted skeptics, and by religious leaders across the spectrum. Michael has delivered two TEDx talks and a program at the United Nations. He and his wife, science writer and climate activist, Connie Barlow, have spoken to some 2,500 groups across North America since 2002, including nearly 500 UU churches. Rev. Dowd has also conducted two acclaimed online conversation series: “Evolutionary Christianity” (http://thegreatstory.org/ec-participants.html) and “The Future Is Calling Us to Greatness" (https://www.tree-of-life.works/greatness). SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 20, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION "I'm for truth, no matter who tells it. I'm for justice, no matter who it's for or against." —Malcolm X Justice is the legal, moral or philosophical theory by which fairness is administered. The concept of justice often differs somewhat in every culture. Justice can be more mental than moral, or the other way around. Consciousness is the missing link to what is otherwise a cold and caustic concept. When applied without compassion and emotion, justice can be far more destructive than constructive. Justice need never be Draconian, but compassionate and sensitive to its individual beneficiaries. Here at All Souls we both intend and insist that Justice become and remain a working reality in our world! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 20, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Join All Souls to honor all who are graduating this May. Each year, celebrities and valedictorians deliver commencement addresses across the nation to graduates, their families and friends. They often share encouraging words about success and what gives life meaning. Join me on Graduation Sunday to hear my commencement address to all of our graduates in our youth program and congregation. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 20, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Join All Souls to honor all who are graduating this May. Each year, celebrities and valedictorians deliver commencement addresses across the nation to graduates, their families and friends. They often share encouraging words about success and what gives life meaning. Join me on Graduation Sunday to hear my commencement address to all of our graduates in our youth program and congregation. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Nancy McDonald, Guest Speaker, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Nancy McDonald sees “mothering” as a verb, as a way all of us can engage the world. As a mother of biological children, an adopted child, and as a “second mother” to many, Nancy is the embodiment of a mothering spirit. She will share her personal reflections and stories about how All Souls members and our partners in justice are meeting some of Tulsa’s most heart-wrenching challenges with love and action. Join her in the Humanist Hour to hear her stories that are sure to touch your heart and inspire your mothering spirit. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 13, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Rev. Marlin Lavanhar shares his Mother's Day message about motherhood, love, and connectedness. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 6, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION “Every step toward the goal of justice requires sacrifice, suffering, and struggle; the tireless exertions and passionate concern of dedicated individuals.” —Martin Luther King, Jr. Life is neither equal of fair, so we must learn to find justice in the life and psyche of our world that tends to be terrible and impossible at times. Justice is rooted in the word just which means behaving according to what is morally right and fair. This makes it hard to believe that life is fair. So, if indeed you feel that life isn’t fair, then how can we access and execute justice? During May, All Souls will present weekly discussions, sermons and lectures around the subject of the human virtue and vice of justice, fairness and equality. *Musical performance by Sarah Maud (vocals) and Jordan Hehl (bass). SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 6, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION If my neighbor believes I’m going to hell, I don’t really care as long as they respect my property, treat me and my family nicely and let me borrow a cup a sugar or a power tool when needed. The good news for me is that whatever they believe—the fact is, they don’t control the universe, the afterlife, nor do they, or anyone, really know what is yet to come. When people ask me why our congregation is socially engaged, I explain that we place love beyond belief. Most, if not all of us, do not expect God or any other kind of savior or superhero to come down to Earth and fix it. That is why we try to do our part to make the world a better place during the short time we have and to help people out of the hells of life. *Music by Tommy Poole (saxophone) and Rick Fortner (piano) SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 6, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION If my neighbor believes I’m going to hell, I don’t really care as long as they respect my property, treat me and my family nicely and let me borrow a cup a sugar or a power tool when needed. The good news for me is that whatever they believe—the fact is, they don’t control the universe, the afterlife, nor do they, or anyone, really know what is yet to come. When people ask me why our congregation is socially engaged, I explain that we place love beyond belief. Most, if not all of us, do not expect God or any other kind of savior or superhero to come down to Earth and fix it. That is why we try to do our part to make the world a better place during the short time we have and to help people out of the hells of life. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 29, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Transcendence is a constant natural and nurtured discipline of the soul, self and mind. It means, from its etymological origin, to climb across or climb over. It is a reference to existence or experience beyond the normal or physical level. Our American culture, including religion, is transcending to a new and more progressive spirituality. Join us here at All Souls for a fantastic month of moving across, through and beyond previous limits boundaries to a new discovery and even recovery of our most power living as human beings, being human. *Special musical guest Branjae Jackson joins for both the 10:00 Traditional and 11:30 a.m. Contemporary Services! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, April 29, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Steven L. Williams, Pastoral Care Chaplain, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Adults do not play nearly enough. We forget that fun, joy, creativity, and silliness bring us closer to our essential nature. Children know this intuitively. They use play for everything. Play not only helps them figure out their world, but who they are and where they fit in that world. If you look at your favorite ways of playing as a child, you may see the roots of what brings you the most joy today. Sometimes we need help remembering how to play. *The service includes music performed by Jared Tyler, guest musician (guitar and vocals). SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 15, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Kate Braestrup, Guest Minister and New York Times Best-Selling Author. SERMON DESCRIPTION Kate shares her heartfelt message, with a side of humor. Kate is a community minister, law enforcement chaplain, storyteller, and the author of the New York Times best-selling memoirs, 'Here If You Need Me', 'Marriage and Other Acts of Charity' and 'Beginner’s Grace: Bringing Prayer to Life'. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, April 1, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION In our Humanist Hour this Easter, we explore how the themes of personal and spiritual renewal are found beyond belief, outside of religion, and in science and stories of our natural world. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 1, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Transcendence is existence or experience beyond the normal or physical level. It is also ethereal, spiritual and/or psychological movement and motion. In a sense we all have both multiple personal order and multiple personality disorder or multi personalities out of order. Transcendence is the coping mechanism we use to traverse the human experience of living, moving and possessing or repossessing our being, which is the power and purpose of our resurrected Self. We're celebrating this amazing reality and renaissance the entire month of April, here at All Souls. Join and get to know and re-know yourself all over again. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 1, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION These teaching stories are shocking and memorable due to the ways they conclude. We read that: the Kingdom of God is like a mustard seed, a widow gives away her last two coins to the church, two loaves of bread and fish feed thousands, an adulterous woman is allowed to go unpunished. The greatest parable of them all perhaps is that the one who comes to save the world is killed in a humiliating way while the world is still a warring and oppressive mess. In two of the four bible accounts there is another twist to the story. Two gospels claim their is no body in the tomb and Jesus rappers after he dies. In Native American spirituality (Coyote stories), African traditions (Briar Rabbit) and elsewhere there is often a trickster character who teaches through unexpected jokes, tricks and twists of fate. On this Easter and April Fool's Day let's look at how Jesus' parables and ministry relates to the many spiritual traditions that include trickery, teaching stories and imagination. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 25, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Our church was founded in March of 1921 under the name All Souls Liberal Church. Join us in celebrating 97 years of our liberal faith as we honor our heritage and come together in community. We recognize our past presidents, founding families, previous Board of Trustee members, and our newest members to join All Souls. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 18, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION "Life and death are illusions. We are in a constant state of transformation." - Alejandro González Iñárritu, Mexican film director, producer, and screenwriter I would add the word expansion to Alejandro's quote. We expand or minds and our being as we transform in life. All living things grow and all growing things change. With these changes in life comes struggle and challenges. Join us to discuss in ministry of meeting our challenges in life to make, manage, and master our personal transformations and change. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 18, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Victor M. Parachin, Guest Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION The Buddha said that every person always has 83 problems. Some are resolved and some simply fade out but other problems appear in their place. Because problems are inevitable, the Buddha offered several effective, creative ways to deal with life's challenges. Rev. Victor M. Parachin, M. Div., is a minister, member of All Souls, author, and director of the Tulsa Yoga Meditation Center. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 18, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Victor M. Parachin, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The Buddha said that every person always has 83 problems. Some are resolved and some simply fade out but other problems appear in their place. Because problems are inevitable, the Buddha offered several effective, creative ways to deal with life's challenges. Rev. Victor M. Parachin, M. Div., is a minister, member of All Souls, author, and director of the Tulsa Yoga Meditation Center. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 11, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION There are so many inspirational women who have touched my life and help shaped me to be the person I am today. As we continue the theme of Transformation and honor Women’s History Month, I look forward to sharing stories about the women whose lives have been a model for me and who have taught me to love beyond belief. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 11, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There are so many inspirational women who have touched my life and help shaped me to be the person I am today. As we continue the theme of Transformation and honor Women’s History Month, I look forward to sharing stories about the women whose lives have been a model for me and who have taught me to love beyond belief. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION trans·form Origin: Greek verb To make a complete or radical change in the form, appearance, or character of. Synonyms: change, alter, convert, metamorphose, transfigure, transmute, mutate The English word metamorphosis is derived from the word transform, which refers to a change of the form or nature of a thing or person into a completely different one. However, the reference in scripture is not so much about physical or physiological change, but more about mental, moral, and emotional change. This change has its root in spirit but is initiated in one's mind or through life. I call this mind remodeling. Remodeling is the process of improving a broken, damaged, or outdated structure or construct. To start our theme of transformation, I'll present various ways of remodeling our selves, our souls, and our systems. Through intentional transformation, we can be more current, more relevant, and more creatively productive. This all begins with the way we think, collectively and as individuals. What we think about, we bring about! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION The experiences of women, in the workplace and at home, inevitably lead back to what it means to live in this world as a woman. The #MeToo movement tells us all an important truth. Let's begin Women's History Month, and this month's theme about transformation, by lifting up the women in our lives, each other, and the voices of women and girls which are emerging today. The women of the Adult Music Program will come together in a Women’s Chorale to sing the Women's March anthem, Quiet by Milck. All choir members, including our Children and Youth Choirs, will join them to sing Mavis Staples' song, Action. In the Traditional service, children will join us for a Story for All Ages. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 4, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION The experiences of women, in the workplace and at home, inevitably lead back to what it means to live in this world as a woman. The #MeToo movement tells us all an important truth. Let's begin Women's History Month, and this month's theme about transformation, by lifting up the women in our lives, each other, and the voices of women and girls which are emerging today. The women of the Adult Music Program will come together in a Women’s Chorale to sing the Women's March anthem, Quiet by Milck. All choir members, including our Children and Youth Choirs, will join them to sing Mavis Staples' song, Action. In the Traditional service, children will join us for a Story for All Ages. The presentation includes spoken word by Jillian Marie from the Contemporary Service on March 11, 2018. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 25, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Bring your friends and family along for a journey, from soulful blues to exciting colors of something new! The All Souls Worship Team has collaborated with poet Mia Write and jazz vocalist Booker Gillispie to create an unforgettable experience in two special services. We’ll feature music from Al Green, Curtis Mayfield, and Bob Dylan. Mia will share her poetry and words from Langston Hughes. David Smith, Rick Fortner, Jordan Hehl, Jared Johnson, and Tommy Poole will create an experience you wouldn’t want to keep to yourself! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 18, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION When things in life break apart we can either keep cutting ourselves with the shards or we can gather them up and create something new and beautiful. Using the metaphor of a mosaic and the colorful artwork of renowned Tulsa mosaic artist Linda Allen, I will explore the ways that brokenness and new beginnings go together. We’ll also have a special rendition of Tracy Chapman’s song, New Beginnings. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 18, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When things in life break apart we can either keep cutting ourselves with the shards or we can gather them up and create something new and beautiful. Using the metaphor of a mosaic and the colorful artwork of renowned Tulsa mosaic artist Linda Allen, I will explore the ways that brokenness and new beginnings go together. We’ll also have a special rendition of Tracy Chapman’s song, New Beginnings. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 11, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION How has love surprised you? When you’ve felt all is lost, has love shown you the way? Sometimes, we are surprised by love through the arts, a song evoking the emotion of love, lifting our spirits, or connecting us with those we love. Tulsa jazz artist Cynthia Simmons will join me as we share about love's dynamic, and sometimes distracting, dimensions -- in song and in message. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 11, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION How has love surprised you? When you’ve felt all is lost, has love shown you the way? Sometimes, we are surprised by love through the arts, a song evoking the emotion of love, lifting our spirits, or connecting us with those we love. Tulsa jazz artist Cynthia Simmons will join me as we share about love's dynamic, and sometimes distracting, dimensions -- in song and in message. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 4, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION World class Flamenco guitarist, Ronald Radford, will be joining us as we launch February's theme of Brokenness. We hope he won’t break any strings as he dazzles us with his music. Nevertheless, I will be talking about how the strings that unite people sometimes get broken and what happens when we attempt to tie them back together. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 4, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Brokenness can be defined as being or feeling fractured or damaged and no longer, whole or in one piece, not in working order or functioning properly. Wholeness involves and demands constant repairing of breaks in our soul and mind. I call the psychic hygiene and by psychic I mean using your extra sensory perception to go deeper into yourself, and soul, to locate the source of the symptoms. There are maintenance techniques to help us heal the broken spaces and places in our lives. Join us at All Souls this month as we offer ways to address, transcend, and bridge the gaps in your life. We'll also talk about reconnecting and reconciling inner illusions of separation, isolation, and alienation from your inherent personal wholeness. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 4, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION World class Flamenco guitarist, Ronald Radford, will be joining us as we launch February's theme of Brokenness. We hope he won’t break any strings as he dazzles us with his music. Nevertheless, I will be talking about how the strings that unite people sometimes get broken and what happens when we attempt to tie them back together. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 28, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Acharya Moh Hardin, Guest Speaker, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Kindness is an innate quality that lacks selfishness. Engaging in kindness connects us with the reality that other people exist. With kindness, life becomes livable, humanity becomes enjoyable, and work and play can be delightful. For the past 45 years, Acharya Moh Hardin has been a student and teacher in the Shambhala tradition. He is currently studying under the guidance of Chögyam Trungpa’s son, Sakyong Mipham. Trungpa was the Tibetan meditation master and founder in the West of the Shambhala Buddhist tradition. Moh is the author of A Little Book of Love: Buddhist Wisdom on Bringing Happiness to Ourselves and Our World (Shambhala Publications). He lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada, with his wife Cynde. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 28, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION "This is how we win. Not by fighting what we hate, but by saving what we love,” says Rose Tico in the latest Star Wars movie, The Last Jedi. With women in the highest leadership positions, a deep reverence for the galaxy and science, the danger of heroic solo acts exposed … the core tension is about whether the Jedi Faith can or will survive. With Annie Lenox’s song, A Thousand Beautiful Things as a backdrop, we will explore a theology of the future and of resistance, so we can say with Ms. Lenox, “Every day I write the list of reasons why I still believe they do exist.” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 21, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION “Breathe” courtesy of Branjae Jackson, Spoken Word courtesy of Written Quincey, ‘Extraordinary Chords of Love' featuring singer/songwriter Branjae Jackson, spoken word artist Written Quincey, and live Jazz with Rick Fortner, Jordan Hehl, Jared Johnson, and Tommy Poole Chords of harmony are created when different notes come together in their individual beauty to create something new and creating something new, together, is what these special services are all about. We do not have to sound alike or even sound the same. In fact, by sounding differently — and coming together in unity — we make room for something greater to emerge. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 14, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Martin Luther King Jr. was only given seven minutes to speak at the March on Washington. He submitted his speech prior to the day of the march and the words, “I Have A Dream” were not in his prepared remarks. Nevertheless, his speech lasted 25 minutes and fifty years later, we still hold tightly to the dream he shared that day. It remains one of the most influential speeches in US history. Looking back a half century, I will explore what his words mean for us today. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 7, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION On the first Sunday of 2018, let's look at what it means to begin again in love. How do we “turn over a new leaf” and experience “all things new”? Often we long for a new beginning but have trouble letting go of the past. The turn of the calendar year is a chance to begin again. A new year gives us a new starting line if we choose to make it one. We have a choice to live intentionally or to allow ourselves to be carried along or controlled by the people, events, and agendas of those around us. The new year is a time to go inward and reach deeper within. Let's take this great opportunity to sharpen our intentions and take greater control of our lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 7, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION We are starting off the new year with the topic of love. Love is a human disease or dis-ease that all humans are afflicted and inflicted with. This 'divine' infliction is incurable and sometimes terminal, but always treatable. Scripture says love is patient. I say love is a patient and in need of constant,"affordable" healthcare. Whether Agape, Eros, Platonic or Phileo, love not only cares but needs care, and we are both the caregivers and caretakers. Join me to learn ways to manage the pleasure, privileges, and pathos of love. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 7, 2018, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION On the first Sunday of 2018, let's look at what it means to begin again in love. How do we “turn over a new leaf” and experience “all things new”? Often we long for a new beginning but have trouble letting go of the past. The turn of the calendar year is a chance to begin again. A new year gives us a new starting line if we choose to make it one. We have a choice to live intentionally or to allow ourselves to be carried along or controlled by the people, events, and agendas of those around us. The new year is a time to go inward and reach deeper within. Let's take this great opportunity to sharpen our intentions and take greater control of our lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 31, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There are some great Christmas stories out there, including Ralphie's and his BB gun. But you know, there are not that many great New Year's Eve stories. Yes, we know that the next day will bring a new year full of hope. That's enough, one would think. But let's unpack this hope a little bit more. Join me when we welcome what can be called hope, but it is also something else. Let's see! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 31, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION “When the world becomes darker, the inner life of the soul becomes more important." —Michael Meade As 2017 comes to an end and we begin to enter into the deeper winter months, it is a time for finding a stillness inside ourselves. It is a time of taking stock and replenishing. Our New Year's Eve services sought to help us find an inner still-point and start to bring our attention inward towards the world of contemplation, self-reflection, and inner-love. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 31, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION “When the world becomes darker, the inner life of the soul becomes more important." —Michael Meade As 2017 comes to an end and we begin to enter into the deeper winter months, it is a time for finding a stillness inside ourselves. It is a time of taking stock and replenishing. Our New Year's Eve services sought to help us find an inner still-point and start to bring our attention inward towards the world of contemplation, self-reflection, and inner-love. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homilies were delivered on Sunday, December 17, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Bishop Carlton Pearson, and Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar. DESCRIPTION Join us for one celebratory service, uniting our congregation which attend our three services, with uplifting music from our choirs. Marlin, Barbara, and Carlton will share their messages about the love which unites us as one community of All Souls – a diverse community with varying perspectives and experience. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 10, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION During the darkest times in our lives, we look for hope and often find it in some of the most unusual places. As the winter solstice approaches, we are in the darkest season of the year and it is a time of celebrations that involve a lot of lights and symbols of hope. Our ministers and musicians have been working to create services this month that will inspire hope in ways that will help us find it both now and also in all of the darkest times of our lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 10, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION “They say a person needs just three things to be truly happy in this world: someone to love, something to do, and something to hope for.” ―Tom Bodett Hope basically means happy anticipation of good. For some, hope means happy anticipation of God! Hope evolves and involves—aspirations, desires, wishes, expectations, ambitions, aims, goals, plans, designs, dreams, daydreams, pipe dreams. Scripture says, Hope is a form of emotional salvation. Join this hardy conversation about hope in every service this month. Read more about my take on the topic of hope on beyondbelief.online. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 10, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION During the darkest times in our lives, we look for hope and often find it in some of the most unusual places. As the winter solstice approaches, we are in the darkest season of the year and it is a time of celebrations that involve a lot of lights and symbols of hope. Our ministers and musicians have been working to create services this month that will inspire hope in ways that will help us find it both now and also in all of the darkest times of our lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 3, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION “Hope is a duty. In the context of a planet and people in peril, we have an obligation to our own being and to our descendants to study our life and our condition, searching for the authentic underpinnings of hope. If we look carefully, these underpinnings can still be found.” - Wendell Berry, Environmental activist, novelist, and poet In Greek mythology, Pandora is the first woman in the world. As the story goes, when she opens a large vessel, all that is evil - suffering, illness, cruelty, violence and death - fly up and out into the world. By the time Pandora puts the lid back on the vessel, there’s only one thing left inside – hope. In what ways do you protect and hold onto hope? Join us on Sunday as we uncover the seeds of hope in our lives. SPECIAL MUSIC: 'Dream On' (Steven Tyler) - Booker Gillespie, Soloist; Rick Fortner, Piano. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 26, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION "If you can't forgive and forget, pick one." -Robert Brault Forgiving doesn't mean forgetting. Forgiving doesn't mean you've given the message that what someone did was okay. Forgiveness means to let go of the anger or guilt towards someone or towards yourself. But that can be easier said than done. If forgiveness was easy, everyone would be doing it. As a spiritual community, let's walk and work through the spiritual and emotional discipline of forgiveness together. Forgiveness means giving up the right, not necessarily the reasons, for being right, hurt or angry. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 26, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Nobody gets through this life without hurting others and being hurt. Yet we need to get up each day and live into the future. Figuring out how to free ourselves from hurt, so we can meet the day unafraid, without anger, and with a sense of our own wholeness is complicated. Join me to reflect on what can free us from the bonds of regret, self-incrimination, and hurt. Whether you are wrestling with forgiving yourself, seeking forgiveness, or needing to forgive, it's important to discover how forgiveness is possible. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 26, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Nobody gets through this life without hurting others and being hurt. Yet we need to get up each day and live into the future. Figuring out how to free ourselves from hurt, so we can meet the day unafraid, without anger, and with a sense of our own wholeness is complicated. Join me to reflect on what can free us from the bonds of regret, self-incrimination, and hurt. Whether you are wrestling with forgiving yourself, seeking forgiveness, or needing to forgive, it's important to discover how forgiveness is possible. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The service was delivered on Sunday, November 19, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar & Rev. Barbara Prose. SERVICE DESCRIPTION Come together in gratitude to celebrate the Thanksgiving Holiday. Our Cherub, Children's, Youth, YAVE, New Dimensions, and Adult Choirs will share their gifts of song. We'll experience an interactive presentation of the heart and soul of our church. Join us to watch our Simple Gifts, Too painting by P.S. Gordon come to life. Families and children are encouraged to bring fresh foods for the traditional children's procession of giving to the cornucopia. All food collected will be donated to the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma. All are invited to take Communion in the Chapel immediately following the Thanksgiving service. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERVICE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 12, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION November is American Indian Heritage Month, and Oklahoma is in the news, with Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. David Grann’s non-fiction book is on Best Seller lists across the country and the story happened here. The names of the towns are familiar: Pawhuska, Fairfax, Gray Horse. Right here, 100 years ago, members of the Osage Nation became the richest people per capita in the world after oil was discovered on their land. Many were mysteriously murdered. In my book group discussion, I listened as my fellow Tulsans talked about remembering and responsibility. We shared about forgetting, forgiving, and being forgiven. But, we left the meeting without figuring out what our responsibility is to responding to the wrongs of the past. Join me as we continue the conversation. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 12, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION This month, 500 years ago, Martin Luther’s 95 Theses sparked the Protestant Reformation. What he began in Wittenberg, Germany continues to influence us today. Every generation since has wrestled with his challenge - What is the role of the Bible in understanding truth? How are you, I, and All Souls related to this struggle for religious authority and understanding? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 12, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION November is American Indian Heritage Month, and Oklahoma is in the news, with Killers of the Flower Moon: The Osage Murders and the Birth of the FBI. David Grann’s non-fiction book is on Best Seller lists across the country and the story happened here. The names of the towns are familiar: Pawhuska, Fairfax, Gray Horse. Right here, 100 years ago, members of the Osage Nation became the richest people per capita in the world after oil was discovered on their land. Many were mysteriously murdered. In my book group discussion, I listened as my fellow Tulsans talked about remembering and responsibility. We shared about forgetting, forgiving, and being forgiven. But, we left the meeting without figuring out what our responsibility is to responding to the wrongs of the past. Join me as we continue the conversation. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 5, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Forgiveness is an art form. Accomplishing it takes practice, skill, training and transformation. If, in fact, it means to stop feeling angry or resentful toward (someone) for an offense, flaw, or mistake, then it should begin first with self-forgiveness, eh? We are only as hard on others as we are on ourselves. If you don't forgive yourself, you won't forgive others. Where there is fruit, there is root. Let's get to the bottom of this mystical phenomenon of forgiveness and lay the ax to the root. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 5, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION This month, 500 years ago, Martin Luther's 95 Theses sparked the Protestant Reformation. What he began in Wittenberg, Germany continues to influence us today. Every generation since has wrestled with his challenge - What is the role of the Bible in understanding truth? How are you, I, and All Souls related to this struggle for religious authority and understanding? Our children will begin the service in the Sanctuary to hear a special message. We will also recognize our newest members. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 29, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Many of us have seen our family rituals around death change in our lifetimes. A generation ago, Dr. Wolf was fighting against the corruption of the local funeral home industry. More and more Americans today are comfortable with cremation, while there’s a growing interest in green burials. This Sunday, we will wrestle new meaning out of this old mystery. Together we'll consider the creative ways various cultures, and we here at All Souls, grieve, honor and stay connected to our dead. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 29, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The mystery, or missed story, of death has been a pre-occupation to humans since we recognized we were alive. Looking to Newton’s 3rd law - For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction - we can assume death is an equal and opposite reaction to life, and vice versa. In a sense, life is death in another form and summarily death is life in another form. Death insists we remember and memorialize life. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 29, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION As we conclude the poignant theme of Death, we’ll focus on ways that love never dies and how people continue to live on within the lives of those who love them long after they are gone. For the last few years, member Eduardo Ramirez has helped us celebrate Dia de los Muertos. Everyone is invited and encouraged to bring a photo or memento of someone they love who has died to place on our oferenda. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 22, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Life and death, like faith and doubt, are not necessarily enemies, just cooperative opponents. Opposition means having a position on the other or further side of something. Life is in a “face off” with death. The older I get, the more I realize everything is relative and in some strange, mystical, and scientific way, everything is connected. When someone asks you how are you doing, they are basically asking, how are you dying? Both living and dying are existing eloquently in the Earth realm. Let's call a truce and learn to co-exist peacefully. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 22, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION The one thing you can count on is change. One friend is pregnant, a nephew is moving to take a new job, a daughter is getting married, a son is getting divorced. The headlines are new each day and with their focus on conflict, can often feel destabilizing if not debilitating. How can we stay calm and centered when change is all around us …. and inside us? How can we trust and find places to rest, when we know that ultimately, everything is impermanent, and that we are born dying? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 15, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There is an old idea that something in us must die so that we can fully live. Has this ever made sense to you? Are you aware of how the death of certain attitudes, ideas, dreams, relationships and other things must end in order for new life to emerge? The relationship between death and life is more than about the death of a person or of the body, but also refers to the death of the ego or the death of a worldview. As we continue the theme of Death this month, let's explore the concept of dying in order to live. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 8, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Could death be another form of life or of living? From the day we are born, the process of death or dying begins. The Apostle Paul in scripture wrote that he figuratively died daily. Does death in life make practical sense to us? And is the presumed "ultimate" or final death anything more than a transition to another form of living? We must live and we must die. We must live until we die. And some believe we all will live again. Is there life after life or life after death? And are they not basically the same speculations? This will be a fun study. Join me! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 8, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION "Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time." - Pink Floyd, excerpt from Time. Do you ever feel this way? We all have competing priorities and opportunities and it can be hard to know how to use the limited time we have. Rick Fortner and David B. Smith created a special version of the song, Time, by Pink Floyd to accompany my message about the one thing we all need more of, time. Special thanks to Ryan and Sarah Darby who won this sermon topic and anthem at last year's Love & Light Gala. To bid on a sermon topic, get your tickets today. Our annual fundraiser supporting All Souls and the Justice Council is Friday, October 13. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 8, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION "Every year is getting shorter, never seem to find the time." - Pink Floyd, excerpt from Time. Do you ever feel this way? We all have competing priorities and opportunities and it can be hard to know how to use the limited time we have. Rick Fortner and David B. Smith created a special version of the song, Time, by Pink Floyd to accompany my message about the one thing we all need more of, time. Special thanks to Ryan and Sarah Darby who won this sermon topic and anthem at last year's Love & Light Gala. To bid on a sermon topic, get your tickets today. Our annual fundraiser supporting All Souls and the Justice Council is Friday, October 13. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, October 1, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION This Sunday we consider the many ways water shapes our lives. Long-time member Jean Ann Fausser, who won this sermon in last year’s Gala, will have an original piece of art entitled, A River Runs Through Me, featured in the sanctuary. Water is the source of life. It also destroys life. Water is a human right. It is also big business. Water is the symbol for God in our Simple Gifts, Too painting. Moses died before he could cross over the river Jordan into the promised land and Jesus was baptized in that same river. Greek mythology teaches us that we cross over the river Styx when we die. The Tao teaches that water does not resist, yet it conquers all. Our bodies are 60% water. Whether you love or fear water, together we will lift up the power of water to shape and remake our lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 1, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There are times when we think in binary ways about complexities of life. If we fall into the trap of an either/or solution, we discount the vast creative impulses of this thing we call life. Some people say to be vulnerable is to be courageous, while others think being vulnerable is not showing courage. I want to apply another way of thinking about vulnerability in a context of truth-telling and justice-seeking. Join me in this foray. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 1, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION This Sunday we consider the many ways water shapes our lives. Long-time member Jean Ann Fausser, who won this sermon in last year’s Gala, will have an original piece of art entitled, A River Runs Through Me, featured in the sanctuary. Water is the source of life. It also destroys life. Water is a human right. It is also big business. Water is the symbol for God in our Simple Gifts, Too painting. Moses died before he could cross over the river Jordan into the promised land and Jesus was baptized in that same river. Greek mythology teaches us that we cross over the river Styx when we die. The Tao teaches that water does not resist, yet it conquers all. Our bodies are 60% water. Whether you love or fear water, together we will lift up the power of water to shape and remake our lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 24, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION When I grow impatient, beneath the surface, I am often angry with the current state of affairs – whether they are political or personal. But Jesus taught us that the Kingdom of Heaven on earth is here and now, within our own hearts, minds, and souls. If peace lies within, our impatience can be a problem, even an obstacle to living a faithful life. Join me this week as we explore the connections and contradictions between acceptance and apathy, resistance and righteousness, endurance and patience, as we discover for ourselves what it means to live faithfully in today’s world. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 24, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION We are all storytellers. We not only tell other people stories, we tell ourselves stories. Some of the stories we tell ourselves keep us captive. Giving credence to a story is a kind of faith. In that way, we all have faith in something. However, it’s important to be careful what stories we believe. Some stories open our world and increase our capacity for kindness and love. Other stories limit our lives and keep us living in fear. As we continue on the monthly theme of faith, I want us to look at the stories we have faith in and make sure they are worthy of our trust. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 24, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION We are all storytellers. We not only tell other people stories, we tell ourselves stories. Some of the stories we tell ourselves keep us captive. Giving credence to a story is a kind of faith. In that way, we all have faith in something. However, it’s important to be careful what stories we believe. Some stories open our world and increase our capacity for kindness and love. Other stories limit our lives and keep us living in fear. As we continue on the monthly theme of faith, I want us to look at the stories we have faith in and make sure they are worthy of our trust. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 17, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION My message is a celebration of the ties that unite us across our freedom to believe. It is fascinating and important how our congregation at All Souls stays united with so many different ways of believing. Come explore what holds us together and why it's so important in these times. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 17, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, at the Humanist Service. SERMON DESCRIPTION What is the best synonym for faith? Some would say trust, or confidence. Others consider faith to be blind, naïve or simple, if not ignorant. My great grandfather, who was a rabbi in Lithuania and then in Connecticut, said patience was the most important virtue of all. Could patience be a synonym for faith? Perhaps, if you agree with Howard Zinn who said, “I am totally confident not that the world will get better, but that we should not give up the game before all the cards have been played.” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 17, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION What is the best synonym for faith? Some would say trust, or confidence. Others consider faith to be blind, naïve or simple, if not ignorant. My great grandfather, who was a rabbi in Lithuania and then in Connecticut, said patience was the most important virtue of all. Could patience be a synonym for faith? Perhaps, if you agree with Howard Zinn who said, “I am totally confident not that the world will get better, but that we should not give up the game before all the cards have been played.” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 10, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION "The only thing worse than being blind is having sight but no vision." — Helen Keller Sight is external. Vision comes from within. Sight is physical. Vision is spiritual and involves faith. Perception, is the ultimate reality, but not necessarily the ultimate truth. Sight sees reality, but vision sees truth and connects them in profoundly harmonizing and synchronizing ways. We must learn to give sight to vision and sometimes fight to achieve vision as well. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 10, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, at the Humanist Service. SERMON DESCRIPTION The Sunday after Labor Day is extra-special at All Souls! Our choirs will treat us to special performances and we have a few surprises in store for you. Vision Sunday is a wonderful day to invite your friends and family to attend. If you haven’t seen some of your All Souls friends here for a while, please reach out and see if you can inspire them to join you. My message on Vision Sunday will be a celebration of the ties that unite us across our freedom to believe. It is fascinating and important how our congregation at All Souls can stay united with so many different ways of believing. The significance of having such a community is worth celebrating. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 3, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Faith is a first cousin of fear. They live together on the family farm. Both faith and fear are present in the human genome. Some people just have more faith in one than the other. It actually takes faith to have fear. Fear of a sprint is faith in its ability to harm you. The same is true of a storm, a style, or a system. Faith is as natural a human attribute as fear. They don't cancel each other out, but they call each other up and out. Both have their place, path and purpose, but only one prevails as the dominant orientation of the soul and psyche. All we need do is learn to balance these two powerful forms of energy and emotion or energy in motion! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, September 3, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Steven L. Williams, Pastoral Care Chaplain, at the Humanist Service. SERMON DESCRIPTION Twelve years ago this week, Hurricane Katrina changed our world and my life. Whether it's a hurricane, a divorce, or the loss of something precious, we all have to weather storms in our lives. Having something sturdy to hold onto makes all the difference in how well we survive them. What is it that keeps you from going under? Join me as we explore this leg of the Faith journey. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 3, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Steven L. Williams, Pastoral Care Chaplain. SERMON DESCRIPTION Twelve years ago this week, Hurricane Katrina changed our world and my life. Whether it's a hurricane, a divorce, or the loss of something precious, we all have to weather storms in our lives. Having something sturdy to hold onto makes all the difference in how well we survive them. What is it that keeps you from going under? Join me on Sunday as we explore this leg of the Faith journey. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 27, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Perfect: the condition, state, or quality of being free or as free as possible from all flaws or defects. Something most of us never fully experience. I don’t know anything or any person who is perfect. This includes random fantasies about God, Heaven, and eternal life. All of which are somewhat ambiguous and in some ways, suspect. Thinking of these as perfect brings aspects of guilt and disappointment. However, considering perfection to mean maturity or reaching a sense of full adulthood, or maximization of purpose in life as it is, then yes, I believe in the gift of the same. Living for, to, and toward the fullest experience and expression of self and soul is my idea of a gift of perfection. That is my personal and powerful aim in my life! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 27, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar and Rev. Barbara Prose at the Humanist Service. SERMON DESCRIPTION The recent eclipse has our ministers thinking about how sometimes something small, in relative terms, keeps us from feeling the warmth and light of the one thing that makes our life possible. We especially see this with all of the divisions in our country and the way it is dividing families and communities. Conflict is not the end of the story it is a necessary part of moving toward something new. There is a breakdown right now in our collective ability to have constructive conflict. Using the issue of taking down Confederate monuments, the ministers offer a hard hitting and playful message on how to have better conversations between people who disagree. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 20, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Christianity, the Enlightenment, and Transcendentalism are the three major tributaries that flow together to create the liberal religious tradition we call Unitarian Universalism. Henry David Thoreau, who became famous only after this death at 45, is a great example of someone who transcended his own time. In the 19th century, he resisted the social and religious demands of his day and insisted on finding his own way forward. Who was this man whose heart led him to seek communion with God in the woods, and whose conscience led him to fight openly for the abolition of slavery? How did he find the courage to say “No” to the world’s demands and “Yes” to the invitations of the Spirit? This Sunday, we’ll apply the wisdom of his life to our own spiritual journeys as we navigate our increasingly complex world. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 20, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister at the Humanist Service. SERMON DESCRIPTION Reverend Lavanhar speaks frankly and personally about the impact of the Charlottesville protests on him as a person with a Jewish heritage and an African American child. He lifts up a sophisticated and morally nuanced critique of the protests and counterprotests and makes a case for a nonviolent response to the rising wave of neo-fascist elements in America today. It is also a passionate defense of free speech and a warning to liberal activists about the commitment, discipline and self-sacrifice required of non-violent resistance. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 20, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Reverend Lavanhar speaks frankly and personally about the impact of the Charlottesville protests on him as a person with a Jewish heritage and an African American child. He lifts up a sophisticated and morally nuanced critique of the protests and counterprotests and makes a case for a nonviolent response to the rising wave of neo-fascist elements in America today. It is also a passionate defense of free speech and a warning to liberal activists about the commitment, discipline and self-sacrifice required of non-violent resistance. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 13, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION This summer is the 200th anniversary of the birth of Henry David Thoreau, who said, “The fact is I am a mystic, a transcendentalist, and a natural philosopher to boot.” Friend of Ralph Waldo Emerson and inspiration to the conservation movement, Thoreau was known for advocating simple living, He was also active in the abolitionist movement and was openly critical of the government which led him to write Civil Disobedience in 1859. This Sunday as we aspire to put our spiritual values at the center of our imperfect lives, I’ll explore how Thoreau might be a role model for us today. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, August 6, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Louie Rojas, Guest Speaker. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Religion in American has been a dynamic experience. For many of us it can become an unhealthy experience. In our desire to be good sons and daughters we can lose ourselves, our dreams, and our loves. I will be sharing how I was saved by the one message that matters to me the most. I will be making a bold statement about where Christianity is in America, and I will share were I found the gift of healthy faith. . . peccadillos! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 6, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION We continue our Summer Series titled “This American Faith” with a new theme for the month of August: “The Gift of Imperfection”. When the founders gathered 230 years ago this month in Philadelphia to draft a Constitution for this new nation, they hoped for unity, but they came with their competing interests and concerns. The end result was a document that nobody was completely happy about, but one that everyone felt they could live with in the interest of national unity. The tensions between community and self-interest and inclusiveness and justice are pragmatic realities of any democratic organization. We have seen these tensions at All Souls in recent years regarding our decisions to move downtown and in our work to become more diverse. What has become clear is that a person’s relationship to compromise and imperfection can be a major determining factor for the quality and satisfaction of their life. I’ll kick-off this month’s theme exploring what we can learn from the creation and adoption of the American Constitution. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 30, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION One of the beautiful points of departure, Ware Lecturer Brian Stevenson gave us at UUA General Assembly was to change the narrative. Changing the narrative is not as easy as changing the water in a fish bowl. But that metaphor is appropriate from the standpoint of the fish. We swim in water called white supremacy. Let's not be afraid to empty our bowl and pour in living water … water that reconciles, that heals, that gives us continuing opportunities. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 30, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It is said that after the Battles of Lexington and Concord John Adams became the voice for independence at the Constitutional Convention in Philadelphia. As we finish a month of messages on the gifts of independence and American faith, I will look at what we might learn from the first Vice President and second President of the United States that can give us inspiration in these days that are marked more by discord than concord. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 23, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Part of the so called "gift" and sometimes guilt of independence is a certain unavoidable trait of co-dependency, that should not go unnoticed or without mention. Among the core characteristics of codependency, a common trait is an incessant, if not excessive, reliance on other people for approval and a sense of self-worth and identity. We may not be able to master the issues of innate co-dependency, but we can learn to manage it, so as not to be consumed and controlled by it. Interdependency seems to be the better and perhaps naturally creative design. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 23, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It's been said that the United States of America is a nation that was founded on a secular creed. Rooted in the Declaration of Independence and echoed throughout our history are certain commonly held truths. As we continue our July theme of Independence and our series on This American Faith, I will share a message regarding the American creed. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 16, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Independence, basically means un-dependent, not dependent or not a pendant. A pendant is a piece of jewelry that hangs from a chain worn around the neck, in fact the word pendant comes from Old French, meaning literally to hang or hanging. In a sense, if you’re not hanging, you’re falling or in some ways just failing . And the only way to avoid falling/failing is to hang onto whatever is available or “dependable” to prevent the downward spirals in life, consciousness, and culture. There is an old saying, “No man (person) is an island to himself.” Human ego seeks independence or not depending on anything or anyone else, for fear they or it may be unreliable or undependable. The gift if independence is also a sign of distrust, insecurity, and fear. We must learn to find its legitimate place and space in our consciousness and our world. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 9, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Rev. Gerald Davis speaks on topical issues from a free and respectful pulpit. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 2, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The gift of independence, is in many ways an illusive fantasy that takes imagination, effort, and creative work. A gift, something willingly given without being earned, can be taken back. Talent, something we're born with is natural aptitude and is neither given nor taken away, even though it can atrophy from lack of use. Talent can be nurtured, enhanced, and perfected but independence is earned or procured and must be maintained. Realistically, independence is actually a form of dependency or co-dependency. It needs attention to be maintained in a way that talent doesn't. Theoretically, independence should be intrinsic and innate. But rarely, if ever, independence is experienced in love, relationships, socially, psychologically, and physically. Let's work both for and on our gifts of independence! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 2, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Our words are powerful - beyond belief. We have felt the power of a friend's kind words to lift our spirits. And many of us have experienced how the words from a loved one can be crushing. How do we assure we are speaking the truth in love, coming from a place of love? How do we keep from engaging in verbally abusive language? The struggle to interpret, protect, and use our rights to free speech is both personal and political. It's not just up to the Supreme Court to make rulings on free speech, it's up to each and every one of us – especially in this era when we have the power to call each other out, and to call each other in. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 25, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION What if some did not believe? Shall their unbelief make the faith of God without effect?” (Romans 3:3) The America faith is traditionally as much in its majority Judeo/Christian God as it is in its constitution, bylaws, American culture, and democracy. However, in today’s America there is nearly equal doubt in all of the above. It seems there never has been more distrust in normally presumed trustworthy people and professions including politics, lawmakers, law enforcement and lawyers over all, not to mention preachers, priests, teachers, and corporate structure. The gift of doubt can also be a curse, or at least a cause, that can awaken or necessitate an overall renovation and renewal of the moral infrastructure of the human and American culture and societal model. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 18, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Newton's third law is: For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Faith is a reaction or response to doubt. Faith is also one of the nine spiritual gifts recorded in the scriptures of the New Testament. Faith is impossible - and unnecessary - without doubt. Doubt supports, sponsors, and summons faith and therefore can be considered a gift. Doubt is more than a curse or liability, something I was always taught it was. Scripture says without faith it is impossible to please God and I say, that without doubt, faith is impossible and uncalled for. Mutual respect for both honors them equally and validates their cooperative virtues! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 18, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Last week, in honor of Rev. Dr. John Wolf, we talked about how doubt is essential to deepening our liberal religious faith. My father’s faith was planted firmly in the American democratic process. One could say he practiced an American Civil Religion, rooted in a trinity of three persons named Washington, Jefferson, and Lincoln. The evolution of our free faith is interwoven with the evolution of our American democracy. Join me to explore the faithful legacy of our founding fathers and what it means for us today. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 11, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Doubt was a central theme in the ministry of the Rev. Dr. John B. Wolf, our minister emeritus. He wrote extensively about this theme in his book, The Gift of Doubt. Doubtless, many of us are struggling today - with doubts about the future - whether our worries are personal, political, or planetary. In our world today, the topic of doubt is a fitting theme to kick off our Summer Sermon Series: This American Faith. I’ve been reading and relishing Rev. Wolf’s work and look forward to sharing my thoughts on what it means to be bearers of The Gift of Doubt in 2017. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 4, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION As I reflect on the nexus of the Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, the not guilty verdict of Officer Betty Shelby and Memorial Day, I question how anger fuels a painful heart. I intend to explore the consequences of unexamined pain. Our participation in this long journey toward justice depends on our willingness to examine our painful parts. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 4, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Monuments and historical celebrations create a sense of public memory, and what we remember matters. The celebrations we offer and statues we erect help shape a shared narrative of our history and our public identity. These communal acts express and advocate public values, however, the meanings we make of events are not neutral. There are economic and political consequences of how we tell our story. Artists who design memorials are challenged with how to confront and memorialize the uncomfortable truths in our past. We launch our Summer Sermon Series: This American Faith with “The Gift of Doubt.” It was a favorite theme of our Minister Emeritus, Dr. John B. Wolf, during his nearly four decades as the Senior Minister of All Souls. Doubt causes us to question what we are told and is an important tool in seeking the truth. How can our efforts to honestly recall and evaluate the past provide the conditions for a brighter future? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
This Meadville Lombard Theological School 2017 Commencement Address was delivered seven weeks after the unprecedented resignation of the president of the Unitarian Universalist Association (UUA), Peter Morales. His resignation was a direct result of a public conversation and controversy regarding ongoing influences and impacts of racism on the hiring practices and culture of the UUA. Other senior UUA staff also resigned in the wake of the controversy. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 28, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Mercy is not just allowing escape from hell. Authentic mercy would be completely extricating the concept of eternal damnation from our belief system and articles of faith. The English word hell doesn't appear anywhere in the original biblical narrative and Jesus never used the term. He used the Hebrew word Gehenna (Valley of Hinnom), which was mistranslated as Hell in the King James version. Is a Hell-less Christianity possible? Can you be Christ-conscious beyond the obscenity of a customized torture chamber from which escape is an infinite impossibility? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 28, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Joseph Boyd, Intern Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Sometimes we struggle to make sense of what is worth fighting for, even worth giving our life for, and what is worth surrendering. This memorial weekend we will explore patriotism as an everyday practice, practicing our American values of freedom, opportunity, and justice in small but impactful acts of kindness. In light of Officer Shelby's verdict, and the anniversary of the 1921 Tulsa Race Massacre on May 31, we see that Tulsa is at a threshold. How do we cross the threshold of our lives while respecting the power of the past? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 21, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The opposite of cruelty is mercy. Otherwise, there’d be no such thing as cruelty. Cruelty is defined as callous indifference to or pleasure in causing pain and suffering. The most poignant example of that is the concept of eternal damnation. Mercy is compassion or forgiveness shown toward someone whom it is within one’s power to punish or harm. It seems strange that both cruelty and mercy are attributes associated with the God of the Abrahamic faiths, the one considered by billions to be the “Holy” God of the Judeo/Christian bible and belief. Doesn’t one cancel out the other? That same bible says that Mercy prevails by enduring forever. (Psalm 23) It pre-supposes all other ultimate possibilities and presents a kinder, gentler image of the Divine, absent of cruelty that if fully accepted would give life an entirely different moral completion and make world peace a contagion and more likely reality! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 21, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Kendyl Gibbons, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION As we celebrate high school graduations among the teens of this community, some reflections on how we all might think about our preparation for the adventures ahead of us. As author Bill Bryson discovered while hiking the Appalachian Trail, there are necessities, there are luxuries, and there are burdens best disposed of - often not what we expect. What can we learn about providing for our spiritual needs along the way? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 14, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION At some time every one of us would like to be given another chance and would prefer not to have to pay the full consequences of our actions or inactions. We've done something wrong. We wish we had not done it or at least we wish we had not been caught. True justice would see us punished, but with some mercy we might go free. A world without justice would be uninhabitable. A world without mercy would be inhumane. In May we begin with a new monthly theme of mercy. Our Universalist forbearers had a great capacity for mercy. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 14, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION As we at All Souls consider what we can do to protect and advance the rights and freedoms of women in the 21st century, it’s time to remember the 21 women who fought hard to forge a way forward for themselves and liberal religion in the American heartland between 1870 and 1925. Come and be inspired by their courage and enlightened by their vision. For the fight continues, and it is our turn today. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 7, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Joseph Boyd, Intern Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In our Lent Meditation for All Souls on the Beyond Belief blog, we had a chance to reflect on mortality and the miracle of life present in every moment. This Sunday we will explore how we can hold both our mortal, fragile humanity and the awesomeness of being alive - holding them together. By being more conscious of both, we can live and love more deeply, more completely. We will explore the gospel reading of Lazarus being raised from the dead. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 30, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Many people would argue the title of my message should be “Jesus or Science?” We live in an era of great division between those who hold a scientific worldview and those who hold fundamentalist religious views. There are those who claim there is a war between science and religion. But Jesus said, “blessed are the peacemakers.” Blessed indeed are the people who seek other solutions to conflict besides war and division. This Sunday in the Contemporary service I will explore ways that religion and science can work in partnership to help us discover what is true and good. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 23, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION An orthodox understanding of redemption is the act of buying one's freedom or having it paid for by someone else. It is mostly about compensation, which is to make up for something unwelcome or unpleasant by exerting an opposite effect. It usually involves some sense of guilt. Alan Cohn wrote, "A good definition of guilt is, "punishing yourself before God doesn't."' Anthony De Mello said, "When you are guilty, it is not your sins you hate but yourself." The only real redemption is the one that suggests you don't need it. Redemption transcends the illusion of lack, alienation, and isolation and recognizes that everything you need is contained in both who and what you are - that you exist and remain divine. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 23, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The concept of "alternative facts" is rightfully being scorned and mocked in politics today. Yet religion has often been, and continues to be, a realm of alternative facts. What does it mean to have a religion or church that rejects alternative facts and that seeks the truth in love and also seeks the truth with reason, science, and an openness to many perspectives? What facts are there that we can count on as we look to build a theology for our times? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The Easter Sunday homily was delivered on Sunday, April 16, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS HOMILY ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 9, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION On Sunday, on the eve of determining the next steps towards All Souls’ future, it was important for us to first join in worship. It was a time to remember how important this congregation is to each of us and to our community. After the abrupt resignation of Unitarian Universalist Association President, Peter Morales, it's more important than ever to focus on the future of Unitarian Universalism in the 21st century and our future in Tulsa. The potential is great, the stakes are high and the emotions are mixed. One thing that unites us, even in times of difference, is the call of our free faith. Let’s gather together to support each other. Let’s meet and connect with others who attend a different service. Let’s listen to each of our choirs sing. Let us strengthen the ties of love which bind us together, giving dignity, meaning, worth and joy to all our days. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 19, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Religious authority and Spiritual authority are often assumed to have the same meaning, but they differ. Religious authority is a human construct and has its place and purpose. Spiritual authority is the result of transcendence, elevated consciousness, and respect for levels of mystical growth and discernment. Some say we are not human beings looking for spiritual experiences but are Spirits having an Earthly encounter. Navigating the journey can be supported by religious guidance. We call this guidance ministry. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 19, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Joseph Boyd, Intern Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION A man asked Martin Luther, the Protestant reformer: “What would you do if you knew the end of the world would come tomorrow?” Luther replied: “I would plant a tree.” We’re all faced with the reality of endings. We can imagine the ending of our planet due to environmental devastation. Many are wondering if we are facing the end of our democratic experiment in America. Endings are personal too. We may be facing the end of a relationship, or the end of a loved one’s life, or even the end of our own. Luther’s paradoxical response of planting a tree may be able to open our understanding of what kind of attitude we need to cultivate in our reality of endings. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The reflections were delivered on Sunday, March 12, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Rev. Gerald Davis, Bishop Carlton Pearson, and Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar. DESCRIPTION The current UUWorld magazine features an article about race in America and focuses on Tulsa’s history and the role of All Souls throughout the past 96 years. Join us on Sunday, March 12 as Rev. Barbara Prose officiates a conversation between Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Rev. Gerald Davis, and Bishop Carlton Pearson about facing our past and forging our future. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
DESCRIPTION Sanctuary: a church or other sacred place where people are entitled to immunity from arrest. Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Rev. Barbara Prose, and special guests Rev. Alvaro Nova Ochoa, Rabbi Marc Fitzerman, and Jordan Mazariegos share their responses to the current climate of hostility towards immigrants. Please join us in exploring our responsibility as citizens, as we stand in and claim the moral authority of our respective traditions. Our ministers and Rabbi Fitzerman also share about the “New Sanctuary” movement. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS PODCAST ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 19, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Since the unexpected death of our daughter Sienna, we have learned that when a child precedes her parents in death, it reverses the usual dynamic of legacy. Instead of the parents’ legacy being in the child’s hands, the child’s legacy is in the parents’ hands. The Sienna Project is how we continue our daughter’s legacy. The Sienna Project is a non-profit which has now built eight schools in remote villages in Guatemala. Earlier this month, myself and sixteen All Souls members, were transformed by our experience building a new school in a small Mayan village. To see how Sienna’s short life will continually impact generations of children through education is a blessing beyond words. The Sienna Project is also changing our lives. Those who have participated in this year’s and past projects, have been transformed by the experience. It reminds me about the meaning and potential this life holds, even after death. We would like to share with you how the experience we had impacts the way we see our world and our place in it. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 12, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION “America will never be destroyed from the outside. If we falter and lose our freedoms, it will be because we destroyed ourselves.” —Abraham Lincoln Freedom is our power, our right to act, to speak, and to think as we want without hindrance or restraint. Freedom is an inside reality. Freedom is consciousness. Moshe Dayan calls freedom the “oxygen of the soul.” Freedom isn’t a gift as much as a choice. It is a decision one must make in order to experience both its outward and inward manifestation. Galatians 5:1 “Stand fast therefore in the freedom wherewith Christ (consciousness) has made you free and be not again entangle with a yoke of (religious) bondage...” “Freedom is never voluntarily given by the oppressor; it must be demanded by the oppressed.” —Martin Luther King, Jr. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 12, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION “The God who gave us life, gave us liberty at the same time.” —Thomas Jefferson Jefferson was an American Revolutionary and someone who penned the Declaration of Independence. But, how did he square this sentiment with being a slave owner? The reality is, most of us are more complex than our reputations allow. A faithful patriot can be an unfaithful spouse. Someone with a successful career can fail as a parent. Everyone has weaknesses but must we judge others by their worst mistakes? Can we honor parts of someone when they lack integrity in other areas? How do we measure the value of a life? Perhaps we reflect on the words from Jesus, “He that is without sin among you, let him first cast a stone.” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 5, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Joseph Boyd, Intern Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When we think of strangers, we often think of people who think and live differently than we do. This Sunday, we will explore the question: “Who is the stranger within us?” Mystics have emphasized the importance of beginner’s mind, of not taking ourselves and our world for granted. We will explore how to cultivate a state of mind that allows us to see ourselves with fresh eyes and how we can meet ourselves and others with an open heart. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 5, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Award winning film, Hidden Figures, highlights parts of the U.S. space program which have been long ignored. When parts of history are uncovered, they can change our understanding of ourselves and our understanding of our nation’s history. History is always in the making. What parts of our own histories do we need to uncover? Let’s shine a light into the dark corners of our own history so we can take our place as the writers, actors, and directors in the next act of our local and national story. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 29, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Distraught over recent events that suggest a change in your life? Grappling with an onslaught of news that seems to be contradictory? Seeking clarity that only church can provide? Well, I’ve got good news for you! Step right up and take a seat. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 22, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION "I'm not into organized religion. I'm into believing in a higher source of creation, realizing we're all just part of nature." -Neil Young Join me in the Contemporary service to discover the benefits of creating with intention. We will create out of habit and necessity. Let's explore what happens when we apply focus and intention to our creative efforts. After all, creation is part of our spiritual biology and mental ingenuity. Let's make the most of it. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 22, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION This month we are exploring creation as our theme. We are not just beings who are created, but we are also creators ourselves. Life can be thought of as a process of evolution, of creation and re-creation. Our ability to create something new is a defining quality of our humanness. It is what makes us different from other creatures. From certain theological perspectives, our ability to be creative makes us like God. From a purely scientific view, it makes us intelligent agents of evolution. This Sunday we explored some improvisational creating in worship that allowed us to witness this unique and potentially holy human attribute in action. Enjoy the musical improvisations of Tavis Minner and Tommy Poole. Dancer and artist Alicia Mosier Chesser joined Rev. Lavanhar for an improvisational performance, and Mia Wright expressed her poetic interpretations. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 15, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry, and Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Can you imagine what Martin Luther King Jr. would be saying in this era of Obama, Black Lives Matter, and Trump? We have some clues when we look at his writings and speeches. As we explore the theme of Creation, I want us to think creatively about how people like King and Jesus, who focused so much of their ministries and lives on inclusion, equality, and freedom, would have us respond in these times. It matters! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 8, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Creation and Divinity are inseparable. Creation is the testosterone of consciousness. We all have it and we all do it- create that is. It is part of our spiritual biology and mental ingenuity. We are created, creative, and creating beings. It is human nature to create, recreate, procreate, and co-create on every conceivable level. We create habitually. Learning to do so intentionally is our power of choice. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 8, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION As science continues to discover a universal story of how life came to exist, that story has the potential to become the unifying human story of creation. Such a unifying story could help humanity transcend our religious conflicts and recognize our interconnectedness. Creation myths of the many religions and cultures of the world would continue to provide values and cultural identity without having to compete regarding which story is the one true story. In such a world, science and religion would each have their respective roles and would not be seen as adversaries. At All Souls, we bring the world good news by fashioning a religion that is both scientifically wise and mythologically literate. A world which combines science and mythology creatively would be a world of hope and unity. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 1, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION As we enter into another year of anticipated struggle amidst surprising joy, it is imperative that we consider a human condition demands certain undeniable responses. Come join me on Sunday as we gird our loins and put on our armor to attain the best we can be. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, December 25, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Joseph Boyd, Intern Minister. HOMILY DESCRIPTION The first words spoken by God in the Hebrew scriptures are: “Let there be light.” What meaning can we make from these simple words? This time of year, combined with the first words spoken by God, teach us an important lesson; out of darkness comes light. Join me on Christmas day as we discover this light together, helping us engage the times we are living in with conviction and creative energy. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS HOMILY ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 18, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Deuteronomy 6:4 Hear, O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one. Deuteronomy 6:5 Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. It is not good for man to be alone, the only one, or the only one without special accompaniment. If we are made in the image and likeness of God, should we also be one? Or, is the entire idea of oneness just a fantasy? Do we anticipate oneness as a possibility more than a probability? Is there a difference between our God and your God? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 18, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Solstice represents the darkest time of the year and comes with the promise of hope being born out of that darkness. Today, people all over the world are witnessing atrocities and war crimes of unbelievable proportions in Syria through photos, tweets of despair, and live-feeds on social media. As millions of people - including thousands of children - face starvation, barrel bombs and torture at the hands of their fellow human beings, are there any signs of hope's promise in such a dark time? Where is God in this mass devastation? How and why are Syrian Christians creating makeshift crèches? How have Syrian Muslims maintained their holidays and hope despite the inhumanity and destruction? Let's not just talk about the theory of light's birth in dark times, let's stare into the heart of darkness today and see if we can find any light. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 11, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In the farthest reaches, regions, and rhythms of consciousness there is a reality and intelligence people like to call God. If, in fact, God is infinite (without end), then how can we who are finite (with limitations and a perceived end), define an Infinite Reality? God is not a name or a pronoun. God is not an it, a he, a she, or a they. God is a belief or ideology that varies according to culture, geography, tradition, and history. Bridging our humanity to divinity is the art and science of the human soul and sojourn. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 11, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Our national social justice campaign declares, “We Are Standing on the Side of Love.” But how is it done? How do we counter hatred and stay calm? How do we fight racism and remain friends? How do we meet our enemy and engage peacefully? Our times demand that we engage with these questions. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 4, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Sometimes it takes a lot of courage to go on living our lives. Other times it takes courage to change course. Where does this courage come from? How do we rise above the everyday circumstances we find ourselves in and act in the face of fear, danger, or despair? Some people draw on a higher power and others on a higher purpose. These are complicated and troubling times. Where does your “courage to be” originate? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 27, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION My favorite scriptural covenant is recorded as something Jesus said in the Gospel of Luke 10:27, ”Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind”; and “Love your neighbor as yourself” which suggests both vertical and horizontal covenant. Our history with indigenous people on this continent is the story of repeatedly broken covenants. How does our covenant with God impact and influence our agreements with each other? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, November 27, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Joseph Boyd, Intern Minister. HOMILY DESCRIPTION Joseph Boyd, intern minister, along with his wife Jennifer Ruth Boyd, and members, Elizabeth Arnett & Deborah Fritts camped at Oceti Sakowin when they answered the Call to Clergy to pray and support Standing Rock earlier this month. Joseph and members will share their experience of prayer, hope, and resilience and ask All Souls to come and worship with us in solidarity for Standing Rock. *Read more about their journey in the cover story article, Mni Wiconi: Dispatch from Standing Rock, November B issue of The Tulsa Voice: www.goo.gl/gZhOcq Also, read their blog entries on beyondbelief.online. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS PRESENTATION ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 20, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION A few times a year, all three distinct Sunday services join together in a single unforgettable celebration. All Souls held one service for all at 10:30 a.m. to celebrate Thanksgiving. This special service included music from five choirs, three children’s choirs, the Adult Choir, and New Dimensions Chorale. Our theme this year is Guess Who’s Coming To Dinner! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 13, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION What now? With 50% of the people celebrating and eager, and another 50% of the people grieving or protesting, how do we find our own center? Jesus called his disciples and followers to create family with people who were drastically different than themselves. We who feel his call and the legacy of that call to expand the covenant of our country and constitution to include ALL people, know we must face the future and each other with love and trust, instead of fear and suspicion. This is our practice, this is an arduous path of the heart - to love beyond belief. We need each other to survive. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 13, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When my plane touched down in the United States on Wednesday night, it was a different country from the one I left. I was in Frankfurt, Germany for the European Unitarian Universalist conference as the keynote speaker. After a presidential election like we have had, relationships are often frayed and strained and sometimes broken. How we respond when it's over makes a huge impact. One of the strengths of our democracy has been our ability to maintain our divergent positions while also coming back together as one nation after a hard fought campaign. After this election season, trust in our system of government has been broken for many reasons for many people. In Germany, they have been dividing over the issue of taking in over one million Syrian refugees. My talk was titled, Who's Your Neighbor and What Does Love Require of Us? It was a tremendous experience and lead to fascinating conversations. This same topic can be applied to our current situation in the United States. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 6, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Covenant is about agreement and agreement inevitably involves negotiation and even concession. You can actually agree to disagree and still be in covenant, or enjoy commitment and comradery. We don't have to go along to get along. We can mind many of the same things without necessarily having the same mind about everything. And such is the life and light of covenant community or covenant living! My favorite scriptural covenant is recorded as something Jesus said in the gospel of Luke 10:27 "Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;" and "Love your neighbor as yourself" which suggests both vertical and horizontal covenant. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 6, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION A ticket to a baseball game costs $17 and a hot dog costs $2, but the experience of the game, is priceless. This election season has had many costs, including a loss of faith in the political process, doubt about the strength of our union, and heightened anxiety that we will no longer be a great nation. No matter who wins or what happens when the outcome is decided, what are you willing to pay to protect our democracy? And what will it cost to stay committed to our covenant as citizens of this country? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 30, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Because I have always had low vision, being able to see became part of my identity. Thick glasses suggested a bookish countenance which meant I was expected to know something. It was only in my course of development did I realize knowing something is not vision. Vision has to have imagination. Join me on Sunday when we imagine what love can do. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 30, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In the Broadway musical Wicked, we find a new twist on the old classic, The Wizard of Oz. It turns out the “good” witch is not so good after all and the “wicked” witch, well, she ain’t so bad. In this delightful tale the complexities of what causes one person to be deemed “good” and another to be seen as “evil” is brought to life in an unforgettable way. This Sunday to conclude our October exploration on the theme of Good and Evil we have some extraordinary singers who will bring to us songs from the musical to help touch our hearts and stir our conscience. In my message I will be lifting up some timeless truths from the musical. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 23, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Adam and Eve were free to eat from any tree in the Garden … except from the tree which separated good from evil, the forbidden tree. Do we ignore or embrace that duality today? And how do we do it? What might be the consequences of doing either? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 16, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION At the first summit on religion and race, Moses and Pharaoh were the two main participants. Moses said, “Let My people go.” Pharaoh replied: “I do not know the Lord, and moreover I will not let Israel go.” Our world and work today is a continuation of that first summit meeting. Pharaoh is not ready to capitulate. The exodus began, but is far from having been completed. In fact, it was easier for the children of Israel to cross the Red Sea than for a black man to navigate the first 25 years of his life in this country without getting killed. As we continue to agitate, advocate and act for racial justice, let us not forget that the spirit of religion is to unite, and the spirit of racism is to divide. Before he died Moses said, “I have put before you life and death, blessing and curse. Choose life.” Theologian Reinhold Niebuhr wrote, “Race prejudice, a universal human ailment, is the most recalcitrant aspect of the evil in man….(it is) a treacherous denial of the existence of God.” So it is we who must choose between good and evil, religion and race, life and death, blessing and curse. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 16, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Joseph Boyd, Intern Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION This is a season of ghost stories. Have you ever seen a ghost? Maybe you have, and never knew it. Come this Sunday, and find out. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 9, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION According to the old testament biblical narrative Genesis 2:16-17, Adam and Eve were free to eat from or live off any tree (or truth) in the Garden, except the one that separates or distinguishing good from evil. That is called the forbidden tree or truth. How do we ignore or embrace that duality today? And what might be the consequences of doing either? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 9, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There are moments in life when we can feel as if we are part of history. Events like seeing the first African American President’s inauguration or witnessing the World Trade Towers disintegrate into ashes are the kinds of potent moments when the course of life events feel changed forever. It sometimes feels like we are making progress and then there is a reactive movement that tries to pull progress back. Rev. William Barber III says we are in the 3rd Reconstruction and we can expect a backlash. How can we keep hope in progress alive? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The Community Forum was held on Thursday, October 6, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma. DESCRIPTION The forum was to educate people about racism, inspire people to take action, and encourage them to engage in the second civil rights movement that is taking place, right now, in our city, and in our nation. We invite white people, and our friends of color, to listen to African American and white leaders in our community who are actively doing the work to break down systemic racism. The focus of this program is the role of white people in the work of combating racism. PANELISTS: Kristen Oertel, Ph.D. teaches the Civil War and Reconstruction, African-American history, the history race and gender in America, and the history of sexuality at the University of Tulsa. She writes about how race and gender influenced social and cultural relations in the 19th century, especially during the Civil War era. Oertel's most recent book, Harriet Tubman: Slavery, the Civil War, and Civil Rights in the 19th Century, chronicles the life of this iconic leader of the Underground Railroad. Marq Lewis is the founder of We the People Oklahoma, a grassroots organization focused on transparency and accountability from public officials and law enforcement. We the People Oklahoma works on behalf of the citizens of Oklahoma, giving a voice for positive change. Lewis is a social activist on the local and national stage. He was recently honored with a United Nations Association Humanitarian award, and named 2015 Tulsan of the Year, as well as one of the four Oklahomans of the year. Rev. Dr. Rodney Goss is the Senior Pastor of Morning Star Baptist Church. Rev. Goss currently serves as the Vice-chairman for the Hattiesburg, MS chapter of the NAACP's Religious Affairs Committee. Rev. Goss earned his Doctorate and Master of Theology degrees from Andersonville Theological Seminary in Camilla, GA, graduating Magna Cum Laude in both degrees. He earned his Bachelor of Science degree in Christian Education from Southeastern Baptist College in Laurel, MS. Rev. Barbara Prose came to All Souls in 2011 and has served as the Executive Director of Ministry since 2014. Rev. Prose has more than twenty years of social justice experience, which includes immigration rights, reproductive justice, and racial justice. She was honored to receive the Unitarian Universalists Association’s Social Justice Sermon award for her work in immigration in 2013. Rev. Prose serves on the board for the Tulsa YWCA, whose mission is to eliminate racism and empower women. Chad Johnson, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of Human Relations and Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Oklahoma, Schusterman Center. In 2011, he directed a Tulsa-wide survey on race relations and the 1921 Tulsa Race Riot for the John Hope Franklin Center for Reconciliation. In 2014, he published the 3-volume Praeger Handbook of Social Justice and Psychology. He actively engages in advocacy and facilitates training in racial justice, human rights, and LGBTQ issues. Justice Waidner-Smith is a Diversity and Inclusion professional, racial justice advocate, and All Souls board member. Justice came to All Souls more than 25 years ago and has served as a facilitator for Rewire, a racial identity group for white people to unlearn racism. She currently serves on the All Souls Intercultural Advisory Board and Personnel Committee and as the President of the Unitarian Universalist Women’s Federation. Rev. Chris Moore is the Senior Minister at Fellowship Congregational United Church of Christ. Chris received his BA in English from the University of Oregon and an Masters of Divinity from Phillips Theological Seminary. He serves on the boards of JustHope, a Tulsa-based nonprofit working to create sustainable partnerships in Nicaragua, and ACTION (Allied Communities of Tulsa Inspiring Our Neighborhoods), a community organizing institution. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS COMMUNITY FORUM ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 2, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When we confront deep challenges and crises we also are presented with great opportunities. In Christian language, such times are called, “Kairos” time. The idea is that God is fully present to us in these times. In Kairos times, what is considered usual is disrupted and there is the possibility for a new future. It is a time that is pregnant with the potential for a new relationship with one’s history and one’s sense of self and others. It is considered also to be God’s call into a new relationship between us and God. Tulsa is in Kairos time after the tragic killing of Terence Crutcher. His father, Rev. Joey Crutcher, in forgiving the police officer for killing his son, while also continuing to pursue justice, is showing us a way forward that is deeply rooted in his Christian faith. Can Tulsa “Rise Up” in this Kairos moment? What can we learn from it? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 2, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION There is no better way to conquer an enemy than to divide them—thus the expression, “divide and conquer.” For hundreds of years, religion has used the threat of being divided in the afterlife—go to heaven or go to hell—as a way of dividing and disempowering people. Temptation to defend ourselves, when we talk about issues of oppression, divides families and friendships. This defensiveness and division is a threat to our families, our future, and our freedom. Let’s talk about the connections between oppressions so we can, as Rev. Dr. Barber says, build a “fusion coalition of people committed to reconstructing America itself.” The most important word in our constitution and in our work for justice, is “we.” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 25, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Vision is the ability to think about and plan the future with imagination and creative wisdom. Visions and images of the future are like magnets. They literally pull you towards them. There is a metaphysical aspect to vision which suggests the imagination precedes action. In other words, before you attempt to make something right, you must first see it right. What you see is what you ultimately will get! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 25, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The laws changed with the Civil Rights movement, but laws alone do not change attitudes, social structures, and economic conditions that have existed for centuries... After centuries of cultural, institutional, economic, and social racism, a culture and a society does not just change a law or do any one thing, and all of a sudden, everyone's actions and attitudes change. Racial bias is baked into the foundations of this culture from the very beginning. It's ingrained in our collective psyche. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, September 18, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, at the Humanist Service by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. REFLECTION DESCRIPTION When we cling to an idealized image of love, our marriages fail. When we stay attached to our parents’ projection of who we are supposed to be, we pass up on opportunities to fulfill our own unique destiny. When we dream about the congress and the country we wish existed, we can become cynical or disengaged. How would your life change if you stopped dreaming? If you let go of your habit of wishful thinking and embraced your life just as it is? This Sunday we will explore how our visions and dreams prevent us from living and loving ourselves and each other right now. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 18, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Dr. Willie J. Parker, Guest Speaker. SERMON DESCRIPTION Malchus, the servant of the Jewish high priest whose ear Peter cut off with the sword when Jesus was taken at the Garden of Gethsemane, was healed at the same time that Jesus forbade his followers to engage in assault for his protection. On the big issues of the day militancy is escalating on both sides of truth. In his last public miracle, Jesus heals the injured ear, a critical portal for truth and dialogue, and more importantly, he commands his follower to put away weapons of offense. I will explore how in the quest for truth, each of us are both Malchus and Peter, making it in all of our best interest to heed Jesus’ command to put away the sword. *Dr. Willie J. Parker is a reproductive justice advocate and abortion care provider. His work includes a focus on violence against women, sexual assault prevention, and reproductive health rights through advocacy, provision of contraceptive and abortion services, and men’s reproductive health. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 11, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION For many people there were two different responses to the tragedy of 9/11. Both had to do with trust. One was “Can we ever trust our nation to protect us from a reoccurrence of 9/11?” The other, “Do we need protection from a government who allowed or who aligned itself to this tragedy?” What dominates your consciousness, fear or faith? Tricks or trust? You decide! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 11, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION We say that “Love is the spirit of our church” and we aim to “love beyond belief.” It’s important to consider how we make our love visible, how we make our love audible, and how it is felt. This year, at All Souls, we will choose love over fear as we will learn to “Love Out Loud.” Next Sunday we will commemorate the 15th anniversary of the 911 attacks on our nation in 2001. Our adult choirs will join together for special performances where our love will be heard in harmony and I will share my vision of how we will “Love Out Loud” together. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 4, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Steven Williams, Student Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There’s a passage in Matthew 5 that starts, “When the Son of Man comes... All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats.” Instead of taking a literal approach to this statement, I think it represents what kind of behavior God wants from people, and what the world would look like in the best case scenario, where we act in our common interest — or the worst case scenario, where we act in our self-interest. When we act like goats, which are hierarchical, everyone-for-oneself creatures, then the world suffers. But, when we act in the interest of all humanity, we allow for eternal life. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 4, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Will you choose love or fear? At a recent Justice Council meeting, representatives from each of our justice teams checked in. As members immersed in protecting Tulsa’s natural resources and meeting the needs of Tulsa’s children and teachers, new voters, inmates, and immigrants described their projects, I realized that during this election season, we can choose the path of public love, over that of public hate and fear. So, on this Labor Day Sunday, I hope you will join me and learn about the labor of these All Souls leaders. They’ll be here too, to meet and talk with you! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 28, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION The Hebrew word for heart is lev, means the authority within. How do you care for and tune into your heart? How do you get back in sync with the foundational rhythm of your being when the world throws you off course? The path and pattern of the heart is map and guide to the wisdom within. Join me on this heartfelt journey. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, August 28, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. John B. Wolf, Minister Emeritus. HOMILY DESCRIPTION We celebrate the 40th Anniversary of our Children and Youth Choirs and the 95 year heritage of All Souls Unitarian Church. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS HOMILY ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, August 28, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Kent Doss, Choir Alumnus, Tapestry UU Church. HOMILY DESCRIPTION We celebrate the 40th Anniversary of our Children and Youth Choirs and the 95 year heritage of All Souls Unitarian Church. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS HOMILY ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, August 28, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. HOMILY DESCRIPTION We celebrate the 40th Anniversary of our Children and Youth Choirs and the 95 year heritage of All Souls Unitarian Church. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS HOMILY ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 21, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Do you have opinions or do your opinions have you? Have you ever asked yourself which one is in control -- you or your opinions? Do some of your opinions causes you to react or respond most energetically or emotionally, and for some, even violently? Can you answer why a particular opinion is worth what it costs you to have it? What happens if a particular opinion you hold changes? Join me to explore the impact of personal opinion. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 14, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Have you ever felt like your heart is out of order? Are your priorities are confused? Is your time at All Souls not satisfying your need for an intimate and profound connection with yourself or the Sacred? Today's challenges are not identical to the challenges the first Christian or Buddhist monks faced more than a thousand years ago. But, ancient Eastern and Western monasteries were counter cultural communities which resisted the religious and secular demands of their day. Modern monastics claim to live in monasteries without walls. What might the monk as a universal archetype have to teach us, iconoclasts of today, about the reordering of our own hearts? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 7, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Minister Carmen White Janak, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Rev. Dr. Martin King once said, "The ultimate measure of a [wo]man is not where [s]he stands in moments of comfort and convenience, but where [s]he stands at times of challenge and controversy." In a time when black bodies line the streets like they once hung from trees, we must all use our voices and our feet to act against racial injustice and racialized oppression. This commitment to speak out is not situational or temporary. We must all fight for justice until "justice rolls down like waters, and righteousness like an ever-flowing stream." Let us honor this sacred moment in history by proclaiming we can't and we won't be silent anymore! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 7, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION This summer, I took to learning the flying trapeze. This experience and the art of flying trapeze is a great metaphor for life and spiritual growth. One has to know when and how to hold on and when to let go. A person has to have faith, or at least trust, in themselves to let go and in the catcher to grab hold. Our Summer of Living Dangerously series continues with Commitment being the theme for August. Commit to joining us. I'll be talking about taking flight, when to hold on, and when to let go. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 31, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION We, as humans, think we can predict the outcomes of our actions and decisions, yet life is governed by unintended consequences. At one time, the British government attempted to reduce the problem of venomous Cobra snakes in India by creating a reward for dead snakes. Initially, it worked to reduce the threat, but eventually many people began to breed Cobra’s in order to profit from the reward. The government then stopped offering rewards which lead to breeders setting worthless snakes free - increasing the menace significantly. In the 70’s and 80’s, the CIA funded Afghan Mujahideen rebels to defeat the Soviets. This inadvertently lead to the rise of the Taliban and Al-Qaeda. During the 20’s, prohibition in America increased organized crime and corruption. Personal and policy decisions tend to created unintended consequences. How can we prepare for unintended consequences in our individual and communal lives? Also, as our city and nation discuss ways to move forward politically and practically, let us pay attention to the humbling role of unforeseen outcomes and the conflict of interests which can cause them. Special thanks to All Souls member Scott Asbiornson, one of our recent “auction sermon” winners, for suggesting this intriguing topic. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 24, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Avoiding conflict is virtually impossible. Working and walking through it responsibly is the discipline of graceful living. Making a conscious decision to co-exist and cohabitate peacefully while recognizing, respecting, tolerating, and celebrating our honest and legitimate differences, is a social discipline. This is achieved through developing higher levels of consciousness and reverence for the elegance, eloquence and excellence of our human and divine proclivities and intrinsic virtues. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 24, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION “Whether it’s the violence and terror by those who misuse the badge or the violence and terror against those who wear the badge and are doing their sworn duty, it is wrong. Violence will only beget more violence,” said the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber. The way of non-violence is a deep and demanding spiritual commitment that we can all adopt as our own. It is active, never passive. Now is the time to read and study the words of Thoreau, Gandhi, and King as we recommit to the practice of satyagraha, or soul force. We really do need each other to survive. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 17, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Conflict is a form of friction. In psychology, conflict is defined as a condition in which a person experiences a clash of opposing wishes or needs. To feel incompatible or at variance; to clash. Friction, on a personal and human level, is conflict or animosity caused by a clash of wills, temperaments, or opinions. Newton’s third law suggests that for every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. Walking and working through this reality must be deliberate and intentional rather than combative. The key is finding the emotional lubricant that makes conflict bearable and even productive. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 17, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION This has been one of the toughest weeks of my life. The tragic killing of two men at the hands of police and then the tragic killing of five police officers, all in one week, in one nation, is too much. “The sounds of bullets, the pictures of death and violence, we’re seeing it too much. Rather than love and humanity, we’re seeing death and inhumanity. This is violence and death gone wild,” says the Rev. Dr. William J. Barber. I hope to see you in church this Sunday, so together we can explore the human roots of conflict and violence, as we reclaim our own humanity, share some tips on how to deal with conflict in our daily lives, and ready ourselves for the long walk toward a more just and peaceful world. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 10, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Author and professor Cornell West often reminds us that justice is just love in public. I believe love in public, unfortunately, requires struggle – from Seneca Falls to Selma and Stonewall. To reference President Obama, we have witnessed how struggle can lead to justice. Conflict, therefore, is not always a bad thing. Come ride with me on this freedom train onto the battlefield. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 3, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Jihad has become a scary word in the west among non-Muslims. It’s been used to refer to holy wars and insurgencies. Yet, the word ‘Jihad’ is one of the sacred pillars of #Islam. We are told Islam is a religion of peace. It’s probably time more of us understand what this word and concept truly mean. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 26, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Louie Rojas, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION What’s the worst thing you’ve done? What’s the best thing you’ve done? How did courage impact the choices you made? Summoning insane courage to do the right thing and make the right choice requires fortitude, which can be learned. I will share my “Jonah story” and talk about ways to be valiente and courageous. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 26, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Victor M. Parachin, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION What the world needs now is love, sweet love, It’s the only thing that there’s just too little of – Burt Bacharach That song was first recorded in 1965 and gained popularity all over the world. Love is important. We think about it, talk about it, sing about it. But, what does “love” look like? What is the “love” that the world needs now? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, June 19, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION The mass shooting in Orlando on Sunday has given way to two visions of America. Many of us have heard what the pundits and politicians are saying. We are seeing how the ties that bind a nation of people from all nations can be shredded. The question before people of goodwill is "What does love call us to do?" This question cannot be divorced from "What does common sense call us to do?" or "How do we deal with real threats to our safety and security?" Like a parent's love, the love that binds us, is also a love that fiercely protects us. In this culture of soundbites and slogans, it is time for thoughtful people to look with a deeper lens at the problems before us and to discern the love and loyalties that are most likely to save us. I look forward to contributing to the dialogue and to "putting my thumb on the scale" on behalf of the only America that makes any moral, practical and meaningful sense to me. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 12, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION New York Times journalist, Wesley Morris called him, “the most important political-cultural figure to survive the deadly tumult of the 1960s and flourish in the 1970s.” Muhammed Ali’s beliefs transfixed and polarized our country thirty years before the Black Lives Matter movement. Ali is the personification of courage. Words like radical, truth, fame and, risk describe the complicated and contradictory man who turned boxing into a referendum on the state of the country. Born Cassius Clay during the Jim Crow era in Louisville, Kentucky, he learned to box after his red Schwinn bicycle was stolen at the age of twelve. At 22, Ali won his first heavyweight title. Join us this Sunday as we explore what his life has to tell and teach us about courage today. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 5, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It seems that grace appears or is needed at the worst times in our lives. To amaze is defined as “causing great surprise or wonder”. That could be anything from a child being born to September 11th and the trade center towers crumbling to the ground. Is it the grace or the events that necessitate its appearance or presence in our lives that amazes us most? Perhaps it’s both; lost and found, blind now seeing. Being lost and blind is almost as amazing as being found and later seeing. Both tend to be other than ordinary. Guess it’s all relative. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 5, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION In the Wizard of Oz, the lion’s, the scarecrow’s, and the tin man’s natural or God-given gifts are the parts of their personality they can’t see themselves. Dorothy and her three friends must take a long journey to discover what was right in front of their eyes all the time. What if your innate gifts are invisible to you? What road must you walk to discover them and what friends will you need to help you live into them? I hope you’ll join me as we begin our Summer of Living Dangerously, including the themes of Courage (June), Conflict (July), and Commitment (August). The world can’t wait for us to discover our brains, our hearts and our courage. The time to start the journey is now as we celebrate our own high school graduations and all our members who are ready for the next level of exploration and expression in their own lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, May 22, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. David Ruffin, Assistant Minister. HOMILY DESCRIPTION “Unfurl yourself into the grace of new beginning. That is at one with your life’s desire… For your soul senses the world that awaits you.” —John O’Donohue What is possible when we truly, fully receive the gift of Grace? What power do we release in our lives? What does it look like to not just have faith that grace will be there when we most need it (i.e. when our normal control mechanisms fail us) but to surrender to it, opening ourselves to receive and follow the flow of grace, each and every day?! The promise of grace - the unearned, unconditional love and beauty, and “right here, right now,” goodness of life, is the promise of the possibility of freedom from fear. Not freedom from vulnerability or heartbreak. But true freedom from ultimate fear. Can you let this promise give birth to you anew? What are you free to be and do with this one wild beautiful life of yours? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS HOMILY ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 15, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION If grace is a gift freely given to all people including the righteous and the wicked, how are you doing in relationship to grace? Are you “making space for grace” as Rev. Barbara Prose asked last Sunday? Is there room in your daily life and in your heart for love and spirit to enter in new and surprising ways? It is Pentecost Sunday and opening oneself as a vessels of the spirit is how the first church service began. It was an eclectic and diverse group of people who gathered on Pentecost and found their lives transformed. How are we like them and what is required for us to open ourselves as recipients and as conduits of God’s love? What would it mean if we did? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 15, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION We know perception and reality don’t always match up. But what can we do about it? We assume that the external world maps our internal experience. This is a cup. I pour water into it and have a drink. But psychologists and neuroscientists are discovering that even perception is not fixed but flexible, and that we are incapable of being fully objective, even in our most mundane observations. Knowing this, let’s talk about the tools that can help us navigate the stormy waters of our personal relationships and today’s political landscape, so we can make more space for grace in our daily lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 1, 2016, at All SoulsUnitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar,Senior Minister.SERMON DESCRIPTIONIs there a goodness of life that is bestowed on us regardless ofwhether or not we deserve it? In traditional theological languagethis would be called “grace.” It is said that there is a goodnessthat is granted to us solely to the degree that we have thecapacity to receive it. If that is true, then a realistic goalwould be to remove the barriers and obstacles that get in the wayof our receiving such free gifts. Through the course of life weaccumulate various barriers to life’s goodness. Yet, if people canexperience the goodness of life without earning it, why wouldn’tthat encourage people to be selfish or bad? Good things happen tobad people and since we all are bad sometimes, this is good news!Sunday, as we launch our new theme of “Gifts and Grace” I willspeak in the Traditional Service and The Point about the idea ofunmerited gifts, that like the sun, are received by the therighteous and the unrighteous alike.SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:or text LOVEBB to 41444LET'S CONNECT:Facebook:Twitter:All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 17, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It is an American cultural condition to “hold on.” It’s part of our common consciousness and motivates us from birth. We naturally hold on to our mother’s breast for nourishment and life. “Holding on for dear life” is a term of both desperation and strength. Letting go on the other hand is in sometimes considered a weakness and even for some, a sin. But there comes a time when letting go can actually save your life. Letting go is often a more rewarding discipline than hanging on. In this day of ongoing change and evolution, we must all learn the art, discipline and science of letting go. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 17, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. David Ruffin, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Even though letting go is at the heart of being alive, we often resist it with all the strength we have. But clinched fists receive little… Striving to hold on to what we cannot grasp, we keep ourselves from the greatest gifts life has to offer. In a contemporary culture that emphasizes accruing our way toward happiness, could you risk letting go of your white-knuckled grip on what you think you need to be okay? If you can, you may find you’re finally able to fully receive what you’re already being given, and for that matter, finally able to fully give what you’re capable of giving to others. But you’ll never really know unless you really let go. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/UnTtxHlOM2o SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=allsoulsunitarian GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE
or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Twitter: https://twitter.com/AllSoulsTulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 10, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The opposite of letting go is holding on. Both have their place and purpose in consciousness and character. Knowing when and how to do either is a spiritual discipline of life, love, and liberty. Freedom is not for cowards. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 10, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Sometimes it seems like the things we are drawn to or that we like best are not always the things that are good for us. Why do people have such a hard time letting go, even when we are letting go of something or someone that we know is hurting us? How can we learn to let go? When we do let go? And how can we maintain our freedom? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Easter Sunday, March 27, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 20, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION As most people, particularly Christians, perceive it, the concept of salvation is actually built more around fear than faith. Religious faith is more in religious fears, or fear based theologies, particularly fear of God or the gods than it is in benevolence. Do we need Jesus to protect us from God? Jesus didn’t come to protect us from God, but to reconnect us to God in consciousness. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 20, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When I took on the task of describing “Are Humanists Saved” for The Point on March 6, I reinterpreted an experience I had about five years ago at a punk rock concert. The conclusions I took from the story five years later were new and in some ways surprising. Come find out how I was “saved” at a punk rock concert and what it means for you and our community. It’s probably not what you think. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 13, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. David Ruffin, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Our tradition long ago rejected the idea that God, being all knowing and all powerful, had pre-destined some to be saved (the elect) and pre-destined others… not to be. “Where does human agency come into that equation?!” said early Unitarians. And yet, nowadays, here at All Souls, we tell EVERYBODY that they’re included in God’s love. Or, in other words, we tell everyone that they’re already saved! But then… what role does our human agency play in that?! Instead of engaging with the age old debate - are we saved by faith alone or by works alone, let’s make it personal. What is saving YOU, right now? And what role do you play in being saved, and even saving others? See you in church! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 13, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION We are a people who believe in original blessing, not original sin. So theoretically, there’s nothing for us to be saved from. Certainly we don’t need to be saved from death itself. But what if what we really need, is to be saved from our selves? Then our sins – our experiences of turning away from the light and allowing ourselves to be pulled into the darkness – are the signs and signals we need, to help us turn our lives back around. “Sin is our only hope,” writes Barbara Brown Taylor, “because the recognition that something is wrong is the first step toward setting it right again.” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, March 6, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during David Ruffin's Ordination, by Rev. Erik Resly, Guest Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS HOMILY ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 6, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Salvation is a daily occurrence, challenge and discipline of life and living. To save or salvage is to rescue something from loss, damage or death, be that a life, a person, a marriage, ministry or business. We spend our lives retrieving or preserving (something) from potential loss or adverse circumstances. Doing so is an art, a science, a sequence and a sacred trust of all benevolent and responsible souls. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 28, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop John Selders, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION An inspirational exploration of the principle and concept of courage and its relevance for living in this day and time. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 21, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Unity and Diversity is the anthemic motto of the United States, but has never been fully expressed or experienced, except perhaps in times of national catastrophe. To accomplish this concept of the Beloved community, we must understand that we don’t have to go along to get along, that we can mind many of the same things without necessarily having the same mind about everything. E pluribus Unum means out of many One. On a spiritual level, I say “Out of One Essence Many.” This is an important aspect of Universalism. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 21, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by David Ruffin, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION One of the grandest stories we tell in these United States is of our great unity amidst our diversity. E pluribus unum... “out of many one!” We are many… but how united are we really? And do we really honor and respect our differences? We long for union and connection, sensing some greater truth in oneness. But we also fear difference and long for security. Amidst these competing commitments, we often settle for a story of unity, even if down deeper we know it ain’t necessarily so. So let’s set aside our idealized visions of holding hands across America, and our idealized visions of our own lives while we’re at it, and explore anew where we each really are… And how we might yet come together. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 14, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION As our nation celebrates the idealized notion of romantic love, we will dig a little deeper for the gold hidden in the experienced hearts of our own members. How many times can a heart be broken and still give and receive love? How long can a marriage last and still be full of energy and intimacy? I have talked to several couples in our congregation who have been married more than 50 years, but also newlyweds, divorcees, and singles. I promise, you’ll leave with a few good tips for whatever relationship you’re nurturing these days …. including those of you focused primarily on healthy self love. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 7, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by David Ruffin, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION One of the grandest, boldest lies we tell in these United States is of our great unity amidst our diversity. E pluribus unum... “out of many one.” Purple America! We are many… but are we so united? And to the extent that we are, do we truly honor and respect our differences? We humans do long for union and for the experience of connection. We sense some greater truth in oneness. But, we also covet control and certainty. Amidst these competing commitments, the story and feeling of unity in diversity is a compromise for which we often settle, even if down deeper we know it ain’t necessarily so. What truly holds us together? For that matter, what holds one individual together and me together? Is there unity amidst the diversity of our own identities? Let’s set aside our dreams of holding hands across America, for a moment at least, and start here by looking deeper within. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 7, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Both sides of the political spectrum in our country are claiming someone has stolen the American Dream. The result is that the American people are turning on each other. "A house divided against itself cannot stand," said Abraham Lincoln. A person divided within himself (or herself) is also set up to fall. Politicians and religious leaders often offer simplistic answers that feed on people's desire for control in uncertain times. The divisions we are seeing are in part a spiritual disease. Our initial work to repair the divisions in our country begins within. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 31, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Institution-based organizing is taking place right here in this church. It is important, therefore, to hear from this pulpit good reasons to participate. Join me as we map out our route! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 31, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Our state is broke. We’re having an average of 5 earthquakes a day. Our national elections are around the corner. 40% of OK residents vote. And we, as a community of liberal religious people, are conscientiously working to make this world a better place, putting our hearts, minds, and elbow grease into making Tulsa a little piece of heaven here on earth. Let's imagine you have the power to create a new law in the state of Oklahoma. What issue would you choose to focus on? What do you think would accomplish the most good for the most people? Imagine you can’t choose by yourself but are being invited to share your own stories with others so that we can work together to create a new law or change an old one - right here in Oklahoma. Now imagine you are successful. If this feels like a dream, it’s a dream about to come true, because we are the ones we’ve been waiting for. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 24, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Lying has become so pervasive in our culture that we now have countless ways of dressing it up so that it doesn’t sound so bad. Instead of telling lies anymore, we: “Massage the truth” or we, “offer the truth from a favorable perspective” or we engage in “selective disclosure,” “creative enhancement,” “strategic misrepresentations,” “poetic truth.” We bend the truth or shade the truth or shave the truth or stretch it a bit. And our current favorite dress for dishonesty, we say it isn’t a lie, it’s just spin. It’s the truth enhanced. Why do we lie? That is the subject of my message this Sunday. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 17, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The words true, truth, truce, and trust all suggest fact and reality, which at least appears accurate or exact, dispel suspicions and paranoia causing conflict to subside. Most of us can handle the truth. It’s the lies, deceptions, and inaccuracies of life that we fear most. We can go and grow from fear to freedom once we dare trace and face our truth! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 17, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION A look at why there has never been an African American "Al Qaida" or African American "Intifada" movement in America despite the violence and disenfranchisement of African Americans throughout history and what we can learn from these two African American leaders of the past about how to deal with global terrorism. As our nation, once again, celebrates the legacy and honors the life and leadership of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., I look at the relationship between Dr. King and Malcolm X to see what it teaches us about Islam as well as about our current climate of prejudice in America. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 10, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In John 14:6 it is written that Jesus said: “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” This passage has been interpreted to mean that Jesus is the exclusive way to God. If course, it makes a big difference if a person believes there is only one truth or there are many truths. If there are many truths, then what does truth even mean? Can something be true to one person or in one place or in one time and then be untrue to someone else in another place and another time? Is everything relative? Or is there a central truth we can always count on? This will be my topic on Sunday as we continue this month’s theme of Truth. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 10, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION “Truth and courage aren’t always comfortable, but they’re never weaknesses.” According to Brenee Brown, it takes curiosity and courage to tell our true stories so that we can live a wholehearted life. It also requires that we get curious about our own feelings, and not believe every story we tell ourselves. The new year is just the right time to give ourselves a fresh start and I am learning so much from Brown, I am grateful to be able to share more stories about how we can develop shame resilience as we learn to claim our own worthiness. Are you ready to be more caring and more confident? Ready to be less resentful and regretful? It seems like we all want to be relaxed, real, resilient. But when life events knock us down, we either want to deny the pain or distract ourselves with various pleasures. Since we know life will knock us down again in the coming year, it makes sense to learn as much as we can about how people have managed to rise strong, even stronger and more whole than they were before, so we can be ready for something really new in 2016. Jesus said, “Know the truth and it will set you free.” But what kind of truth was he talking about? This Sunday we’ll explore how telling ourselves the truth about our own feelings and our own stories, can set us free to live and love the way we imagine it’s possible to do. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 3, 2016, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It makes a big difference if a person believes there is only one truth or there are many truths. If there are many truths, then what does truth even mean? Can something be true to one person or in one place or in one time and then be untrue to someone else in another place and another time? Is everything relative? Or is there a central truth we can always count on? Happy New Year! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 27, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION We are in between Christmas and New Year’s Day. This in-between season has us leaning back and forth, looking back and looking forward. But we are called to be in the here and now. Come join me as we commune in the present and delightfully revel in this space. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 20, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Americans seem to have strong opinions about Muslims, Islam, and the Quran, but also have very little knowledge of the faith with which they talk. In the message, The Quran and Jesus, Rev. Lavanhar shares some little known facts about Islam and how they relate to Christianity and this season. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 13, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Peace means ultimate calm resolve or resolution. The pursuit for and of it seems to be, for most, a major exercise in futility. Peace is understanding and embracing the nature of the beast. Why does peace seem so elusive? Are we missing something? Or is peace something we must always "fake it till we make it?" We don't have to go along to get along. We can mind many of the same things without having the same mind about everything. Let’s get started! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, December 13, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION The headlines recently are disturbing: “There Have Been More Mass Shootings Than Sunrises This Year.” “World War Isis.” “God Isn’t Fixing This.” With headlines like that, it’s time to talk. Are we violent or compassionate by nature? Are wars inevitable or avoidable? Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, “The choice is not between violence and nonviolence but between nonviolence and nonexistence.” What is the opposite of violence, if it is not nonviolence? It’s time to talk because the more we understand about the roots of violence, the more we can effectively contribute to and create peace, in the world and in our own lives. It’s time to talk, because what we think and believe really matters. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: WATCH THIS MESSAGE ON YOUTUBE: SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: or text LOVEBB to 41444 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 6, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by David Ruffin, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When I was a kid, my mother always made me hand write thank you notes for any gift I received. It was, my mother instructed me, simply the right thing to do. ...I confess, the practice did not become a habit. Which raises the question, can you command gratitude? The bible certainly does... And giving the mounting scientific data correlating health and happiness with gratitude, so soon might your physician! But something far more powerful is at work causing us to share our praise and thanksgiving with the fullness, freedom and gladness with which we can...even when our situation feels anything but praiseworthy…such that our praise itself becomes generative of praise. Join me in exploring the creative power we hold to re-awaken to and, in fact, to fulfill the good news of Universal love, through our praise. Join me in opening your heart, anew, to sharing gratitude that grows. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 6, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Traditionally at this time of year, Christians are preparing for the coming of God. I saw a bumper sticker once that said, “Jesus is Coming, Look Busy!” Yet, regardless of one’s beliefs or one’s questions about belief, we can all feel at times like we are preparing for something. Have you ever been through a challenging experience and had the feeling that you were being prepared for something bigger? Let’s talk about what it is for which we feel we must be prepared. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, November 22, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. HOMILY DESCRIPTION All Souls will held one combined service at 10:30 a.m. with music from many of our different choirs (Children’s, Youth, Cherubs, New Dimensions and the Adult Choirs will all participate). Children were asked to bring fruits or vegetables to add to our cornucopia in the front of the sanctuary. All of the food was donated to those in need in our city. A few times a year, all three distinct Sunday services join together in a single unforgettable celebration. Our theme this year: Turning the Tables. The Sunday before Thanksgiving is one of the four times a year when we offer a communion service (in the style of our partner church in Europe). The ritual was conducted in the small chapel immediately following the main service and was open to everyone. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 15, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Gratitude is feeling pleased or placated and basically has to do with being less angry, offended or hostile in your life essence. Thanksgiving is the art, discipline and science of refusing or refuting anger and the illusion of displeasure. It has much to do with attitude and personal values and evaluations. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 15, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Terrorism has no religion. For many of us, the tragedy hasn’t quite sunk in yet. Nearly 130 people are dead in the worst violence witnessed by France since World War II, deemed by the French President "an act of war.” Responsibility for the coordinated attacks has been claimed by ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Witnesses during the attacks said the terrorists were shouting, "Allahu Akbar,” or “God is Great!,” during their rampage. On social media some French people have been circulating variations on this theme: “Don’t #PrayforParis…religion is what caused this.” And how are we, members of a liberal religion, to understand such unthinkable violence that derives its strength from religion? And how can we take a stand against Islamic religious terrorism and extremism, while embracing the vast, overwhelming majority of Muslims who wish only for a world of peace and love? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 15, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Terrorism has no religion. For many of us, the tragedy hasn’t quite sunk in yet. Nearly 130 people are dead in the worst violence witnessed by France since World War II, deemed by the French President "an act of war.” Responsibility for the coordinated attacks has been claimed by ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Witnesses during the attacks said the terrorists were shouting, "Allahu Akbar,” or “God is Great!,” during their rampage. On social media some French people have been circulating variations on this theme: “Don’t #PrayforParis…religion is what caused this.” And how are we, members of a liberal religion, to understand such unthinkable violence that derives its strength from religion? And how can we take a stand against Islamic religious terrorism and extremism, while embracing the vast, overwhelming majority of Muslims who wish only for a world of peace and love? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 15, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Imam John Ederer, Guest MInister. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Terrorism has no religion. For many of us, the tragedy hasn’t quite sunk in yet. Nearly 130 people are dead in the worst violence witnessed by France since World War II, deemed by the French President "an act of war.” Responsibility for the coordinated attacks has been claimed by ISIL, the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant. Witnesses during the attacks said the terrorists were shouting, "Allahu Akbar,” or “God is Great!,” during their rampage. On social media some French people have been circulating variations on this theme: “Don’t #PrayforParis…religion is what caused this.” And how are we, members of a liberal religion, to understand such unthinkable violence that derives its strength from religion? And how can we take a stand against Islamic religious terrorism and extremism, while embracing the vast, overwhelming majority of Muslims who wish only for a world of peace and love? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, November 8, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Dr. Willie J. Parker, MD, MPH, MSC. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION Within our Judeo-Christian notion of monotheism, various expressions of imperialism are in the ascendency, creating a pluralism that looks closely akin to polytheism, many gods. Is there now the God who opposes immigration, the God who judges and punishes women for abortion, the God who hates LGBTQ people? In this pantheon of religious hate, tucked in the corner is the Unknown God of love and reproductive justice. I seek to introduce you to this unknown God of Love. Dr. Willie J. Parker is a reproductive justice advocate. Raised in poverty, he was “born again” and did a stint as a boy preacher in a Baptist Church, went on to Harvard, had a distinguished career as an obstetrician and then had his “Come to Jesus” moment, when he decided to give up his career and become an abortion provider. He currently provides abortion care for women in five U.S. states. His work includes a focus on violence against women, sexual assault prevention, and reproductive health rights through advocacy, provision of contraceptive and abortion services, and men's reproductive health. In an interview with Esquire Magazine, he states, “The protestors say they’re opposed to abortion because they’re Christian. It’s hard for them to accept that I do abortions because I’m a Christian." SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, November 8, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Dr. Willie J. Parker, MD, MPH, MSC. REFLECTION DESCRIPTION A modern day meditation on the encounter of Jesus with religious leaders prosecuting and judging a women for sexuality and adultery then, sexuality and abortion now. Dr. Willie J. Parker is a reproductive justice advocate. Raised in poverty, he was “born again” and did a stint as a boy preacher in a Baptist Church, went on to Harvard, had a distinguished career as an obstetrician and then had his “Come to Jesus” moment, when he decided to give up his career and become an abortion provider. He currently provides abortion care for women in five U.S. states. His work includes a focus on violence against women, sexual assault prevention, and reproductive health rights through advocacy, provision of contraceptive and abortion services, and men's reproductive health. In an interview with Esquire Magazine, he states, “The protestors say they’re opposed to abortion because they’re Christian. It’s hard for them to accept that I do abortions because I’m a Christian." SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, November 1, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. HOMILY DESCRIPTION The Mexican tradition translated as "The Day of the Dead" has spread around the world as a colorful and meaningful way to remember and give thanks to people we love who have died. The Catholic churches in Mexico have placed the tradition on All Souls Day – November 1. With this tradition falling on a Sunday this year, we have decided to create a service inspired by All Souls Day and Dia de los Muertos. You are invited and highly encouraged to bring a photograph or small token of remembrance of a departed loved one to place on the decorative alter (ofrenda in Spanish) that will be in the front of the sanctuary and Emerson Hall this Sunday. Infused with music, stories, and dancing from Mexico, it will be a service you will not want to miss. Come honor a loved one this Sunday with joy and celebration as we find meaning and gratitude in the memories of those we love and who have gone before us. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 25, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION I rarely speak at all three services on the same Sunday anymore. However, this week, as I explore "Why You Matter" I will be speaking in each service. In my Wednesday night class with Bishop Carlton Pearson (I am in week two of three and all are invited to join one or all of these classes) we are exploring how what is happening currently at All Souls fits into the long religious narrative of American life. Something truly original is going on and it has historic roots and interesting possibilities. Pentecostalism and Unitarianism have historically staked out ground at the far ends of the religious spectrum. Today, at All Souls, there is a fascinating coming together of people, philosophies, and practices that are leading people from both ends of the rationalism versus emotionalism continuum toward a new integration of minds and hearts. The mind-body dualism that has been such a dominant force in Western culture is being challenged and opened up in ways that invite us all to become more whole and integrated people. In this blessed process, you matter a lot! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 18, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Some speculate that we are not just human beings seeking spiritual experiences, we are spirit having earthly encounters. Within the mind-spirit paradigm there are varying levels of awareness. The deepest level of human spirituality is the soul which houses our inner syllabus and classes for this lifetime. The second level is emotions - how we experience things and archive the souls journey. Reconnecting with this ethereal reality is how we ground ourselves in consciousness. Sacred scriptures call this working and walking out our own salvation with reverence and passion. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 18, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by David Ruffin, Resident Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There is deep spiritual truth to be found in facing and "surrendering" to the limits of our own power. Our lives are shaped by so much that is out of our control. Yet even knowing in our hearts the poor odds of playing the game: "our will versus the world," we'll often still bet our lives on this approach. Our power to shape the world is also profound, though. Humans have completely transformed this planet, for better and for worse. Seeing this, isn't it natural and good for us to want to use our best-intentioned agency to its fullest?! We'll step into this gap between acceptance and striving, and explore the deeper power and powerful practice of shaping what shapes us. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 27, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Can you articulate your higher purpose? Have you ever thought much about it? Has anyone ever explained to you what is a person’s higher purpose or explained how to discover it? Whether you answer yes to these questions or you have never really thought about it, my message on Sunday is going to focus on giving the tools and formulas for discovering and articulating your higher purpose. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 11, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION We know artists, athletes, and actors practice their craft or skill in order to perform. One daughter practiced scales and arpeggios, every day, for hours, to get better at playing the violin. What do you practice and why? We know that the more we develop a skill, the more we are able to share it freely, without inhibition, or even to transcend ourselves in our expression of that skill. Practice is something we do to move us along toward a goal. What might you want to practice regularly……generosity, compassion, patience.......so that you can be more free in your expression of it? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 4, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Prayer develops our appreciation of that “transcending mystery and wonder.” This Sunday, we begin a series of sermons on this contemplative practice. I pray for your participation, bringing your seeking spirits and open hearts. There is no right or wrong way to yearn. Just speak your truth...and listen. Be all you are. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 20, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION We are not just human beings looking for spiritual experiences, we are spirit, having human and earthly encounters. We are all innately homesick for our spiritual essence. Prayer is the domicile of the spirit and praying is simply the experience of wanting or desiring, even designing the cognition of that reality. Prayer is related to the creative laws of the universe or of God and draws us into a deeper experience of our connection to our divine energies, unctions and functions of soul, mind and body. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 20, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION What does it mean to be made in the image of God? Many have said it’s our intelligence that is God given and distinguishes us from all other species. But what if it’s our creativity? What if it’s not “I think, therefore I am,” but “I imagine, therefore I am?” Then our purpose on earth is simplified and becomes to create – as we sing about every Sunday - something that is good, true and beautiful. Come this Sunday to explore how creativity and family life, creativity and aging, creativity and purpose are intertwined and how we can prime our brains to unlock what is creative in us. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 13, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION When Jesus returned to his hometown of Nazareth to preach, the people who knew him best tried to throw him off a cliff and kill him (Luke 4:21-32). We all know our differences can create disagreements that lead to divorce, debate, and sometimes even death. Still, we come together on Sundays to worship in a diverse community of strangers and friends. How comfortable are you with conflict? How do you deal with disagreement? This Sunday we’ll explore ways to dig into and deal with our differences, because we are the ones who will decide what our differences will create...together. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 13, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Sunday we will launch our September theme of “Inspiration.” What we are inspired to do is another way to look at the idea of what we feel called to do. Where does your inspiration come from? How are you inspiring others? What is the role of inspiration in your life and the choices you make? Join me for stories of inspiration and hopefully you will leave feeling uplifted and inspired. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 6, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Summer 2015 has been filled with news and events that could deem it “The American Summer of Discontent.” Christian business owners, and government employees, who do not want to serve gay and lesbian couples and families have been sounding the alarms of discrimination. Race has continued to divide our nation’s people from the Confederate Flag controversy to the Black Lives Matter campaigns and repeated stories alleging race-related police misconduct. Donald Trump has been stirring anti-immigrant sentiments. More mass shootings in churches and movie theaters have pitted those who want gun control against those who are adamant about gun rights. Members of All Souls might wonder, “What does our affirmation of ‘Love Beyond Belief’ call us to do and be in such times?” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 6, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by David Ruffin, Resident Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The breezes are picking up outside and in the rustling leaves I’m reminded of the iconic imagery of “the winds of change.” What makes them blow? “Why, our own breath of course,” comes one answer. And yet, perhaps the winds of change are always blowing and the question is, instead, are we listening for what they have to tell us? The inspiration we need for the journey of personal and social transformation is always around us. This Labor Day weekend we will explore the transforming labor of change that is possible when we begin by using the underdeveloped power of our ears. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 30, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Paul writes in chapter four, verse eight: “Finally beloved, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is pleasing, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence and if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.” We spend a lot of time thinking on things that are not included in Paul’s list. It is not for lack of trying, I know. We want to be beloved as Paul calls the Philippians. But we get caught up in that dark hole called knowing. Sometimes to be known means to be seen. But it does not mean to be right. The zero sum game of win/lose equals a constant struggle to be right. Let’s find our way into a discussion that has us “thinking on these things.” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 16, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There are two ways to view the world: one is to view it as fixed and established or static. The other is to view it as unfinished, (undefined), creatively ongoing, both ordained and organic. It’s almost as if God is looking to partner with you personally and all of us collectively in this ongoing evolution of all that is and is becoming. Are you willing to participate in this powerful, personal and evolving intention? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 16, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION How free do you feel to be you? Are you an “other-directed” person who is influenced in your decisions and actions primarily by other people? Or are you a “self-directed person who is willing to disappoint others and go against the grain in order to be true to yourself? What are the costs of either way of being and what are the benefits? Sometimes we act in ways that we think others expect of us, and in doing so we can miss each other completely. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 9, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In his poem Like The Water, Wendell Berry writes: Like the waterof a deep stream,love is always too much. We did not make it.Though we drink till we burst,we cannot have it all,or want it all. In its abundanceit survives our thirst....we keep returning to its rich watersthirsty. We enter,willing to die,into the commonwealth of its joy. This Sunday we are holding one combined Sunday service at 10:30 a.m. instead of our usual three services. Occasionally, we do this to bring our community together across our differences to feel our deep and authentic unity in a Love Beyond Belief. Water and thirst unite us no matter who we are or what we believe. Water will be the theme of the day. We will also have lots of fun games and activities involving water for children and people of all ages throughout the morning. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 2, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rabbi Micah Citrin, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Love is a universal principle understood in different ways by distinct cultures and religions. In Judaism, love is a core value for how we relate to God and other people. Jewish tradition associates love with distinct actions that stem from one’s sense of self and the dignity of the other. A deeper understanding of love from this perspective can help us to bring Shalom, peace, and balance to our world. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 26, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by David Ruffin, Resident Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION With all the injustice around us, not to mention personal challenges, who has time and energy for environmentalist activism? (And in Tulsa, of all places.) Well, this Sunday we’ll explore how a student teacher relationship with our blue planet home might not only yet “save the planet,” but also “save” our –probably in relatively far more peril – souls. How would we change if we changed our relationship with earth? What would it mean to you to put the earth, and all she represents, at least a little closer to the center of your life? Might we discover that climate change, myriad systemic injustices and our financial struggles, family conflicts, loss and grief, addictions, health struggles, etc. (insert current personal challenge here) have the same spiritual solution? Let’s see what truly priceless natural resources are really at our fingertips. See you (back!) at church Sunday! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 19, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson & Rev. Kimberly Braun, Guest Ministers. SERMON DESCRIPTION When Jesus was asked what is the greatest commandment, he replied: “Love the Lord, your God, with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.” This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is similar, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Christian love comes down to us from the teachings of other religions that pre-date Christianity by thousands of years. Buddha, Krishna, and other enlightened souls taught the same thing as the basis and essence of all spirituality. We don’t learn to love, we somehow forget to. Loving comes naturally; hatred is taught or appropriated. Love is the DNA of spirit and must be recalled, reclaimed and reconciled. This is what it means to be born again or anew. *Rev. Kimberly Braun is the author of, Love Calls: Insights of a Former Carmelite Nun - please join her at her book table after the service and on Wednesday July 22 for more from her Call to Compassion Tour. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 12, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION As part of the Summer Sermon Series on Sources of Our Faith, we will examine the Source, “Wisdom from the world’s religions that inspires us in our ethical and spiritual life.” Our lens to this source will be the incomparable life of Malcolm X or as he is known by some, El Hadj Malik El Shabazz. What caused Malcolm, the spokesperson for the separatist group, Nation of Islam, to change not only his name, but his entire worldview? We will try to elucidate the wisdom of Islam and propose how change can be more than reinvention. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 12, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION She was a leader of the student movement for civil rights. She was willing to put her life on the line for justice. When directly challenged by the Kennedy administration to stop the Freedom Riders because she was “going to get somebody killed,” Nash replied, ‘You don’t understand–we signed our wills last night.” She survived the violence of the 60s and is still speaking prophetic words today, “I don’t think what needs to be done in this country is going to be done by elected officials. American citizens have to take the country into our own hands, the future of this country, and do what’s necessary.” As we work together to make our lives and the lives of all people more just and more joyful, join me to learn from a living prophet, a woman who knew her own power and used it for good. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 5, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Traditionally, prophets see and speak about a future we hardly dare to dream about. Through their sight, their words, and their actions, prophets promote change as they proclaim the possibility of a more just world. Our faith tradition looks to prophetic men and women through the ages as sources of wisdom and inspiration. This July 4th weekend, with a presidential election just sixteen months away, we will remember the prophetic women who fought for a future in which women–all women, white and black and brown women–would have the right to vote. Many states are passing new laws requiring voters to show identification cards, restricting early-voting hours, and prohibiting more and more of our poorest citizens and our citizens of color from voting. With this in mind, we will turn to the life of Diane Nash, civil rights activist and leader, prophet of equal rights, voting rights, and non-violence. When faced with serving time in jail while pregnant Nash said, “I believe that if I go to jail now, it may help hasten that day when my child and all children will be free — not only on the day of their birth but for all their lives.” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 28, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION To seek is to ready one’s self for discovery as well as recovery of anything that seems missing, broken or lost. Spiritual seeking means to transcend the illusion of isolation, alienation and lack and to seize the present or what is presented; with power, dignity and a sense of ultimate resolution. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 28, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION From the Minister: The Traditional Service at 10:00 a.m. will commence “Sources of Our Faith” preaching series. I intend to introduce it by looking at current events through my theological lens. Our sources of faith are intended to bring clarity. After introducing the Six Sources of Faith, I will focus on the first source, direct experience of the transcending mystery and wonder, affirmed in all cultures, that moves us to a renewal of the spirit and an openness to the forces which create and uphold life. I think there’s a sermon inside all of that. My hope for those who attend is that you leave with a better idea of what it means to be a UU person of faith. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 21, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION For Father’s Day we will have special blues musicians along with Rick Fortner and David Smith to enliven our services. I will draw inspiration from blues music about how to live our lives, transform our troubles, and face life’s joy and love with toe tapping flair and flavor. I will highlight W.C. Handy, known as “The Father of the Blues.” We hope it will be a Sunday that will have you whistling on your way home, remembering your own dad, and those who have fathered you through good times and bad. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 14, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, with Steven Leigh Williams, Candidate for Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Some of the biggest news of the season has been Bruce Jenner’s transition to Caitlyn Jenner. The media has been having a frenzy covering this high profile transition. I want to look at it through the lens of Love Beyond Belief and what it means to love someone through such a life-changing period. There is a lot more than the media is talking about that we can learn from this situation that applies to the issue of gender and transgender people and other transitions in our lives. Joining me in the pulpit will be Steven Leigh Williams who was born, dedicated and raised at All Souls in Tulsa and is a candidate for the Unitarian Universalist ministry and will speak from his own experience of gender transition. Steven just completed a year as the student minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Bartlesville, OK. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 7, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister (with Rev. Gerald Davis, Affiliate Minister). --------------------------The recording has some minor intermittent audio issues. We apologize for any inconvenience.-------------------------- SERMON DESCRIPTION Last month in the Traditional Service and the Point I delivered a message about “Transcending Loss.” In it I talked about what losing my daughter has taught me about America’s race problems and what it showed me about overcoming grief and trauma. This week I will take the opportunity to deliver the same message for the Contemporary Service with a few changes. We live in a culture of denial in many ways. However, the only way out of grief is through it. That is why some of the recurring problems we face as a nation are directly related to our inability or unwillingness to face the truth and the trauma of America’s history of racial violence. I believe the situations in Ferguson, Baltimore, Tulsa, and elsewhere are a manifestation of our nation’s need to deal with our collective memory in ways that allow us to move forward in positive and unified ways. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 7, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION On June 6, 1944, President Eisenhower took a risk. He made the decision to move forward with the Allied forces landings on the beaches of Normandy, even though the weather conditions were horrible. On that day, German forces suffered 100 casualties, while Allied forces suffered 10,000. Despite the many deaths and the many battles to come, D-Day led to the liberation of Europe from Nazi control. As summer begins and our routines are interrupted, we have an opportunity to liberate ourselves. What are we willing to risk in order to break free from familiar patterns of behavior and thought, from the wrong job, or a bad marriage? Is there something new, waiting for you, this summer? If we try something too risky, we will hurt ourselves or someone else. If we don’t dare risk at all, we won’t learn or grow. What D-Day risk are you ready to take? What D-Day sacrifice is yours to make? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 31, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Tanner Phillips, Youth Coordinator, and Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION At high school and college graduations around the country, commencement speakers will try to impart some wisdom to inspire and guide the graduates as they transition into the next phase of their lives. Mostly, they will share the lessons their own lives have taught them, because we learn by living and develop wisdom by examining our own lives. What wisdom have you gleaned from your own life? What would you tell a graduate today? Tanner Phillips and I will explore life itself as the greatest teacher of all. What has your life taught you and how will you share that hard won wisdom with others? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 24, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by David Ruffin, Resident Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It’s Pentecost Sunday! The day of burning bushes! The day of the Holy Spirit’s anointing! The day of speaking with flaming tongues! The birthday of the church! A day of transcendence! Yet the real power of Pentecost was in the miracle that this transcendent experience was shared. The greatest gift of the Spirit was not some new great secret Divine revelation, but the revelation of connection with one another. The ability to speak and to be heard at the deepest level of the heart amongst those who did not even share a language. What would change if you were given the gift to share the deepest truth of your heart with those around you and truly be heard? What might shift in your heart if you were given the gift of hearing the deepest truth of your neighbors’ hearts? These questions aren’t hypothetical. The gift is still ours to receive. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 24, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION In the movie Her, a man falls in love with his operating system. In the movie Ex Machina, a man is murdered by the robot or Artificial Intelligence he created. We ourselves, seem programmed to push technology and consciousness to the limit, or even beyond the limit. As the reality of robots and virtual realities permeate our daily lives, (think of a car that talks to you, betting on virtual sports teams, remote home medical monitors) we’ll take some time to examine our need for human and non-human contact and the deeper desires expressed in the diverse ways we each choose to communicate, connect, sustain and transcend contact. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 17, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Guest Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 17, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION On May 3rd, I mentioned the laughter, play and joyfulness in my home these days. I contrasted that with the weeks and months following my daughter’s death in 2006. There was a time when I wondered if we would ever feel joy again. Wondered if the cold, stale air of grief would ever be blown away by the fresh winds of a renewal and happiness. As we go deeper into our theme of transcendence this month, I want to look at the human capacity to transcend loss, tragedy and grief. How do we do it? Is it really possible? What are the trail markers that can help us find our way back home to a life of abundant and radiant joy? We dishonor those we love and lose if we cannot find a way forward to life’s greatest fulfillment. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, May 10, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. HOMILY DESCRIPTION To build community, a few times a year we bring all three Sunday services together for a celebration. Mother’s Day is one of those Sundays. It is also our annual flower communion service. You are asked to bring a flower to church to place in a central bouquet and you will be invited to take someone else’s flower home with you. It is a beloved tradition at All Souls as well as in our sister churches around the world. We will hear music from all three of our children’s choirs as well as a special barbershop quartet and music from New Dimensions Chorale. My Mother’s Day message will not be long, but I hope it will leave a lasting impression. Bring your mother to church and stay for our Mother’s Day Brunch, which will be delicious and supports our Youth Group. It should be another Sunday to remember. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 3, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION For many people religion is about belief. At All Souls we care more about what someone does than what that person believes. What good is it if a person believes, or says he believes, something, but acts in ways that are unkind, miserly, or self-aggrandizing? Supposedly, most people today ascribe to the beliefs of one of the major religions, and yet look at the state of the world. The vast majority of Americans say they believe in God and Christianity, but we still see so much greed, violence, corruption, selfishness, and materialism. As far as I’m concerned, you can believe what you want, I want to know whether when I’m in trouble or in need, if you will help me? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 26, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Transformation, from its Greek origin means, transfiguration. It is actually changing the way you figure things out or how you figure into things. It is paying attention to the way you feel, and then choosing thoughts about you, that feel the very best. This is the way you manage your own vibration, which means you are controlling your own point and power of attraction. By doing so, you are creating your own reality and no longer a victim of someone else's. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 12, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION What did John mean when he said the truth will set us free? Did he mean some absolute, religious truth? Some scientific, unifying theory of everything? Or did he mean, that when we claim our own story and make meaning from telling the truth of our own lives, then we are not only emulating Jesus but setting each other free? Long before I dared to speak of the truth of my own life, my soul resonated with the words of John in chapter 8, verse 2-8. "You shall know the truth and the truth shall set you free." Last month I told a true story about my own life and was amazed by what happened afterwards. If you're struggling to tell the truth, maybe even to yourself, join me this Sunday. What if God wants us to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? And then we discover that we are still loved? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, April 5, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, March 29, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Floretta Reed, Member. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, March 29, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, March 29, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Nancy McDonald, Member. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, March 22, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by David Ruffin, Resident Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Ever feel like you’re spinning on a broken record? Overcoming great challenges, working through pain and loss, only to find yourself tripped back up by brokenness all over again? ...It gets pretty tiring, to say the least. At some point most of us have probably felt like finding a way off the turn table or calling upon some envisioned master disc player to change the music!! Hello?! MC?? This disc is scratched!! ...But new vinyl doesn’t seem to be part of the record contract. Can we ever break through the brokenness to the happiness, wholeness and harmony we long for, when the record itself is so clearly broken? At Sunday’s Point we’ll reconnect with our breakthrough power for navigating scratchy vinyl, time and again, and somehow making ever more beautiful music. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 22, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION We call it, “the break of dawn” or “the break of a new day “ There is an interesting connection between breaking and newness. We cut the ribbon to dedicate a new building. We smash champagne over the bow of a new boat. Jews break a glass during the wedding ceremony and it is a tradition in the US to cut a cake as part of a marriage celebration. What is the point of this universal connection between breaking and new life? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 15, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Have you ever felt fractured or damaged and no longer in one piece or in working order? If you want to effect substantial change in your life experience, you must think thoughts that feel different as you think them. You are not what you believe, you are what you think about what you believe. “We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed; we are perplexed, but not in despair; Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed;” (The Apostle Paul) Your attitude determines your altitude. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 15, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Our families are changing. More unmarried couples are raising children, more gay and lesbian couples are raising children, more single women are having children, more people are living together without getting married, more mothers of young children are working outside the home, more people of different races are marrying each other, and more women are choosing not to ever have children at all. The facts are undebatable and undebated. The meaning of these family facts divides our country into red and blue states. Join me this Sunday, for another look at Family Values, a reflection shared earlier at The Point, so our congregation can make meaning of these changes in our country and in our own families. Because I imagine your family is changing too! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 1, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION “When you are broken open you get to discover for the first time what is inside you.” —Bryant McGill In March we launch a new theme: “Brokenness”. Life is beautiful, but it is also full of broken hearts, broken promises, broken vows, broken bones, broken families, broken relationships, and brokenness of all kinds. Much of life’s meaning and possibilities are determined by how we face the broken places in our bodies, hearts and world. Beautiful mosaics are made from broken things. Bones are stronger in the places where they have broken and healed. Exquisite gems are found among broken rocks. During the month, we will look at how we can find the gems, strength, beauty, and possibilities in the broken places in our lives and in our world. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION ”How could we forget those ancient myths that stand at the beginning of all races, the myths about dragons that at the last moment are transformed into princesses? Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.” —Rainer Maria Rilke Ordinary problems are not necessarily trivial problems. Everyone of us has problems of our own; even if we like to pretend we have it all together and even though we tend to focus on others’ problems. Sometimes we focus so much on the big problems that we fail to find the beauty, teaching, and the grace within the ordinary problems of our lives. Sometimes our greatest teachers are the small obstacles and challenges we encounter every day. I delivered this message in the Traditional and The Point services last week. This week, in the Contemporary service, I will share it from a Christian and Universalist perspective. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 22, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Every parent of a two-year-old knows the power of “No.” But so did Rosa Parks, Mahatma Gandhi, and the writers of our country’s Declaration of Independence. No, I will not give up my seat. No, I will not follow a law that deprives the poorest of the poor of the most basic of human needs. No, I will not pay taxes to a foreign monarch. Beneath our most powerful Nos, often, an even more powerful YES, lies waiting to be fully expressed. Yes, I matter. Yes, the poor deserve dignity. Yes, independence is worth fighting for. When a woman says No to a pregnancy, she is often also saying Yes to something very important: her health, her independence, her marriage, and more. When has saying No changed the direction of your life? What was your underlying Yes? Join me as we explore the power and potential of our personal and political NOs, in order to uncover our wholehearted YESSES, especially those that fire up, fuel and sustain social transformation. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 15, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Justice is not necessarily a reference to legal concepts of jurisprudence. In a more conscientious way, justice simply means: the quality of being fair and reasonable. We don’t need a court of law to realize this in spirit, rather we need a transformation of mind and heart. The law cannot infuse justice into the heart and soul of a people taping into our extrinsic goodness as not just human beings looking for a spiritual experience, but also as spirit. Having an earthly encounter will help us recover the often misplaced virtue, validity and valor of the soul and self of all. If we don’t go within, we will go without. We don’t just need another march, we need spiritual renewal as a nation and a people living in and as the beloved community. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 15, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION ”How could we forget those ancient myths that stand at the beginning of all races, the myths about dragons that at the last moment are transformed into princesses? Perhaps all the dragons in our lives are princesses who are only waiting to see us act, just once, with beauty and courage. Perhaps everything that frightens us is, in its deepest essence, something helpless that wants our love.” —Rainer Maria Rilke Ordinary problems are not necessarily trivial problems. Everyone of us has problems of our own; even if we like to pretend we have it all together and even though we tend to focus on others’ problems. Sometimes we focus so much on the big problems that we fail to find the beauty, teaching, and the grace within the ordinary problems of our lives. Sometimes our greatest teachers are the small obstacles and challenges we encounter every day. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, February 1, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Nicole Ogundare, Jane Newman, Louie Rojas, Rev. Gerald Davis. SERMON DESCRIPTION Certain moments in life feel so profound when they happen that they are sometimes described as sacred or holy. A series of moments like that occurred for 140 All Souls members, at the same time, on Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend. I’m pretty certain it caught all of us by surprise. This Sunday the other ministers and I will be joined by some of the 140 to share and dramatize what happened and the impact it’s having on us. With the children and youth choirs singing at the Traditional or Contemporary services respectively and our children in the first part of all three services, this will be a Sunday you will not want to miss. Speaking of Sundays that no one should miss, on February 8 we will have two combined services for the whole church at 10:30 a.m. and 3:00 p.m. instead of our usual schedule. The services will be a version of our renowned “Soulful Journey: The Story of American History Through Black Music.” There will be many special guest artists and music, including Spirituals, Jazz, Blues, Ragtime, Gospel, Soul, Rock, Hip Hop, and more. The story of freedom is rarely told in such a stirring and toe-tapping way. Bring your friends. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 25, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by David Ruffin, Resident Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There is very little hardship in the recipe of our lived experience, which cannot be transformed with the ingredient of love. As water is to the flourishing of biological life, so is love to the flourishing of our relationship with life and with one another. Yet often we may celebrate love without trusting that love is really for us – really capable of changing our lives. But how can we trust what we don’t allow ourselves to experience? That’s why our foundational faith work is actually to give ourselves the opportunity to experience and feel the love that we would see our lives and world transformed by. Are you making way for love’s power in your life? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 25, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION "Religious proselytizers who rant against sex, and the sexual libertarians who claim the right to do anything at all to their own bodies, and sometimes to other people’s as well, make strange bedfellows. But both groups demonstrate in their different ways, that they believe sexuality exists as something separate from the rest of life: as a ‘thing’ to be elevated or despised. Both are reluctant to see human beings as a unity. Separating any aspect of the human being from all other aspects, aggrandizing the physical and sexual either through fear or avidity, throws a person severely out of balance.” * As I conclude the series on Love and Sex, I will look at the unity of body, mind and spirit and how love and sex can help balance these or destroy this balance. *Stephanie Dowrick from her book 'Forgiveness & Other Acts of Love' SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 18, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There is a marked difference between having sex and making love. Eros and romantic Love has a sacred connection to sex and sensuality, that is stronger than lust and physical desire however, sex itself can be experienced and enjoyed without love and/or emotion. Sex happens thru the animal sentient of human instinct and can occur without emotion or devotion. Sex happens between the legs and often purely organic. Making love or “Love making” happens more between the ears and involves the head along with heart and is sacred and powerful in, as and to the soul. Sex is a human medium that occurs in and thru nature and doesn’t necessarily demand nurture. Love and/or making love involves the spiritual and mystical self, expressing itself in both nature and nurture and is connected inseparably to the divine and infinite aspect of human nature. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 18, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION As stories and scenes of violence flood the media and our minds: • cartoonists of political satire are shot and killed at work, • unarmed black men are shot and strangled on our streets by white police officers, • journalists are beheaded and video recordings of their murders are broadcast on the internet, • a 10 year old girl with a bomb strapped to her body, blows herself up, killing 20 other people in a crowded marketplace we turn our attention to the teaching and legacy of a man who said, "Returning violence for violence multiplies violence, adding deeper darkness to a night already devoid of stars. Darkness cannot drive out darkness: only light can do that. Hate cannot drive out hate: only love can do that." This Sunday, we will struggle with the power, promise and potential of words - and drawings, to heal and to harm, to liberate and to oppress. We will remember the power, promise and potential of non-violence to transform not only the world, but even our own lives, as we dream again with Dr. King, who said, "May it not be that the new man the world needs is the nonviolent man?" SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, January 11, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Dr. Anthony Pinn, Guest Speaker. SERMON DESCRIPTION As promised, we have been bringing nationally renowned Humanist speakers to deliver the message at The Point in 2014-2015. After the message, stay tuned for open-floor questions and answers with Dr. Pinn. Please tell your friends who might be interested in a Humanist speaker and service. Dr. Anthony B. Pinn is a renowned humanist author, professor, and theologian. He is the Agnes Cullen Arnold Professor of Humanities and Professor of Religious Studies at Rice University as well as the Founding Director of The Center for Engaged Research and Collaborative Learning at Rice University. He is the author of 'Writing God’s Obituary: How a Good Methodist Became a Better Atheist' and 'Why, Lord?: Suffering and Evil in Black Theology,' amongst many other scholarly books, especially focusing upon African American Humanism. Through these works Pinn has highlighted the religious orientation of humanism as deeply rooted within black religion. Pinn has served in the leadership of the American Academy of Religion and is currently the Director of Research for the Institute for Humanist Studies Think Tank. To learn more about Dr. Pinn visit: SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 11, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Before getting married, a couple is wise to make sure they are in agreement about whether their marriage is founded on love or Love. Love with a capital “L” denotes a relationship that is a part of a spiritual path that is connected to one’s highest ideals. By some accounts, the very things that make a marriage strong are things that make sex less exciting. Marriage is strengthened by familiarity, trust and safety. Sexual excitement is said to be heightened by a sense of exoticness, newness and adventurousness. Keeping the sexual excitement alive in a marriage over time can be challenging and important. However, having a spiritual foundation for a relationship is something that offers a level of connection that can help a couple truly stay together through sickness and health, better or worse, rich or poor. Sunday in the Traditional and Contemporary services I will look at the roles of sex, love and spirituality in making committed relationships successful. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 4, 2015, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In this months Simple Gifts Journal I wrote: "More and more Americans are developing a sex-positive spirituality. For a long time religion in the west has had a conflicting relationship with sexuality. Yet many people in the 21st Century realize that part of being whole and healthy involves freeing our sexual lives from guilt, shame and repression, and seeing it as an important, healthy and even sacred part of life." Sunday, January 4th I will launch a month-long sermon series on Love and Sex. The title of the series and of various programs throughout the month is "Make it Love." SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 28, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION John Howard Yoder writes, "If we are ever to rescue God's Good News from all the justifiable but secondary meanings it has taken on, perhaps the best way to do it is to say that the root meaning of the term evagelion would today best be translated as "revolution.'" A revolution is a dramatic and wide-reaching change in the way something works, is organized or in our ideas about it. It is also a single orbit of one object around an axis or center. As we prepare to enter a new revolution around the sun, let us consider what parts of our own lives call for revolution? What is the axis on which we make our decisions? What parts of our lives are not connected to center that may be unnecessarily adding to the load we bear? How do we reconcile our commitments with a new revelation? Martin Luther King wrote, “[W]e are experiencing today one of the greatest revolutions that the world has ever known. Every segment of society is being swept into its mainstream. The great challenge facing [us now] is to remain awake, alert and creative....” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 21, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION King Solomon of old wrote: “Hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when dreams come true, there is life and joy.” Proverbs 13:12 One of the kindest most gracious wishes people give to someone they admire or care for is, “May all your hopes and dreams come true”. There is a strange, usually strained and direct connection between hopes and dreams. They are not one and the same thing, but strongly associated. To hope is to expect. To dream is to imagine. We can learn to imagine what we expect and expect what we imagine. We must not only build, but be the bridge between the two. Lets talk about effective and productive ways of doing that. It is powerfully possible! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 21, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In this season when our current culture bombards us with commercialism, consumerism, and Christian ardor, let us take a moment to step out of the clamor and remember the solstice and how nature is a source of our renewal and hope. People in ancient times were much more connected to the cycles of nature. They spent more time outside. They cultivated the earth on a daily basis, had substantially fewer conveniences and comforts so that the seasons had an even more essential and inexorable influence on their lives. Winter solstice was an important time of celebration and had a role in helping people face their fears with hope and joy. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 14, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION A few weeks ago in the messages in the Traditional Service and at the Point, I described the new culture we are creating here at All Souls and in doing so the contribution we are making to the larger culture of Tulsa and the USA. On Dec. 14, I will share this message at the Contemporary Service in a slightly updated form. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 14, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Executive Director of Ministry. SERMON DESCRIPTION Do you believe the world will be a better place in 100 years? It’s a tough question, so here it is again. Do you believe the world will be a better place in 100 years? I asked the leaders of our social justice teams this question. What’s your answer? Defense attorney, Jill Webb, asks all potential jurors the same question. Because it matters what we believe about progress, human nature, and the end of times. It’s easy to despair, and hard to hope. But hope matters. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 7, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In this message, Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar lifts up the ways that real and lasting hope is found amidst the struggles and pain of life. We are not supposed to run from our pain, but run toward it. Our wounds are also wombs through which our hope and destiny is born. In order to follow our bliss, we must first follow our blisters. If we have been alive a while then we have blisters on our bodies and our hearts. These are doorways to our gifts and our life's full expression. In the midst of protests and racial tensions around America in the wake of Ferguson, this message includes a rare glimpse into the ways Rev. Lavanhar has been grappling with issues of hope and despair, oppression and the call for liberation. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The poem was delivered on Sunday, November 30, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Mia Wright, Poet. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 30, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by David Ruffin, Resident Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There are walls around me. Walls around all of us. Walls of misperception, yielding walls around our hearts, all of which have erected structural walls of injustice in our country and world. Racism in America is a particularly malicious misperception, whose walls not only continue to imprison the heart of this country, but prove lethal to our children. Amidst the intensity of recent collisions with these walls, our focus has again sharpened upon them. But how do we keep from yet again merely pacing their perimeter? What will enable us truly to transform our walls into bridges for our children to a future free from the prison of racism? Whatever the color of our skin, how do we sustain our commitment to end racism as if the lives of our very children depended on our success? ...because they absolutely do. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, November 23, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION On Sunday, November 23rd, All Souls will have one combined service at 10:30 AM with music from many of our different choirs (Children’s, Youth, Cherubs, New Dimensions and the Adult Choirs will all participate). Children are asked to bring fruits or vegetables to add to our cornucopia in the front of the sanctuary. All of the food will be donated to those in need in our city. Our ministers have been working on a special way to celebrate this national holiday. It will be the first time on a Sunday morning that we are inviting our members from all three of the distinct Sunday services to join together in a single celebration. On this holiday when we lift up the story of people coming together across cultures and differences in the past, we will create a living example of such unity and what it means to us in the present. We will be offering a traditional Hungarian Unitarian communion service in the small chapel following the main service. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 23, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION On Sunday, November 23rd, All Souls will have one combined service at 10:30 AM with music from many of our different choirs (Children’s, Youth, Cherubs, New Dimensions and the Adult Choirs will all participate). Children are asked to bring fruits or vegetables to add to our cornucopia in the front of the sanctuary. All of the food will be donated to those in need in our city. Our ministers have been working on a special way to celebrate this national holiday. It will be the first time on a Sunday morning that we are inviting our members from all three of the distinct Sunday services to join together in a single celebration. On this holiday when we lift up the story of people coming together across cultures and differences in the past, we will create a living example of such unity and what it means to us in the present. We will be offering a traditional Hungarian Unitarian communion service in the small chapel following the main service. I hope you will also join us for a delicious church lunch following the service. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, November 23, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by David Ruffin, Resident Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION On Sunday, November 23rd, All Souls will have one combined service at 10:30 AM with music from many of our different choirs (Children’s, Youth, Cherubs, New Dimensions and the Adult Choirs will all participate). Children are asked to bring fruits or vegetables to add to our cornucopia in the front of the sanctuary. All of the food will be donated to those in need in our city. Our ministers have been working on a special way to celebrate this national holiday. It will be the first time on a Sunday morning that we are inviting our members from all three of the distinct Sunday services to join together in a single celebration. On this holiday when we lift up the story of people coming together across cultures and differences in the past, we will create a living example of such unity and what it means to us in the present. We will be offering a traditional Hungarian Unitarian communion service in the small chapel following the main service. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 16, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION To appreciate means to recognize the full worth of something and to be grateful for it. When something appreciates, it rises in value or price. Appreciation and thanksgiving connect directly to forgiveness and are not just a reactionary emotions; they are causative energies. They are effective keys by which anyone may “meet life as a powerful conqueror, not a victim of, but a victor over circumstances.” Appreciation clears mental patterns that cause disease, or dis-ease. One of the main hindrances to healing and wholeness is unforgiveness, not just of others but of yourself. The mental patterns that cause most dis-ease in the body are criticism, anger, resentment, guilt, and unforgiveness. Forgiveness empowers the forgiver and takes his or her power back from the the cause and substitutes it with the cure of forgiveness. The main key to forgiveness is gratefulness in, more than for, all things! MAKE A PLEDGE for 2015: MAKE A DONATION: SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 16, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There are four ways that we give of ourselves that deeply impact the quality of our lives and relationships. We don’t do it for our own benefit necessarily, but this kind of generosity of heart and soul is something that gives back even as it gives away. MAKE A PLEDGE for 2015: MAKE A DONATION: SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 9, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Stephen Mitchell in his book "The Gospel According to Jesus" distills all four Christian gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke and John) into one unified gospel. In doing so, he makes the case that essentially Jesus was teaching two things: Love and Forgiveness. In the Contemporary Service this Sunday I will lift up what of real value and usefulness we can learn about forgiveness from Jesus. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 9, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Ever so often, when you hear "forgive and forget," do you want to shout, "Where's justice?" Is forgiveness so easy that we ignore the consequences of the wrong and just forge ahead? If you have ever really tried to forgive, you know that forgiveness is work. But it is a beautiful work that evokes discovery. From evocation can come an invocation of the Divine to allow us to find what we must have in order to forgive. I look forward to our time together. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 2, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION A message for Michelle Murphy and all those wrongfully incarcerated. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 2, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When we forgive we free ourselves. When we have a shift in our heart around the harm someone has done to us, or that we have done to another, that shift is liberating. One of my favorite quotes on the subject has been: Forgiveness is “letting go of the hope of a better yesterday.” It is about finding a way to release ourselves from the bondage of a wrongdoing so that we can be open to this day and to the future rather than remaining trapped by the past. It is easier said than done, but it is possible. Our theme for the month of November is “Forgiveness.” Learning to forgive is one the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 2, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When we forgive we free ourselves. When we have a shift in our heart around the harm someone has done to us, or that we have done to another, that shift is liberating. One of my favorite quotes on the subject has been: Forgiveness is “letting go of the hope of a better yesterday.” It is about finding a way to release ourselves from the bondage of a wrongdoing so that we can be open to this day and to the future rather than remaining trapped by the past. It is easier said than done, but it is possible. Our theme for the month of November is “Forgiveness.” Learning to forgive is one the greatest gifts we can give to ourselves. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 26, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The End is Near! At least the end of our sermon series on Endings and New Beginnings is coming Oct. 26th. It has been one of the most rich series we have done in a long time. In this concluding message I will explore some of the factors that keep us from ending things that we know need to stop. It is common to maintain habits, jobs, relationships, and affiliations long past their usefulness and value. We sometimes do so at the expense of our wellbeing, at the expense of the wellbeing of the people around us and the organizations we support. Why is it so hard sometimes to end the things that hurt us? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 19, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 14, verses 25-27, it is written, “Now great crowds accompanied him, and he turned and said to then, ‘If anyone comes to me and does not hate his own father and mother and wife and children and brothers and sisters, yes, and even his own life, he cannot be my disciple. Whoever does not bear his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple’.” But, there are times in our lives when we need to break away. There are stories that have been imposed upon us by our families, schools, and faith traditions that do not reflect the truth of the Spirit within us now. A Spirit which calls us toward a deeper freedom and the possibility of a greater love. I wouldn’t be where I am today if I hadn’t broken away from my family in fundamental ways. Let’s explore what this passage has to tell us about the times we need to break away. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 19, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by James Croft, Guest Speaker. SERMON DESCRIPTION Join our guest speaker, James Croft, Research and Education Fellow at the Humanist Chaplaincy at Harvard, as he discusses the new Humanism of today and its relevance in creating new beginnings in religious and secular thought. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 12, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Gina Gauthier Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Complete Sermon Title: "You're Not in Trouble, You're in Transition - Making, Managing and Mastering Change" Transition is the process or period of changing from one state or condition to another. There is a global shift in religious and societal sensibilities in this 21st century. Resenting and resisting change results in unnecessary stress and duress. Embracing the new normal and going with the flow, can create personal and powerful evolution with inner peace and a new kind of happiness and intrigue. We must all, make, manage and master change. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 12, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Some endings create a separation and some connect us. When a person stops thinking he is unlovable, he begins to experience love. When our self-centeredness or self-hatred die, we begin to blossom. When we stop thinking we are our job title or family role or our body or the best or worst thing we’ve ever done, we start discovering who we really are. When we enter a relationship or join an organization there are some freedoms we must give up, but in return we receive many rewards that we could never have had without making the sacrifices required. Some people never learn how entering a commitment or covenant or relationship both limits us and expands our possibilities. To fail to learn and live this core truth is to fail one of the fundamentals of life and love. When we learn to celebrate, rather than resist the endings that connect us, we come more fully alive. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 5, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In October we launch a new sermon series on the topic of ENDINGS. Poet T.S. Eliot wrote: “What we call a beginning is often an end and to make an end is to make a beginning. The end is where we start from.” The end of one season is the beginning of a new one. Life is filled with endings, losses, deaths and rebirths. How we deal with the end of one thing is inextricably tied to the beginning of the next. In October we will look at the relationship between endings and new beginnings. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 28, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, and Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION We’re often amazed by childrens’ intense thirst for justice. Recently, I was watching a brother and sister playing mancala. When the girl dropped an extra stone into her pile, her brother caught her wrist and made her drop it back in its proper place. “Mom, she’s cheating!” came an indignant cry, without hesitation or apology. By the time mom came over to intervene, brother and sister were back at the game and there was no need for an explanation about right and wrong. Life is definitely more complicated than a game of mancala! Having spent just one week eating (mostly) only the food we could afford on SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program,) or only $4.28 per day, we are eager to share with you how we fared and what we learned. We invite you to join us this Sunday to hear how we not only thirst, but also hunger, not just for food, but also for justice! Each of us brought something different to this experience and each took something very different away. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 21, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Separation theology leads to separation psychology which leads to separation sociality, leading to separation cosmology and finally separation pathology. When we awaken to who we really are as a species and our innate and inextricable connection to one another, all senses of fear, intimidation and the illusion of separation disappears. Awakening is the key to a new age of peace, unity and community! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 21, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Victor M. Parachin, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION What do the outlaw Jesse James, the Hebrew prophet Micah, the baristas at Nervous Dog Coffee bar have in common? Join me this Sunday as I speak on Thirst for Wholeness. Following the service I will be signing copies of my new book How To Be Spiritual, Not Religious: 108 Pearls of Buddhist Wisdom. All proceeds will go to the All Souls Book Table. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 14, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The thirst continues as we go to part two of our September sermon series. The thirst for meaning is one of the deepest human longings. It's been said that "religion exist as a response to the fact that human beings are conscious that we are alive and that we are going to die." No other creatures seem to wonder or be confused about their purpose or what they are meant to do. Humans however find ourselves in the uncomfortable and exhilarating questions of why we are here and how we came to be and what all that means about our purpose and possibilities. Many religions would claim to provide a definitive answer to these enigmas, but here at All Souls we have a very different approach. Invite your friends and colleagues as we explore this human thirst for meaning in ways that are unencumbered by religious dogmas. Here we do not want doctrines, superstitions or taboos to restrict our exploration of what is real. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 7, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Our September sermon series will be on “Thirst”. Everyone has a thirst or longing for something. We thirst for community, for meaning, for justice, for love. We can feel at times like we are in a lifeboat in the middle of the ocean, surrounded by water but with nothing to drink. Sometimes we can be surrounded by people but still be thirsty for community. Our lives can be full and successful and still feel devoid of meaning and purpose. We can also mistake our thirst for something superficial and therefore quench it with the wrong drink. We can desire peace, but try to quench it with numbness. We can yearn for love and mistake it as a desire for sex. On Sept. 7th we will launch the series and a new church year on what we are calling “Vision Sunday” with wonderful music, lunch and more for all ages. Then on Sept. 14 we will re-launch The Point our service that has been increasingly referred to as our “Good Without God” or “Humanist” service in Emerson Hall each Sunday 11:30-12:15 with outstanding music from Rick Fortner and friends. On Sept 21st Bishop Carlton Pearson will deliver our message in the 11:30 Contemporary service and on Sept 28th Rev. Barbara Prose and I will speak on our experience of the SNAP Challenge (living for a week on a “food-stamp” budget of $4.28 a day) in all three services. May your thirsts be nurtured and quenched at All Souls this September! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 31, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Randy Lewis, Community Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Letting go can be very difficult at times, and goodbyes can be rather painful, especially when hearts are broken. Although letting go is a necessary part of life, when done well, it can bring the needed affirmation and completion. This Sunday we will examine ways of keeping the good in goodbyes. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 24, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION As I reread the book by Don Miguel Ruiz, “The Four Agreements: the Practical Guide to Personal Freedom,” I was reminded that here at All Souls we have three agreements. What does it mean to “dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love and to help one another?” That is the covenant that we say each week. At All Souls we have agreed to be connected by a promise we make to each other rather than by agreeing to a common creed or doctrine. In doing so we have created a “practical religion guided by freedom.” Join me as I explore our “Three Agreements.” SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, August 17, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar offers a perspective on the recent events in Ferguson, MO, and the issues surrounding social justice, conscience, and community. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 17, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Recently, I asked a friend if she would teach me how to do flip turns in the pool. She gave me some great tips on how to create momentum with my head and my feet, and how to position and use my arms to keep the momentum going. Yet despite her kindness, skill, and patience, I couldn’t seem to stay straight or flip fast. Some say, “You can’t teach an old dog new tricks.” Others say, “It’s never too late to learn.” Gregory of Nyssa, the 4th century Christian mystic said the perfection of the spiritual journey is precisely that it is never finished. I say we belong to religious communities in part because it is where we can continue to teach and learn and grow, no matter what, until the very end. As our community’s children return to school, and we anticipate the beginning of the church year together, I look forward to exploring the sacred nature of the teacher-student relationship and how our congregations can be classrooms for the soul. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 10, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION America is facing change, you are facing change, and religions are facing change. It’s a truism that “the only thing that’s constant is change.” Yet, it is frequently stated “People hate change!” Well that’s a cruel joke, to be alive in a world of unceasing change and have a disposition that desires stability. How do we keep faith in life, one another and ourselves during times of transition? What can we count on when everything around us seems to be moving? The answers include essential keys to living a positive, effective and successful life. In our ever-changing world it’s important to know in what we can place our deepest trust. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 10, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION America is facing change, you are facing change, and religions are facing change. It’s a truism that “the only thing that’s constant is change.” Yet, it is frequently stated “People hate change!” Well that’s a cruel joke, to be alive in a world of unceasing change and have a disposition that desires stability. How do we keep faith in life, one another and ourselves during times of transition? What can we count on when everything around us seems to be moving? The answers include essential keys to living a positive, effective and successful life. In our ever-changing world it’s important to know in what we can place our deepest trust. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 3, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The crucifixion story leaves us with one of the most powerful tools of courage that I can imagine. In the midst of betrayal, in the darkness, in the middle of the day, confronted with doubt and meaninglessness, Jesus has the courage to cry out what was on his heart “My God, My God, why have you forsaken me?” Jesus addresses the very God he has issue with, an argument for a connection even in what appears to be separation. There is a vulnerability that coexists with any true act of courage. Before we can do so with clarity we must also have the courage to look into ourselves. We would all like to be brave in the face of difficulty, in the face of our greatest fears. Join me as I explore what it means to have the courage to be. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 20, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tet Gallardo, Minister of the UU Bicutan Metro Manila, Philippines. SERMON DESCRIPTION In the 1960s, in the Philippines, the Rev. Toribio Quimada discovered our newly merged Unitarian Universalist faith. He, who had helped farmers gain land titles, whose house was burned, whose family barely escaped, who was killed by unknown assassins, was a true 20th century religious martyr. And he was deeply moved and inspired by our faith’s commitment and call to justice. His daughter is the anchor for 27 congregations across the Philippines today. Only 4 years ago, a dissident, Carlos Celdran, a UU supporter, was charged with an archaic Spanish era law about “offending religious feelings.” His crime? He protested against the Catholic lobby prohibiting women from receiving information about their reproductive health. His case is currently in the Philippine Supreme Court. Our faith is alive in the Philippines, a country of diverse people, often divided, but always strong in their desire for freedom. Come and hear about these very relevant heroes of our shared tradition. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 13, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Stephen Edington, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION From his early years in Okema, OK, and Pampa, TX, to his life in New York and service in the Merchant Marine, to his cross-country wanderings, Woody Guthrie cultivated a universal type of religious consciousness that shows through in his work in many ways. The book and sermon also deal with Woody’s tragic struggle with Huntington’s Disease and the spiritual resources he drew upon at that point in his life. About the Author: Rev. Steve Edington is a UU minister residing in Nashua, New Hampshire where he served the UU Church of Nashua for 24 years. He is presently the interim minister of the Unitarian Church of Montpelier, Vermont. Steve is also the author of The Beat Face of God—The Beat Generation Writers as Spirit Guides, and Troubadour and Poet—The Magical Ministry of Ric Masten. He is on the Lowell Celebrates Kerouac Committee of Lowell, Massachusetts which puts on an annual Jack Kerouac Festival there. For the past two years he has been a program presenter at the Woody Guthrie Festival in Okemah. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 6, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When a park ranger left Jane Goodall in the bush of Tanzania to find and study chimpanzees, he, like many others, thought she would last only a few weeks. British authorities were horrified, and the public considered the project to be dangerous if not amoral. When the Texas Tech climatologist, Katharine Hayhoe, talks today about how her study of climate science doesn’t threaten, but instead strengthens her conservative Christian faith, many consider her work to be dangerous if not amoral. These two faithful scientists and scientific people of faith are my guides as I seek new ways to respond to the public panic and expanding debate about religious responses to global climate change. Join me this Sunday to explore the lives and work of these two heretical woman, who both bring science and religion together in their lives and in their work. Don’t forget to think about who your own environmental hero or heroine is, and why. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 29, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Randy Lewis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Henry David Thoreau once said, “There are a thousand hacking at the branches of evil to one who is striking at the root.” In the continuation of the summer sermon series Heroes, Heroines, and Heretics, we will examine the life of Dorothea Dix. Dorothea was one such person that dared to stand up against injustice in a time when few women were able to influence social change. She became impassioned at the plight of those whom society had deemed mentally insane. Many of these individuals were often abused and institutionalized in deplorable and demeaning conditions. Dorothea fought on their behalf. Her life is an example of what one committed person can do to affect change in the lives of others. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 22, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Our Summer Sermon Series on Heroes, Heroines, and Heretics continues with a look at the inspiring life of Maya Angelou. Dr. Angelou grew up through the era of lynching and segregation; she was a teenage mom, a one time prostitute, a madam, singer, street car conductor, actress, professor, poet and so much more. She rose from humble means and hardship and went on to deliver a poem to her nation at the inauguration of a US president (Bill Clinton) and to befriend some of the 20th centuries most colorful and important figures. In one interview toward the end of her life she said, “Courage is the most important virtue, because you need courage to live out all the other virtues consistently.” Her life is possibly her most inspiring work. If your summer could use a little lyrical beauty and encouraging uplift, then join me for this message. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 15, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION For our summer sermon series, 'Heroes, Heroines, and Heretics,' I will look at the life of Jane Addams, co-founder of one of the first settlements in the United States, the Hull House in Chicago, Illinois. One of my favorite papers written in seminary was on Jane Addams. Many of her letters are archived at the University of Chicago, and I spent hours pouring over them, trying to decide if we could count her as a Unitarian and as a member of the LGBT community. Jane was ahead of her time. She was named a co-winner of the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize. She is considered the mother of the Social Work movement, and is a key leader of women’s suffrage. Jane led a multicultural community at Hull House, crossing boundaries where others dared not tread, working with immigrants, the uneducated, the sick, and the poor. She lived out her faith in the world through action. Jane Addams was also gay. In my studies I have had professors argue with me that this was not a term she would claim. It was, in fact, a different time. But, I have read the love letters between Mary Rozet Smith and Jane, and they are enough to make you blush. These are not the words of roommates or friends. Join me as I explore the life of a heroine and a heretic, Jane Addams. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 15, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION For our summer sermon series, 'Heroes, Heroines, and Heretics,' I will look at the life of Jane Addams, co-founder of one of the first settlements in the United States, the Hull House in Chicago, Illinois. One of my favorite papers written in seminary was on Jane Addams. Many of her letters are archived at the University of Chicago, and I spent hours pouring over them, trying to decide if we could count her as a Unitarian and as a member of the LGBT community. Jane was ahead of her time. She was named a co-winner of the 1931 Nobel Peace Prize. She is considered the mother of the Social Work movement, and is a key leader of women’s suffrage. Jane led a multicultural community at Hull House, crossing boundaries where others dared not tread, working with immigrants, the uneducated, the sick, and the poor. She lived out her faith in the world through action. Jane Addams was also gay. In my studies I have had professors argue with me that this was not a term she would claim. It was, in fact, a different time. But, I have read the love letters between Mary Rozet Smith and Jane, and they are enough to make you blush. These are not the words of roommates or friends. Join me as I explore the life of a heroine and a heretic, Jane Addams. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 8, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION On Sunday I will kick-off All Souls Summer Sermon Series on “Heroes, Heroines and Heretics.” The series will run from June 8 – July 27, and will include many different voices, including one national and one international guests. There are so many men and women, of all eras and cultures, who are not spoken about in places of worship and who are sometimes spoken about unflatteringly and yet who have done much to add to the progress of the human family and have aided the effort to achieve liberty and justice for all. This summer we will highlight some of our favorites among these courageous and visionary people and consider their impact on our lives today. June 15: REV. TAMARA LEBAK June 22: REV. DR. MARLIN LAVANHAR June 29: REV. GERALD DAVIS July 6: REV. BARBARA PROSE July 13: REV. STEPHEN EDINGTON, Minister of Unitarian Church of Montpelier, VT, and author of 'Bring Your Own God: The Spirituality of Woody Guthrie.' July 20: REV. THERESA GUSTILO GALLARDO, Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Metro Manila, in the Philippines. July 27: MINISTER RANDY LEWIS
SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 1, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION A new crop of graduates are setting off on the next stage of their lives this summer. Most likely their heads are filled with dreams and visions of what their futures might look like. At least, we hope they have some dreams. How about for the rest of us? What has happened to your dreams? Have they come true? Have they been lost? In the movie The Graduate, there is a character, Mrs. Robinson, who has lost her dreams and lost interest in life and so she escapes into having sexual affairs with young men who are half her age and who she barely knows. When we stop dreaming, our hearts begin to die and our souls begin to dry out. In contrast, there are dreamers in life whose lives seem filled with passion and hope and possibility. As we congratulate our graduates on Sunday at 10 and 11:30, let us talk about having dreams and not having dreams and what that means. All graduates of all ages, high school and above, will be honored in our services. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 25, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION This Memorial Day we are called to remember those who have died in service of our country. This year will mark the 100th anniversary of the end of the ‘War to end All Wars.” Military casualties are not a thing of the past. The Washington Post has dedicated a website to photographs of Americans who have died as a result of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, in Operation Iraqi Freedom, Operation New Dawn, and Operation Enduring Freedom. There are nearly 7,000 faces. Of those fatalities, 129 were Oklahomans. They are mostly men, but not all. They are mostly between the ages of 20-24. More than 5,000 died in the midst of hostile action or IED (Improvised Explosive Devices). These are our neighbors, our family members ,our friends. No matter your stance on our involvement, these lives deserve to be honored for their sacrifice. Join me this Sunday as we remember the fallen. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 18, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION We all live with certain assumptions about what is true that we later discover is not true. When the premise of one’s religion or life or marriage or anything is a lie, it effects everything else that flows from that original untruth. Interestingly, a person, church or situation can have complete integrity within the context of a foundational error. However, such integrity is based on a fundamental mistruth. For example, if a person believes about himself, “I am dumb,” this shapes his reality profoundly even if it is not true. If a person believes, “the poor will always be with us” or “people who suffer deserve it” or “we create our own reality” then those core ideas will influence our decisions and lives whether they are true or not. In this way, we are all living in a trance of some sort. When the person who thought he was dumb, realizes it’s not true, it is as if a trance or spell has been broken. It is the same with false religious beliefs and many other aspects of our incredibly complex and amazing lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, May 18, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Randy Lewis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Like an autoimmune disease, which forces the immune system to attack its own body, intolerance, separatism, and egocentrism threaten to undo our society today. Historically, however, this is not a new development. Rarely did any civilization manage to maintain peace and harmony for any prolonged amount of time. Let us examine the role that religion has played, and could play, on the stage of the ever-unfolding human drama. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 11, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Bring a flower, bring your mother, your memories, and your children as we celebrate our annual Mother’s Day “flower communion.” In this tradition from our church in 1930’s Czechoslovakia, we each bring a flower to add to the central bouquet and take the flower brought by someone else home with us. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, May 4, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Forty-five years ago we didn’t have living wills, health care powers of attorney, DNRs, laws defining death, or 911! In one extended generation we have shifted from a society in which natural death was the norm, to a society in which most of us will die as the result of a decision: an antibiotic refused, a feeding tube disconnected, or a respirator turned off. Since our deaths are often the result of a decision, we must talk openly about when it is okay to die. Neither the right to die nor the right to live is absolute. Currently, our lawyers and our priests are the loudest voices in this conversation, but we are the ones who will face these choices for our loved ones and for ourselves. I hope you’ll join our congregation’s conversation about a healthy desire to die a good death. Can death be merciful? Let’s talk about it! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 27, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION SONNET 138- WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE When my love swears that she is made of truth,I do believe her, though I know she lies,That she might think me some untutored youthUnlearned in the world’s false subtleties. We tell a variety of lies, from little white lies to boasting and bragging, to the outright concealing of information, and we do so for a number of different reasons. Why do we lie? In observing children, Psychologist and credibility expert, Dr. Paul Eckman, has observed that lying and how we prepare a lie actually changes over our lifetime. How can we encourage truthfulness in our children and understand the ways in which we may be encouraging others to lie to us? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 27, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION SONNET 138- WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE When my love swears that she is made of truth,I do believe her, though I know she lies,That she might think me some untutored youthUnlearned in the world’s false subtleties. We tell a variety of lies, from little white lies to boasting and bragging, to the outright concealing of information, and we do so for a number of different reasons. Why do we lie? In observing children, Psychologist and credibility expert, Dr. Paul Eckman, has observed that lying and how we prepare a lie actually changes over our lifetime. How can we encourage truthfulness in our children and understand the ways in which we may be encouraging others to lie to us? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The Easter Sunday homily was delivered on Sunday, April 20, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The Easter Sunday reflection was delivered on Sunday, April 20, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 13, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There are times in people’s lives when they feel like they are “off the map” and without a trail when it comes to their personal or spiritual path. During these times we can wish we had a spiritual GPS that could help us locate where we are and where we need to go. On Sunday I will explore some of the geography and architecture of a spiritual journey including the descents and returns and the real ways that we move towards greater wisdom, compassion and personal depth. How do we find true north when we are lost or unsure which way we need to go? How do we learn to love beyond belief? How do we know when to stay and be still and when to run away? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The reflection was delivered on Sunday, April 13, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Randy Lewis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION George Washington Carver once said, “How far you go in life depends on your being tender with the young, compassionate with the aged, sympathetic with the striving, and tolerant of the weak and strong. Because someday in your life you will have been all of these.” Let us reflect together and consider how far we have traveled, and, perhaps, how far it is that we still have to go. Join me this Sunday as we explore the theme of Redemption. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 6, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION If I told you that, “There are a few words so powerful that all you have to do is say them, and really believe them and you can be redeemed,” don’t you think that most people would do it? What if I could show you that saying these words with conviction would * help your marriage, * further your career, * improve your relationship with your children * and cause you to become a better friend… What do you think you’d say to them? On Sunday I am looking at some of the ways we find redemption for the things we have done and absolution from the mistakes we have made. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 6, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION “Are you a humanist?” If you say yes, are you a secular humanist, a spiritual humanist, a religious humanist, a religious naturalist humanist, or a Christian humanist? Perhaps you consider yourself to be a secularist, a materialist or a rationalist. Or do you shy away from theological labels in general - which seems like a reasonable choice when faced with so many, nuanced, distinctions? Here in Tulsa, you may have been dismissed as a mere humanist. If you come to The Point regularly, you may self-identify as a generic or even a raving humanist. Humanism has had and continues to have a deep and lasting impact on our faith tradition and the evolution of religious understanding around the world. Joss Whedon, recipient of the Humanist Chaplaincy Award at Harvard in 2010 wrote, “Faith is something we have to embrace. Faith in God means believing absolutely in something with no proof whatsoever. Faith in humanity means believing absolutely in something with a huge amount of proof to the contrary. We are the true believers.” Whether you agree or disagree with this statement, in a faith as free as ours, we each have a responsibility to be able to articulate as best we can, what we hold as our highest values, and why. With the religious freedom we cherish comes the responsibility to study, debate – or argue, and finally decide, define and declare where we stand. My hunch is that we are all humanists. No matter what service we attend. No matter what God we profess we do or don’t believe in. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 23, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When people first hear about All Souls, they can sometimes be confused and wonder, “What kind of church is it really?” Can a church actually affirm and celebrate Atheists, Agnostics, Humanist and theological Naturalists? Rev. Tamara Lebak will answer this question in the service at 8:30 this Sunday. Can a church be Christian if it welcomes nontheists and Buddhists and Jews and people of other beliefs also? Rev. Marlin Lavanhar will answer this second question in the services at 10:00 and 11:30. These are services to which you might want to invite a friend who may have asked you a similar question. WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 23, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When people first hear about All Souls, they can sometimes be confused and wonder, “What kind of church is it really?” Can a church actually affirm and celebrate Atheists, Agnostics, Humanist and theological Naturalists? Rev. Tamara Lebak will answer this question in the service at 8:30 this Sunday. Can a church be Christian if it welcomes nontheists and Buddhists and Jews and people of other beliefs also? Rev. Marlin Lavanhar will answer this second question in the services at 10:00 and 11:30. These are services to which you might want to invite a friend who may have asked you a similar question. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 16, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In the fall of this year, a member of the congregation purchased my sermon at the auction. Her desire is that I preach on Big Data. This Sunday at the 8:30 service I will dive headfirst into Big Data and its implications for understanding who we are as consumers and human beings. Data is constantly being generated from our phones, televisions, credit cards, planes, Internet searches, traffic patterns, and so much more. According to Jonathan Shaw, writer for Harvard Magazine, “The data flow is so fast that the total accumulation of the past two years a zettabyte dwarfs the prior record of human civilization.” The revolution of Big Data and why everyone is talking about it is not the amount of data, itís that we have created new ways to process, analyze, and even visualize that data to make it useful. Using Big Data effectively is what has allowed Amazon to potentially be better at predicting what you are planning to buy next than your partner. In the 10:00 and 11:30 services I will expand into the religious implications of the correlation of data to understanding ourselves and our world. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 16, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In the fall of this year, a member of the congregation purchased my sermon at the auction. Her desire is that I preach on Big Data. This Sunday at the 8:30 service I will dive headfirst into Big Data and its implications for understanding who we are as consumers and human beings. Data is constantly being generated from our phones, televisions, credit cards, planes, Internet searches, traffic patterns, and so much more. According to Jonathan Shaw, writer for Harvard Magazine, “The data flow is so fast that the total accumulation of the past two years a zettabyte dwarfs the prior record of human civilization.” The revolution of Big Data and why everyone is talking about it is not the amount of data, itís that we have created new ways to process, analyze, and even visualize that data to make it useful. Using Big Data effectively is what has allowed Amazon to potentially be better at predicting what you are planning to buy next than your partner. In the 10:00 and 11:30 services I will expand into the religious implications of the correlation of data to understanding ourselves and our world. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 9, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Pastor Randy Lewis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In today’s America, there is a great deal of conversation about the role of religion and how influential it is and should be. If we were indeed a Christian nation, then, rightly so, our laws would reflect that. However, is America not referred to as “the melting pot?” Are we not made up of many different cultures and people, with different religious and political views? What we believe often shapes who we are, how we perceive the world around us, and how we treat people. How do we learn to love and care for others, especially when they are different or believe differently than we do? How can we apply love to those who claim supremacy because of religion? Whose beliefs are the right ones, when religion, politics, and one’s own personal preferences clash? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 2, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Another title could be, “If You Meet The Buddha on the Road, Kill Him!” This was a book title some years ago. The book tried to help people realize that no guru, therapist, or religious leader should become an idol, nor do they have all the answers to life’s problems. The idea is that all of us are just human beings struggling in our own ways along the paths of life. We are meant to look inward for truth and understanding that will ultimately help us take responsibility for our own growth, destiny and healing. We can help one another and need each other, but we also must accept that we are the authority when it comes to our own values, beliefs and actions. When we take authority for our own lives, we take responsibility as the author our own story. Who are your authorities in matters of deepest concern? How do you take responsibility for your religious life? Do you let others impose their beliefs, values and interpretations upon you and why? In Oklahoma, we deal with this almost every day as we live in a culture that is filled with people making, what they believe, are authoritative religious claims about what is right and wrong. I want to talk about where religious authority comes from. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 23, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Earlier this month, I spent almost a week with church members and ministers from Unitarian and Universalist and UU congregations from ALL around the world. It was fascinating to meet and talk, worship and learn, play and pray with people from Austria, Australia, Belgium, Burundi, Canada, Colombia, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Mexico, the Netherlands, Nigeria, New Zealand, the Philippines, Spain, South Africa, Transylvania, and the United Kingdom. Talk about cultural differences! But despite the language barriers and the cultural gaps, we came together as one. This Sunday we will explore the power of this free faith that unites so many people, across great distances, and despite the passage of time. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 9, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Randy Lewis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Freedom is defined as liberation from slavery or restraint or from the power of another. All over the world, there are those longing for, fighting for and standing for freedom. In America, these freedoms are often taken for granted. In the “land of the free”, we see freedom as our birth right; something that was earned long ago by people we read about in history books. In reality, we should ask ourselves whether we have done the work necessary to claim our right to freedom and if our work for freedom is really done. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 2, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It is African-American History Month. At All Souls, we will celebrate all month at 10:00 and 11:30 with Soulful Journeys , an exploration of African-American history and the African-American Spirit through music. At the Point, I will examine some of the surprising things well intended people say that perpetuate, if not widen, the diversity gap. I have said them; you have likely said them. We probably hear them regularly. Join me in learning the intent behind some of these statements that separate us, and ways to bridge to connection when we, or someone we love, inserts their foot in their mouth. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 26, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Galen Guengerich, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Over the past few decades, the ever-expanding scientific knowledge of the universe and the human condition, combined with the shift from religion-based to personal morality, has led to a mass crisis of faith. Leaders of most Protestant and Catholic religious traditions, which include nearly 80 percent of Americans, have watched their memberships stagnate or dwindle. Over the years, philosophers and scientists have argued that science has in fact “killed” God, and that if we believe the facts science has presented, we must also accept that God is fiction. Others, holding fast to their long-standing doctrines, attempt to justify their beliefs by using God to explain gaps in scientific knowledge. Having left an upbringing in a family of Mennonite preachers to discover his own experience of God, Galen Guengerich understands the modern American struggle to combine modern world views with outdated religious dogma. Drawing upon his own experiences, he proposes that just as humanity has had to evolve its conception of the universe to coincide with new scientific discoveries, we are long overdue in evolving our concept of God. Gone are the days of the magical, supernatural deity in the sky who visits wrath upon those who have not followed his word. Especially in a scientific age, we need an experience of a God we can believe in — an experience that grounds our morality, unites us in community, and engages us with a world that still holds more mystery than answers. _______________________________________________ Rev. Galen Guengerich is Senior Minister of All Souls Unitarian Church in New York City. He was educated at Franklin and Marshall College (BA, 1982), Princeton Theological Seminary (MDiv, 1985) and the University of Chicago (PhD, 2004). He writes a regular column on “The Search for Meaning” for psychologytoday.com, and his sermon, “The Shaking of the Foundations,” delivered Sept. 16, 2001 – the Sunday after 9/11 – was selected for inclusion in Representative American Speeches 2001–2002 along with speeches by Governor George Pataki, President George Bush, and Mayor Rudolph Giuliani as one of seven “Responses to September 11th.” His most recent work, God Revised: How Religion Must Evolve in a Scientific Age, was published in May. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 19, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Thanks to narration, I was able recently to enjoy the film, “Mandela: A Long Walk to Freedom,” with my family. Assistive technology for the visually-impaired has arrived at movie theaters, and opened a vista of delight for us. Listening through wireless headphones to a beautifully-voiced narrator setting the scene for the dialogue heard by everyone else, allowed me to keep up with the movie and not disturb others with “What’s going on?” questions. The film studios made a business decision that had a positive moral tone, but it was just what one would do if someone seated at your dinner table needed some help in order to enjoy the meal. It would take only ordinary love. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., like Nelson Mandela, encouraged us to use ordinary love outside our comfortable circumstances. On this Sunday, when we celebrate the birth of Dr. King and a day of commitment to the love that embraces, I would like us to think about how far ordinary love goes. Is there a limit? If so, what are the circumstances? Dr. King titled his book, Strength to Love alerting us to the task before us. Everyone may be included in God’s love, but can you act out that love to just anyone? Without making lists, come prepared to wrestle with the challenges of Ordinary Love. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 19, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Carol Thomas Cissel, Resident Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Over four decades ago we heard a voice that made our hearts lurch forward. A voice that captivated and energized a nation. A voice that made us believe change can, must, and will happen. Together, with Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., we dreamed of making a difference. But have we? Did we? Can we? Or, was it all a dream? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 12, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Let’s be honest. It’s not easy being “green!” Doing what is best for the environment is often inconvenient, expensive, complicated, unclear, and hard to maintain. Most people, including the loudest proponents of “being green,” act hypocritically regarding many of their own choices. Most of us, if we let ourselves think about it honestly, feel somewhat guilty and hypocritical about how we live with regard to the amount of resources we use and destroy. Looking at my own life, I’m in no position to lecture anyone on how to live regarding being a noble steward of the earth. But I try to do the “right” things, at least when it is not too inconvenient. What do we do if we have a sense of responsibility to the earth, and to future generations, but we have neither the will nor the knowledge to make significant change? It may be one of the primary dilemmas of our times, especially for those who have enough time and money to think about such things. Can we step out of our agendas, our denial, our fears, and our self-righteousness long enough to struggle together regarding what all of this means? I’m going to give it a try. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 5, 2014, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION What is your word for the new year? Words have incredible power to change and even create realities. The old saying goes: “Sticks and stones can break my bones but words can never hurt me.” The truth is that words are more destructive and creative than sticks or stones could ever be. Sometimes one word can change our lives. There is a verse in the Bible that says “In the beginning was the word…” As we begin a new year and launch into our monthly theme of Creation, let’s look at how words can help us be fully alive and can help us create the world we want to live in. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 22, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When the sun rises on Dec. 22 it will have emerged out of the longest, darkest night of the year. Cultures around the globe and across time have found ways to celebrate and respond to both the darkness and the returning of the light. Before much was understood about astronomy, ancient people feared that the sun was dying. Fear of the darkness and alarm over the lengthening nights and shortening days was something that called people to some kind of ritual or religious response. In religious parlance, darkness is often used as a metaphor for something negative. We hear about “going to the dark side,” or “dealing with the darkness within,” or “dark emotions,” or “dark moments in life.” But darkness has many positive attributes too: seeds grow in the dark, the womb that prepares life is dark, and nighttime is filled with many restorative blessings. With Sunday falling on the first day of lengthening sunlight, let us begin this day and season by paying special attention and honoring the darkness, even as we come more fully into the light. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 15, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during the contemporary service by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Spoiler alert: this sermon is inspired by the film. If you haven’t yet seen Gravity, be forewarned, you may learn more than you want to know. You may also be influenced by my perspective on the film as a religious parable. And finally, you may want to see it before Sunday! Dr. Ryan Stone is a medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, when disaster strikes. As the story unfolds, we learn that she is numb with grief over her daughter’s death, and devotes all of her time, energy, and attention to her work. Not noticing all the opportunities that Creation offers her, she gave her life completely to her tasks – so much so that it may even cause the drama that ensues. Dr. Stone, with the help of some incredible cinematography, hurls herself from space station to space station trying to get home. The characters in Gravity float through outer space, completely vulnerable (as do we all.) Dr. Stone must decide over and over again, despite many trials, whether to give up or fight for life. You don’t have to be an astronaut to empathize. What literally grounds us – what binds us to the earth and keeps us from flying off of this planet – is gravity. What grounds you in the chaos of life? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 15, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, during the traditional service by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Spoiler alert: this sermon is inspired by the film. If you haven’t yet seen Gravity, be forewarned, you may learn more than you want to know. You may also be influenced by my perspective on the film as a religious parable. And finally, you may want to see it before Sunday! Dr. Ryan Stone is a medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, when disaster strikes. As the story unfolds, we learn that she is numb with grief over her daughter’s death, and devotes all of her time, energy, and attention to her work. Not noticing all the opportunities that Creation offers her, she gave her life completely to her tasks – so much so that it may even cause the drama that ensues. Dr. Stone, with the help of some incredible cinematography, hurls herself from space station to space station trying to get home. The characters in Gravity float through outer space, completely vulnerable (as do we all.) Dr. Stone must decide over and over again, despite many trials, whether to give up or fight for life. You don’t have to be an astronaut to empathize. What literally grounds us – what binds us to the earth and keeps us from flying off of this planet – is gravity. What grounds you in the chaos of life? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 15, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Spoiler alert: this sermon is inspired by the film. If you haven’t yet seen Gravity, be forewarned, you may learn more than you want to know. You may also be influenced by my perspective on the film as a religious parable. And finally, you may want to see it before Sunday! Dr. Ryan Stone is a medical engineer on her first shuttle mission, when disaster strikes. As the story unfolds, we learn that she is numb with grief over her daughter’s death, and devotes all of her time, energy, and attention to her work. Not noticing all the opportunities that Creation offers her, she gave her life completely to her tasks – so much so that it may even cause the drama that ensues. Dr. Stone, with the help of some incredible cinematography, hurls herself from space station to space station trying to get home. The characters in Gravity float through outer space, completely vulnerable (as do we all.) Dr. Stone must decide over and over again, despite many trials, whether to give up or fight for life. You don’t have to be an astronaut to empathize. What literally grounds us – what binds us to the earth and keeps us from flying off of this planet – is gravity. What grounds you in the chaos of life? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 8, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Does God make mistakes? And does God learn from those whom God created? The Bible makes it seem like God is continuing to change and grow as humanity changes and evolves. In this funny, heartfelt and (some would say) “heretical” message, the preacher takes on the character of God to describe what it’s like to be the Almighty, the Creator of all Existence. In the end, he truly brings God “down to earth.” The sermon was inspired by the book, The Education of God by the Reverend David E. Bumbaugh. The book includes a series of powerful expository sermons in which the author tells the accounts of Abraham, Moses, Jonah and others from God’s perspective. The Education of God. Bumbaugh, David E., Rising Press, Minneapolis 1994. Rising Press First Universalist Church of Minneapolis 3400 Dupont Ave. S., Minneapolis, MN 55408 SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 1, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION “Why does the caged bird sing?“ posed Maya Angelou. She tells us beautifully in her book of the same title, “Because it has a song.” You and I marvel at the remarkable resilience of those beset by disaster or life circumstances. We see them making a way out of no way. We feel their strength when they say, ”I feel like going on.“ When the poet says, ”…and still they rise," we ask ourselves, could we? Yes, my brothers and sisters, we will consider the proposition that all of us are born not equal to a powerful force that moves us to places we never dreamed we could go. If we take ourselves too seriously we cannot ask for help. But if we humble ourselves to ask for help in overcoming those self-centered obstacles that keep us estranged from one another, our blessing is on the way! Our theme this month is God, and we shall praise! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 1, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Randy Lewis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION World AIDS Day is held on December 1 each year and is an important opportunity to show support for people living with HIV and to remember those who have died. We don’t hear about it much anymore. And World AIDS Day is often an occasion to note alarming or depressing statistics, like 33 million people are infected with HIV worldwide, and a quarter of them are unaware they have the virus… But as important as it is to remember, and be aware, it is just as important to have hope. Although there is no cure for HIV, treatment has advanced greatly, and it is no longer considered a death sentence. People diagnosed today can have a near-normal life expectancy and live healthy and active lives. So, my reflection is not only about enduring the storm but also about learning to dance in the rain. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 24, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION One of the questions I am most frequently asked is, “How can people with many different beliefs be members of the same church?” It seems to go against the very nature of church. The answer is “Covenant.” A covenant is a sacred promise. At All Souls we are not bound together by a central, unified belief or creed. We are united under a sacred promise that we make to one another when we join the church. On one level it is very simple and at the same time it is deeply profound. Instead of reciting a creed in worship, we recite: Love is the Spirit of our church and service is its law. This is our great covenant: To dwell together in peace, to seek the truth in love and to help one another. These words invite anyone who is willing to make such a promise toward the common good to become a part of our community. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 17, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Minister Carol Thomas Cissel, Resident Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Every now and I then I get good and mad… and stay mad… and wallow around in it for a little while. The other day, while in that frame of mind, I went online and looked up quotes on, “How to deal with anger.” They were all very mushy, cosmic, and woo-woo. Most of them said I needed to get into right relationship with the folks I am mad at, or maybe give my anger up to the Universe. Yeah, right. I don’t think so. See, I do not believe there is anything wrong with getting angry or upset. The thing to remember is that anger is a sly, dangerous emotion. It can consume us, and get in the way of our creating full, productive, genuine lives. It can pull us away from others. It can blind us, and stop us from being in touch with our most authentic feelings. But anger can also propel us to action. It can be our response to what is wrong in the world, and it can motivate us to work for change. There is nothing like a good dose of righteous UU anger, directed well, to offer the proverbial kick in the pants and get things moving forward. As the world rages on, we often rage along with it. There are a plethora of problems and people in this world that regularly tick me – and probably you – OFF. • No decent bus service between Swan Drive and All Souls • Red light cameras • Liars • Politicians that lack integrity • Stubbing my toe at night, on the corner of the bed… AGAIN! Problems, big and small, exist. Still, in the midst of them we are called upon to figure a way out of the “red haze of anger.” Come to church this Sunday. Let’s talk about anger. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 10, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Dr. Miguel A. De La Torre, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION This Sunday at All Souls we will have 60 Unitarian Universalist ministers and lay-leaders from around the United States, visiting our congregation as part of a national conference we are hosting on “Building Vital Multicultural and Multiracial Congregations.” Today’s sermon is presented by Dr. Miguel De La Torre, an author of many published works, a passionate speaker, and a subject-matter expert on such hot topics as religious and social ethics, theology, immigration, sexuality, and reconciliation. Dr. De La Torre is Professor of Social Ethics, Iliff School of Theology. He specializes in ethics within contemporary U.S. thought, specifically how religion affects race, class, and gender oppression. He is the author of ‘Genesis: A Theological Commentary on the Bible’ (WJK, 2012); ‘The Quest for the Historical Satan’ (co-authored, 2011); ‘Liberating Jonah: Toward a Biblical Ethics of Reconciliation’ (Orbis Books, 2007); ‘Lily Among the Thorns: Imagining a New Christian Sexuality’ (Jossey-Bass, 2007); ‘Doing Christian Ethics from the Margins’ (Orbis Books, 2004). De La Torre has also edited the ‘Encyclopedia on Hispanic American Religious Culture,’ a 2-volume set (ABC-CLIO, 2009), and is the series editor for the 12-volume ‘Latino/a Religious Thought for the New Millennium’ (Baylor University Press). SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, November 3, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It can be pretty presumptuous for a man to stand up and speak about a woman’s spirit, though it hasn’t stopped male clergy from doing just that for many millennia now. But my message this week isn’t aiming to describe the role of women’s spirits in the family, the workplace, or American society; I want to share the story of one woman’s spirit in particular. You almost certainly know of this woman, whose place in history and legend continues to impact hundreds of millions of lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 27, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION My sermon topic for this Sunday will be chosen for me by the highest bidder at the church’s Lovapalooza Auction on Saturday night. Do you have an idea that you would like to hear me speak about? Nobody, not even I, will know Sunday’s sermon topic until the final live auction item on Saturday night. Come support the auction and have a lot of fun at Lovapalooza and then come Sunday to hear what I have to say on this surprise topic. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: /> All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 20, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister, and Minister Randy Lewis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The United States has the highest documented incarceration rate in the world. America locks up more of its citizens than Iceland, Japan, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Ireland, Germany and Italy… combined. Wait, it gets worse. Oklahoma ranks first in the nation in the incarceration of women, second in the incarceration of black men, and third in the incarceration of men. As members of a community of faith, we have a responsibility to resist a local culture which doesn’t seem to believe that redemption is real or that people deserve second chances. Both of us have been involved with the criminal justice system in different ways over the years. We share a passion for justice and a desire to work together to make changes in our state. We hope you will come hear what we have to say about our broken system and join us as we continue to build our own, Free InDeed Prison Ministry here at All Souls. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 13, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In a childhood version of ethics and faith, good things happen to good people. Yet tragedy and misfortune are much less discriminating than that. A drunk driver hits a car and survives, while in the hit car a small child dies. Such events defy all concepts of fairness. Religions too often seem to become apologists for a God who would create such a cruel world. And many Atheists site such cruelty as proof that there can be no God. Often, in people’s explanations of how and why bad things happen to good people, they unwittingly present theories and theologies that not only insult our intelligence but that ought to insult even “the gods!” This Sunday, I want to have a courageous and honest conversation about why life is not fair and what we might do about it. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, October 6, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In October we launch a new theme for the month and it is Evil. Few topics are as exciting or challenging for a theologian or philosopher. To reconcile the purpose of creation or the existence of God with the reality of evil is the challenge of every moral person. The temptation to be good, it seems, is often less powerful than the temptation to immorality in all its titillating and exhilarating forms. Last month I discussed how we can avoid being thrown off course by difficult people and situations, and this month I’ll also explore how temptation and evil can knock us off our path. Come and explore with me the nature of our identity, who we think we are, and why it matters. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 29, 2013, during the contemporary service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In the Hebrew Scriptures, God creates humankind "in his own image." (Genesis 1:27) The word image refers to representation or perception, and the Latin, imago, also means the final stage of metamorphosis. Our identities are collages of our thoughts, feelings, and experiences, mixed with an understanding of how other people experience us. We craft an image of ourselves as we encounter each other and the world. That image of ourselves – who we think we are – is also influenced by our culture. Identity, very much like our understanding of the world, is socially constructed. In Sartre's seminal work No Exit, he presents Hell as a place where we are defined solely upon how other people perceive us. In Sartre's version of Hell, we have no power over how we are perceived. The power lies entirely in the hands of others. Have you ever felt powerless over how you are viewed? This can happen when we feel categorized; it can happen when we feel defined by a single event in our lives; it can happen when we are stereotyped as only gay, only liberal, or only a person of color, and not as a complex human being. Come and explore with me the nature of our identity, who we think we are, and why it matters. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 29, 2013, during the traditional service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In the Hebrew Scriptures, God creates humankind “in his own image.” (Genesis 1:27) The word image refers to representation or perception, and the Latin, imago, also means the final stage of metamorphosis. Our identities are collages of our thoughts, feelings, and experiences, mixed with an understanding of how other people experience us. We craft an image of ourselves as we encounter each other and the world. That image of ourselves – who we think we are – is also influenced by our culture. Identity, very much like our understanding of the world, is socially constructed. In Sartre's seminal work No Exit, he presents Hell as a place where we are defined solely upon how other people perceive us. In Sartre's version of Hell, we have no power over how we are perceived. The power lies entirely in the hands of others. Have you ever felt powerless over how you are viewed? This can happen when we feel categorized; it can happen when we feel defined by a single event in our lives; it can happen when we are stereotyped as only gay, only liberal, or only a person of color, and not as a complex human being. Come and explore with me the nature of our identity, who we think we are, and why it matters. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 22, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION At All Souls there is a painting hanging in the foyer that tells the story of our church. Over the years I have found it to be one of the most compelling and memorable ways to describe All Souls to visitors and those who inquire about us. In this beautiful image you will find the basics of our history, our values, our theology and what we hold most dear as a community. On Sunday I will share that picture and that story with you in a way that you can use to tell your family and friends and others who may ask you. The painting, like our world, is filled with simple gifts that are free and available as long as we help keep them alive. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 15, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION We recently asked some media and communications professionals whether All Souls is relevant in today’s world. Here’s what they told us: Now, perhaps more than ever, people are confused, disenfranchised, disillusioned and even angry about the way they feel they have been mandated, instructed, and forced into thinking about their world, people, God, and spirituality. The world is connected in a way, for the first time in history, that allows them to share in people’s cultures, beliefs, happiness, pain, ideas, and persecution like never before. They are questioning traditional creeds, what they mean, and the impact they have on humanity, our connection to one another, and our collective future together. All Souls’ Vision aligns with how more and more people see their world, their place in it, other cultures, their spiritual nature, and the impact that religious teaching and action should have on humanity. WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 8, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Right now, our president, our military leaders, and our Congress are debating bombing Syria, which they are claiming is necessary to our national security. In other words, they are contemplating an attack that will inevitably kill and displace civilians, including women and children. We, as Americans and as citizens of the world, have to explore the morality of action and inaction in the face of the devastation and carnage. This morning, I come in the tradition of the American preacher as a prophetic voice in our democracy to lay out the moral issues and the criteria for action or inaction in the Syria crisis. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, September 1, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION I turned fifty this year and started working out. At CrossFit classes I’ve learned what burpees, back squats, and box jumps are. The more energy I expend at the gym, the more energy I have for the rest of my day. Working out, and our work matters. It shapes our lives as individuals and as a congregation. How much we work, how much we get paid for our work, where we work, why we work… all matters. In our church, we have young adults looking for work for the first time, and older adults wondering what they will do after they retire. We have middle-aged folks in the middle of mid-life crises and retirees who make the work of the church possible because of how they generous they are with their time. Why do you do the work you do? This Labor Day weekend, we’ll explore the meaning and value of work in our lives and celebrate the work we do! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 25, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION August 28 will mark the 50th anniversary of the 1963 March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom. Like most watershed moments in U.S. history, there is a back story. As we do, in our church culture, we "seek the truth in love." Join me as we allow the scales to fall away in order to see with transformed eyes. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 18, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Today we have powerful tools for social networking, but in many ways they are not working. We are social creatures and we need one another, yet, as society and technology change, we do not always know if our former ways of doing things still apply. It can be hard to know anymore what the rules are for parents, children, relationships, dating, and much more. Let’s examine how to create social networks that work for us and not against us. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 11, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION This summer I was invited to join two different people in checking something off of their “Bucket Lists.” One involved fly-fishing in Colorado, and the other was to attend a heavy metal concert – Ozzy Osbourne with Black Sabbath. Some people might find it surprising, but I not only had a blast, I found intrinsic value in both. These experiences also caused me to think about what items might be on my own list. What essential things do I hope to accomplish before I die? As I look to the Bible, the Buddha, and other sources of inspiration and wisdom, I realize that having some things on a Bucket List can be very important. What’s on your Bucket List? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 4, 2013, during the contemporary service, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION According to New York Times columnist Natalie Angier, “Cursing… is a human universal. Every language, dialect, or patois ever studied, living or dead, spoken by millions or by a small tribe, turns out to have its share of forbidden speech.” Why do we swear? Somehow this temptation of forbidden fruit is serving human beings across cultures. One recent study claims that swearing produces the positive side effect of improving our ability to withstand pain. Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage from MythBusters employed a technique commonly used by researchers called the “cold pressor test” to assess this claim. Participants anchor their arms in ice water until they can no longer tolerate the freezing pain, while reading off a list of non-curse words. Then, they repeated the process while swearing up a storm. Spewing expletives evidently increases suffering stamina by a measurable average of 30 percent. And yet, persistent complaining can also keep us stuck, limiting our perceived choices, and keeping the very thing we would like to change the same. Join me this week as I explore the power of words to change our present and our future. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, August 4, 2013, during the traditional service, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION According to New York Times columnist Natalie Angier, “Cursing… is a human universal. Every language, dialect, or patois ever studied, living or dead, spoken by millions or by a small tribe, turns out to have its share of forbidden speech.” Why do we swear? Somehow this temptation of forbidden fruit is serving human beings across cultures. One recent study claims that swearing produces the positive side effect of improving our ability to withstand pain. Jamie Hyneman and Adam Savage from MythBusters employed a technique commonly used by researchers called the “cold pressor test” to assess this claim. Participants anchor their arms in ice water until they can no longer tolerate the freezing pain, while reading off a list of non-curse words. Then, they repeated the process while swearing up a storm. Spewing expletives evidently increases suffering stamina by a measurable average of 30 percent. And yet, persistent complaining can also keep us stuck, limiting our perceived choices, and keeping the very thing we would like to change the same. Join me this week as I explore the power of words to change our present and our future. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 28, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald Davis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The summer sermon series “Seven Deadly Sins” presents new approaches to, and twists on, the antiquity’s infamous grave transgression list. June 16: “Pride” by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, June 23: “Envy” by Rev. Tamara Lebak, June 30: “Greed” by Louis Rojas, July 7: “Lust” by Randy Lewis, July 14: “Anger” by Rev. Barbara Prose, July 21: “Sloth” by Rev. Victor Parachin, July 28: “Gluttony” by Rev. Gerald Davis. See them all! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 21, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. Victor Parachin, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The summer sermon series “Seven Deadly Sins” presents new approaches to, and twists on, the antiquity’s infamous grave transgression list. June 16: “Pride” by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, June 23: “Envy” by Rev. Tamara Lebak, June 30: “Greed” by Louis Rojas, July 7: “Lust” by Randy Lewis, July 14: “Anger” by Rev. Barbara Prose, July 21: “Sloth” by Rev. Victor Parachin, July 28: “Gluttony” by Rev. Gerald Davis. See them all! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 14, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The summer sermon series “Seven Deadly Sins” presents new approaches to, and twists on, the antiquity’s infamous grave transgression list. June 16: “Pride” by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, June 23: “Envy” by Rev. Tamara Lebak, June 30: “Greed” by Louis Rojas, July 7: “Lust” by Randy Lewis, July 14: “Anger” by Rev. Barbara Prose, July 21: “Sloth” by Rev. Victor Parachin, July 28: “Gluttony” by Rev. Gerald Davis. See them all! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 7, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Pastor Randy Lewis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The summer sermon series “Seven Deadly Sins” presents new approaches to, and twists on, the antiquity's infamous grave transgression list. Lust is such an ominous word. It means "intense desire or craving" and can take many forms. When used in relation to power or wealth, we are discouraged from lusting. But it is often permissible to have lust for life... a fulfilling life in all its varied forms and arrangements. So, when it comes to a fulfilling life, I say, "lust a little." NOTE: We use the Our Whole Lives (OWL) curriculum with our 7th graders. For more info, contact Children's Religious Exploration Administrator at 918-743-2805 ext. 321. For general info on Children's Religious Exploration, see also: June 16: “Pride” by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, June 23: “Envy” by Rev. Tamara Lebak, June 30: “Greed” by Louis Rojas, July 7: “Lust” by Randy Lewis, July 14: “Anger” by Rev. Barbara Prose, July 21: “Sloth” by Rev. Victor Parachin, July 28: “Gluttony” by Rev. Gerald Davis. See them all! WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 30, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Louis Rojas, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The summer sermon series “Seven Deadly Sins” presents new approaches to, and twists on, the antiquity's infamous grave transgression list. June 16: “Pride” by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, June 23: “Envy” by Rev. Tamara Lebak, June 30: “Greed” by Louis Rojas, July 7: “Lust” by Randy Lewis, July 14: “Anger” by Rev. Barbara Prose, July 21: “Sloth” by Rev. Victor Parachin, July 28: “Gluttony” by Rev. Gerald Davis. See them all! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 23, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The summer sermon series “Seven Deadly Sins” presents new approaches to, and twists on, the antiquity’s infamous grave transgression list. June 16: "Pride" by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, June 23: "Envy" by Rev. Tamara Lebak, June 30: "Greed" by Louis Rojas, July 7: "Lust" by Randy Lewis, July 14: "Anger" by Rev. Barbara Prose, July 21: "Sloth" by Rev. Victor Parachin, July 28: "Gluttony" by Rev. Gerald Davis. See them all! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 16, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The summer sermon series “Seven Deadly Sins” presents new approaches to, and twists on, the antiquity’s infamous grave transgression list. June 16: "Pride" by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, June 23: "Envy" by Rev. Tamara Lebak, June 30: "Greed" by Louis Rojas, July 7: "Lust" by Randy Lewis, July 14: "Anger" by Rev. Barbara Prose, July 21: "Sloth" by Rev. Victor Parachin, July 28: "Gluttony" by Rev. Gerald Davis. See them all! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 9, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Ray Charles was a border walker. He was a pioneer in the genre of soul music during the 1950s by fusing rhythm and blues, gospel, and blues styles into his early recordings with Atlantic Records. He also helped racially integrate country and pop music during the 1960s with his crossover success on ABC Records, most notably with his Modern Sounds albums. While with ABC, Charles became one of the first African-American musicians to be given artistic control by a mainstream record company. Frank Sinatra called Charles “the only true genius in show business." The influences upon his music were jazz, blues, rhythm and blues and even country. His piano playing reflected influences from country blues, barrelhouse and stride piano styles. Criticized and beloved, Ray Charles’ influence stemmed from his capacity to embrace and adapt without losing his identity. Come explore what we can learn about how to live our lives through the lens of this incredible musician. WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, June 2, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Some of the most important lessons and transitions in life do not come with diplomas and festivities. We do not always have something to hang on the wall to show the world that we have made it to the other side of some test or trial. There’s an expression, “If I only knew then, what I know now…” As we honor and recognize those who are formally graduating in this season, I thought I might offer some of the things I wished I had known when I was leaving school and heading into the adult stage of my life. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 26, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Eric Banner, Intern Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION We often live our lives as though if we could all agree on how to say what is true, then everything else would fall into place. And it is true that sometimes that is an important step along the way. But words have meaning that depends on their context and the person who's saying them. The same sentence can come from two different people and mean two very different things. We've all had the experience of saying something exactly as we mean it, only to discover that what someone heard wasn't what we meant at all. In a congregation and community as diverse as ours, filled with people of differing ages, theologies, ethnicities and different economic situations, it can be hard to understand each other from time to time. If you've ever heard someone say something that really upset you, only to find out later they didn't mean what you thought you heard at all, this Sunday is for you. Because it turns out the truth is so much more than words. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 19, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION One of the fastest growing and most misunderstood types of Christianity is Pentecostalism. For Christians May 19th is Pentecost Sunday. I look forward to sharing a powerful, progressive religious idea that my colleague Rev. Dr. Jacqui Lewis in NY City calls the “Pentecostal Paradigm.” If you never understood (or have never heard of) Pentecost you will discover something very special. If you have a Pentecostal background and wonder what it has to do with the religion and spirituality you find at All Souls, this message offers some answers. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, May 19, 2013, during The Point, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Many people do not understand the difference between spirituality and belief in God. Most Buddhists do not believe in God (they are Humanist) and yet they are world renowned for their teachings of spirituality and spiritual practices such as meditation. Brain science and evolutionary science has helped explain some of what is understood today as spirituality. As Pentecost is celebrated by Christians around the world, let’s look at movements of the spirit from a Humanist perspective. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 12, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION One of my favorite memories of growing up Unitarian Universalist was the flower communion service each spring. Before church, my brother and I would go into the backyard and cut flowers from our garden, one for each member of our family. We carefully brought the flowers to church and deposited them in a basket on our way into the sanctuary. The part I liked best was getting to choose someone else’s flower from the colorful array to take home. Prior to WWII this special service was created by Unitarians in Czechoslovakia who were a prominent Humanist congregation and one of the largest Unitarian churches in history. Here at All Souls we celebrate the flower communion each Mother’s Day. Another All Souls tradition is the Mother’s Day brunch. This year it is hosted by our Youth Group and the money they raise will go to help fund their upcoming SpiritqUUest trip. I invite you to bring a flower (if you can’t, we will have plenty for everyone to participate) and join us for this festive celebration. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 5, 2013, during the contemporary service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION This month we explore the theme of Truth. Every Sunday in worship we stand up and use our voices to proclaim that we will seek the truth in love. At 8:30 and 10:00 we will examine a beloved story from India, “The Blind Man and The Elephant,” which has been widely disseminated as a Jain, Buddhist, Sufi and Hindu teaching story. John Godfrey Saxe memorialized the moral of the story as: “So oft in theologic wars, The disputants, I ween, Rail on in utter ignorance Of what each other mean, And prate about an Elephant Not one of them has seen.” This propensity is not simply of theological concern. At 10:00 and 11:30, I will also look at the story of Pentecost. In the Christian Scriptures, the miracle of Pentecost was to hear one’s own language and one’s own truth reflected back from the mouths of strangers. How do we speak from our limited perspectives knowing in fact they are limited, and make room for the truths of others in the process? How do we welcome contradictory evidence and still make a claim? In order to seek truth in love we must be aware of our own power and make choices about the truth of the claim and the value of the relationship. Join me Sunday as I examine the nature of power and truth. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 5, 2013, during the traditional service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION This month we explore the theme of Truth. Every Sunday in worship we stand up and use our voices to proclaim that we will seek the truth in love. At 8:30 and 10:00 we will examine a beloved story from India, “The Blind Man and The Elephant,” which has been widely disseminated as a Jain, Buddhist, Sufi and Hindu teaching story. John Godfrey Saxe memorialized the moral of the story as: “So oft in theologic wars, The disputants, I ween, Rail on in utter ignorance Of what each other mean, And prate about an Elephant Not one of them has seen.” This propensity is not simply of theological concern. At 10:00 and 11:30, I will also look at the story of Pentecost. In the Christian Scriptures, the miracle of Pentecost was to hear one’s own language and one’s own truth reflected back from the mouths of strangers. How do we speak from our limited perspectives knowing in fact they are limited, and make room for the truths of others in the process? How do we welcome contradictory evidence and still make a claim? In order to seek truth in love we must be aware of our own power and make choices about the truth of the claim and the value of the relationship. Join me Sunday as I examine the nature of power and truth. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, May 5, 2013, during The Point at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION This month we explore the theme of Truth. Every Sunday in worship we stand up and use our voices to proclaim that we will seek the truth in love. At 8:30 and 10:00 we will examine a beloved story from India, “The Blind Man and The Elephant,” which has been widely disseminated as a Jain, Buddhist, Sufi and Hindu teaching story. John Godfrey Saxe memorialized the moral of the story as: “So oft in theologic wars, The disputants, I ween, Rail on in utter ignorance Of what each other mean, And prate about an Elephant Not one of them has seen.” This propensity is not simply of theological concern. At 10:00 and 11:30, I will also look at the story of Pentecost. In the Christian Scriptures, the miracle of Pentecost was to hear one’s own language and one’s own truth reflected back from the mouths of strangers. How do we speak from our limited perspectives knowing in fact they are limited, and make room for the truths of others in the process? How do we welcome contradictory evidence and still make a claim? In order to seek truth in love we must be aware of our own power and make choices about the truth of the claim and the value of the relationship. Join me Sunday as I examine the nature of power and truth. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 28, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Have you ever wanted to simplify your life? A popular hymn is titled, “’Tis a Gift To Be Simple.” I write this while I am listening to internet radio over a Bluetooth player as I type on my laptop computer and eat what is probably a genetically modified carrot; and now my phone is vibrating to tell me a text message has just arrived from the pharmacy to let me know my child’s medication is ready to be picked up at theirdrive through window. As soon as I’m done writing this I’m going to put on a dry-cleaned shirt and go pick up the medicine. I may make a call as I’m driving or listen to an audio book. All this before making it to the office. But I better check my email and Facebook and send a Tweet before leaving for the day. Whether this sounds familiar or unbelievable, join me Sunday as I tackle the subject of “simplicity” for a sermon that was purchased in the auction by Lisa and Jim Perrault. In fact, it is a topic with deep religious, philosophical and practical roots. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, April 21, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It is considered by many to be one of the best Sundays of the year. Our Coming of Age service includes powerful, personal expressions of the beliefs of our ninth graders. It takes a lot of thought, courage, and self-confidence for these teens to share their core beliefs with the rest of the congregation. You may recall that at All Souls, during an infant or child dedication service, the minister welcomes infants and children into the fellowship of all good souls and dedicates them into the service of righteousness and love. The parents pledge that when their child reaches the age of discretion, they will fulfill their obligation as parents to impart to their child the meaning and importance of the hour. The congregation then stands and pledges their support to nurture, care for, and help raise the child. At the end of the ceremony the minister hands each infant or child a flower. In the Spring of each year we give a flower to each youth who has completed our ninth grade Coming of Age class, and invite them before the congregation to recognize they have now reached the age of discretion. In our tradition, this service can be compared to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah in the Jewish community or Confirmation for Christians. It means a great deal to the youth, to their parents, and to the life of our church community that we share this service to honor and welcome the next generation. It is these ceremonies and rites of passage that help us connect with one another across the generations, and with the heritage of all souls across the expanse of time. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, April 21, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It is considered by many to be one of the best Sundays of the year. Our Coming of Age service includes powerful, personal expressions of the beliefs of our ninth graders. It takes a lot of thought, courage, and self-confidence for these teens to share their core beliefs with the rest of the congregation. You may recall that at All Souls, during an infant or child dedication service, the minister welcomes infants and children into the fellowship of all good souls and dedicates them into the service of righteousness and love. The parents pledge that when their child reaches the age of discretion, they will fulfill their obligation as parents to impart to their child the meaning and importance of the hour. The congregation then stands and pledges their support to nurture, care for, and help raise the child. At the end of the ceremony the minister hands each infant or child a flower. In the Spring of each year we give a flower to each youth who has completed our ninth grade Coming of Age class, and invite them before the congregation to recognize they have now reached the age of discretion. In our tradition, this service can be compared to a Bar/Bat Mitzvah in the Jewish community or Confirmation for Christians. It means a great deal to the youth, to their parents, and to the life of our church community that we share this service to honor and welcome the next generation. It is these ceremonies and rites of passage that help us connect with one another across the generations, and with the heritage of all souls across the expanse of time. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The message was delivered on Sunday, April 21, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Talk of climate change, global warming, monster storms, and islands disappearing under the sea, leave many of us feeling overwhelmed and helpless. I learned this week that ORU thinks climate change is real and threatening, thus their administration is preparing to respond to coming changes here in Tulsa. The question becomes, how can we work together, no matter what our theology is, to ensure that our children and grandchildren will have healthy food to eat, clean water to drink, and wilderness areas to experience. Find out how you can join with others to preserve and protect our futures. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 14, 2013, during the contemporary service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Rev. Dr. John Wolf, our Minister Emeritus wrote, “The church… is not a body of doctrine, or of reasons; or of explanations. It is a community of those who have known the deepest valley and who have passed through it to the other side…they have not been lost, or embittered in the passage. Instead, in spite of it, or, rather, because of it, they have learned compassion, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, and self-control. The anxiety, the frustration, the despair, the gap between ourselves and others, the separation we feel with the ground of our own being, cannot be overcome by religion. It is overcome in the community of the broken, the communion of saints, it is in the church wherein we are reconciled, bringing to it as we do the pieces of our lives—if not our lives in pieces—to share with one another.” Have you been to the valley, where the very foundation under your feet has crumbled? Have you lost someone you love dearly? How can we continue to live in the face of such tragedy? How can they live on in spite of such finality? Join me this week as I examine our lives in pieces and how it is the church, not theology, nor religion that truly saves us. It is in fact the community of the broken. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 14, 2013, during the traditional service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Rev. Dr. John Wolf, our Minister Emeritus wrote, “The church… is not a body of doctrine, or of reasons; or of explanations. It is a community of those who have known the deepest valley and who have passed through it to the other side…they have not been lost, or embittered in the passage. Instead, in spite of it, or, rather, because of it, they have learned compassion, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, and self-control. The anxiety, the frustration, the despair, the gap between ourselves and others, the separation we feel with the ground of our own being, cannot be overcome by religion. It is overcome in the community of the broken, the communion of saints, it is in the church wherein we are reconciled, bringing to it as we do the pieces of our lives—if not our lives in pieces—to share with one another.” Have you been to the valley, where the very foundation under your feet has crumbled? Have you lost someone you love dearly? How can we continue to live in the face of such tragedy? How can they live on in spite of such finality? Join me this week as I examine our lives in pieces and how it is the church, not theology, nor religion that truly saves us. It is in fact the community of the broken. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 14, 2013, during The Point at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Rev. Dr. John Wolf, our Minister Emeritus wrote, “The church… is not a body of doctrine, or of reasons; or of explanations. It is a community of those who have known the deepest valley and who have passed through it to the other side…they have not been lost, or embittered in the passage. Instead, in spite of it, or, rather, because of it, they have learned compassion, joy, peace, long suffering, gentleness, goodness, and self-control. The anxiety, the frustration, the despair, the gap between ourselves and others, the separation we feel with the ground of our own being, cannot be overcome by religion. It is overcome in the community of the broken, the communion of saints, it is in the church wherein we are reconciled, bringing to it as we do the pieces of our lives—if not our lives in pieces—to share with one another.” Have you been to the valley, where the very foundation under your feet has crumbled? Have you lost someone you love dearly? How can we continue to live in the face of such tragedy? How can they live on in spite of such finality? Join me this week as I examine our lives in pieces and how it is the church, not theology, nor religion that truly saves us. It is in fact the community of the broken. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 7, 2013, during the traditional service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In my April article in the Simple Gifts Journal, I said, “God, please save us from having to endure the arrogance and pity of your believers who think they know how and why the rest of us need to be saved.” Even when I try to convince myself that the people who pester others about being saved are really doing it from a place of concern and care, it still often feels like it is really driven by their fear and short-sidedness. Nevertheless, even when one’s soul seems secure, in the course of a lifetime it is not uncommon for our lives to be in need of saving. Has your life ever been saved by luck or providence, by love or medicine or friends? It is good to be alive without the fear of cosmic punishment, and it is wonderful to be alive, knowing that at times our life has been saved by the good works of others and the mystery that pervades our existence. Let’s be honest about what really saves us! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, April 7, 2013, during The Point at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In my April article in the Simple Gifts Journal, I said, “God, please save us from having to endure the arrogance and pity of your believers who think they know how and why the rest of us need to be saved.” Even when I try to convince myself that the people who pester others about being saved are really doing it from a place of concern and care, it still often feels like it is really driven by their fear and short-sidedness. Nevertheless, even when one’s soul seems secure, in the course of a lifetime it is not uncommon for our lives to be in need of saving. Has your life ever been saved by luck or providence, by love or medicine or friends? It is good to be alive without the fear of cosmic punishment, and it is wonderful to be alive, knowing that at times our life has been saved by the good works of others and the mystery that pervades our existence. Let’s be honest about what really saves us! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 31, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Last year at this time our city was chilled by the tragic events that involved five of our citizens being gunned down in the streets of their neighborhoods in what by all accounts was an act of calculated killing based on race. It was Good Friday in the Church calendar, which is a day when Christians remember the brutality, injustice and betrayal of the crucifixion of Jesus. It became a modern Good Friday in our city as we witnessed brutality and loss and the shadow side of human existence. Much like in the biblical accounts, what followed was a period of fear, doubt and confusion. However, our city’s leaders pulled together as did our citizens. By Easter morning the suspected killers were apprehended. On Easter 2012, Tulsans once again could feel safe coming out of their houses and our entire community could celebrate our collective response. Instead of dividing our community further by race, the response to the events helped to build trust, open lines of communication and put a dent in some long held suspicions. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
This is a repost of the sermon, delivered on Sunday, August 15, 2010, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 17, 2013, during the contemporary service, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Sometimes when we want to be seen, even by those we care about the most, we still put on layer after layer, hiding ourselves beneath our various roles. Join me, as we look at John, chapter 20, where there is a line that has always made me wonder. A group of disciples are out fishing when Jesus appears on the shore, and Peter puts on his clothes to swim to Jesus. Why would he put on his garments to swim? This must have made it more difficult. He abandoned the other disciples, who were lugging in their catches, only to plow through the water inefficiently. I imagine he arrived panting and exhausted on the shore, (Peter often mixes things up a bit.) Join me as I explore the role of vulnerability in our lives, and why you might consider fishing naked. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
In leu of Youth Sunday, which took place at All Souls Church on Sunday, March 10, 2013, we are reposting sermon "Universalism," delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, on September 20, 2009.
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, March 3, 2013, during the contemporary service, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Have you ever tried to tell someone to “Let it go!” who is mad at you? I’ll bet it didn’t go over very well. Why is it so hard to let go of anger, assumptions, fear, control, people who drain us and activities that hurt us, a religious past, a fear of failure, and resentments? And why is it so difficult to let go of life, as it was in the past, in order to embrace life as it is now? Letting go is one of the greatest skills we can learn, and one of the thorniest processes we can face. Sometimes we let go of the wrong things. Sometimes we let go too easily. Sometimes we cannot seem to let go of the things we know are holding us back no matter how clear and reasonable it might be. We are funny in this way (sometimes ridiculous) but only because it is so complicated and demanding. Letting go matters more than we often like to admit, and is among the most common of conundrums. That said, there are competencies we can develop and there is wisdom to be shared. Believing we are trapped is a recipe for depression. Feeling powerless is almost always an illusion. Learning to let go of the right things with grace is one of the greatest gifts we can give, both to ourselves and to the people around us. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 24, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Randy Lewis, Student Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION “What a Fool Believes” is the title of a song, popularized by 70’s punk group, known as the Doobie Brothers. The hook of this song helps to set the stage for our reflection. The song says, “What a fool believes he sees; No wise man has the power to reason away.” Join me this Sunday as we explore ‘seeing what is unseen’ and practicing letting go of some of ‘the foolish things.’ SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 17, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Three of the most controversial and significant figures of the 19th century celebrate birthdays this week. Charles Darwin and Abraham Lincoln were born on the same day in the same year - Feb. 12, 1809. Frederick Douglass was born Feb. 17, 1818. Darwin was born into a family with money; Lincoln was born into poverty; Douglass was born into slavery. Growing up, Darwin had ample opportunities for formal education, Lincoln had few, and for Douglass all opportunities for education were illegal. Yet, despite their enormously varied backgrounds, these men profoundly changed the way we understand human relations, religion, politics, and science. Here we are, 200 years later, and their words and deeds continue to inspire greatness and controversy. Come celebrate these men and the ways their thinking and values evolved throughout their lives. Like them, each of us is evolving in our understanding and our values. Their lives still have much to teach us. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 10, 2013, during the contemporary service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Kathleen Rolenz, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Unitarian Universalists have an ambiguous and complicated relationship with Jesus. We may be okay with “God,” but when it comes to “Jesus,” we may feel that his message has become so compromised as to render him irrelevant for the 21st Century. The Jesus we know has been stolen from that place, and from the place in history that he deserves. Who stole Jesus, and why? And, should we try to steal him back? Reverend Kathleen C. Rolenz is parish co-minister of the West Shore UU Church. She is editor and co-author of Christian Voices in Unitarian Universalism, Worship that Works, and Sources of our Faith. She has been a member of the Unitarian Universalist Christian Fellowship since 2000, having served as editor of the publication “Good News,” and President of the Board of Trustees. She is the recipient of several awards, including the Richard C. Borden Preaching Prize, the Beacon Press Sermon Award, and the UU Men’s Network Sermon Award. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 10, 2013, during The Point, the humanist service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Eric Banner, Intern Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Every worship service at All Souls begins with our covenant, which proclaims that “Love is the Spirit of this church.” Many of us learned at an early age that love was a passive thing – something that happened to us, rather than something we do. If love truly is the spirit of our church, then it must be a force that acts in our lives. Love and power are like chocolate and peanut butter, useful on their own, but far better when joined together. Rather than turning away from power in our lives, we are called as a church to share in the responsibility of tending to each other through the powerful force of love. We practice this, first and foremost, with what Iris Murdoch calls “the extremely difficult realization that something other than oneself is real.” As we continue with our theme of spiritual practice during African American history month, I invite you to join me as we consider what it means to live with love at the center of our shared lives. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 3, 2013, during the contemporary service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The case against prayer isn’t hard to make. Everything we hope for (and some of us pray for) doesn’t come true. But what if prayer is more about being changed than changing other beings? Prayer is an ancient art, practiced around the world and found in all cultures. It is a human response to the experience of being. In our congregation, prayer means different things to different people. Some of us were taught to pray at young age and have never stopped. Others, having left behind the ways they learned to pray as children, have given up the practice altogether. Still others have discovered non-traditional forms of prayer later in life. On Sunday morning we will explore the what, where, when, how, and why of prayer. At 8:30, come hear about the impact of prayer on our brains, and how prayer is perceived and practiced today. As one U.S. college student put it, “I don’t want to be thought of in terms of spirituality or religion. Not my religion – if I have one – not your religion. These designations just should not be part of how we relate to each other, no matter what we believe.” This same student reports that he “sometimes” prays when he’s faced with a difficult decision or is concerned about a family member or friend. At 10:00, we’ll have a story for all ages, and the Children’s Choir will sing. At 11:30, we’ll enjoy the Youth Choir, and hear why the priest mocked Rachel when he found her praying on the temple steps. Stories, studies in neuroscience, and our own experience all inform our perspective on prayer. Whether you wonder why you would ever pray, you figure there’s no reason not to pray – it couldn’t hurt – or you pray every day, I hope I see you this Sunday! WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 3, 2013, during the traditional service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The case against prayer isn’t hard to make. Everything we hope for (and some of us pray for) doesn’t come true. But what if prayer is more about being changed than changing other beings? Prayer is an ancient art, practiced around the world and found in all cultures. It is a human response to the experience of being. In our congregation, prayer means different things to different people. Some of us were taught to pray at young age and have never stopped. Others, having left behind the ways they learned to pray as children, have given up the practice altogether. Still others have discovered non-traditional forms of prayer later in life. On Sunday morning we will explore the what, where, when, how, and why of prayer. At 8:30, come hear about the impact of prayer on our brains, and how prayer is perceived and practiced today. As one U.S. college student put it, “I don’t want to be thought of in terms of spirituality or religion. Not my religion – if I have one – not your religion. These designations just should not be part of how we relate to each other, no matter what we believe.” This same student reports that he “sometimes” prays when he’s faced with a difficult decision or is concerned about a family member or friend. At 10:00, we’ll have a story for all ages, and the Children’s Choir will sing. At 11:30, we’ll enjoy the Youth Choir, and hear why the priest mocked Rachel when he found her praying on the temple steps. Stories, studies in neuroscience, and our own experience all inform our perspective on prayer. Whether you wonder why you would ever pray, you figure there’s no reason not to pray – it couldn’t hurt – or you pray every day, I hope I see you this Sunday! WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, February 3, 2013, during The Point, the humanist service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The case against prayer isn’t hard to make. Everything we hope for (and some of us pray for) doesn’t come true. But what if prayer is more about being changed than changing other beings? Prayer is an ancient art, practiced around the world and found in all cultures. It is a human response to the experience of being. In our congregation, prayer means different things to different people. Some of us were taught to pray at young age and have never stopped. Others, having left behind the ways they learned to pray as children, have given up the practice altogether. Still others have discovered non-traditional forms of prayer later in life. On Sunday morning we will explore the what, where, when, how, and why of prayer. At 8:30, come hear about the impact of prayer on our brains, and how prayer is perceived and practiced today. As one U.S. college student put it, “I don’t want to be thought of in terms of spirituality or religion. Not my religion – if I have one – not your religion. These designations just should not be part of how we relate to each other, no matter what we believe.” This same student reports that he “sometimes” prays when he’s faced with a difficult decision or is concerned about a family member or friend. At 10:00, we’ll have a story for all ages, and the Children’s Choir will sing. At 11:30, we’ll enjoy the Youth Choir, and hear why the priest mocked Rachel when he found her praying on the temple steps. Stories, studies in neuroscience, and our own experience all inform our perspective on prayer. Whether you wonder why you would ever pray, you figure there’s no reason not to pray – it couldn’t hurt – or you pray every day, I hope I see you this Sunday! WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 27, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Since Lance Armstrong finally admitted to using performance-enhancing drugs, there has been a lot of discussion about why people cheat. Athletes cheat to win, citizens cheat on their taxes, spouses cheat on each other, students cheat on tests. What is it that causes people to cheat and how do people who cheat live with themselves? Is there redemption for cheaters and how can it be attained? On Sunday, I will be exploring some of the dynamics of cheating and how we can avoid the pitfalls of the human condition that cause us to deceive others – and ourselves – to get ahead. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily was delivered on Sunday, January 20, 2013, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION This Sunday, in honor of MLK weekend, we will be highlighting stories from members of our Bridging Team. The Bridging Team is a task force focused on helping All Souls live out its vision of being an interculturally competent community. Martin Luther King, Jr. wrote, “Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is love implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love.” What is within your power to change around the way you interact with cultural or racial difference? How can you use your power to correct what stands against love? Join us as we celebrate and reflect on how far we have come and where we might continue to work to manifest King’s dream right here in Oklahoma. This Monday celebrates the 27th year of Martin Luther King Jr. holiday. Join us Monday at the Tulsa MLK parade as we walk to commemorate this historic day and celebrate Martin Luther King Jr.’s vision of a just and unified America. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 13, 2013, during the contemporary service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It’s been said, “Time is the most valuable commodity.” Do you feel like you have time to do the things that are most important to you? Who determines how you spend your time: your children, your employers, your creditors, your parents, your teachers, your clients, your doctors? If you were told you needed to find a half-day every week to receive a radiation treatment in order to try to save your life, you would most likely find the time. What else would you consider worth sacrificing for? Do you know what is most important to you? Do you make time for it? If not, do you know why or how to make time? If you could make “the most valuable commodity,” time, would you? If you have the time (or maybe more importantly, if you don’t), join us to explore Making Time. SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, January 6, 2013, during the contemporary service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION I’ve always been intrigued by Jared Tyler’s song titled “Questions." As we enter 2013, it may be a good time to try to answer some of the song’s questions. I hope you’ll join Jared and me as we explore in words and music both questions and grace for a New Year. Here are some of the lyrics: Are you looking for hello or goodbye? Are you ready for the wind to change? Are you trying for the same old thing? Do you know where you’re going? And how you’re getting there? Are you looking for a chance and a prayer? Can you find your deepest need? Are you holding on to tears with a smile? Have you ever walked a lonely mile? Well is it what you dreamed, or somewhere in between? Can you see the silver light and still see it in the dark? If everything in you has tried can you find out who you are? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 30, 2012, during the contemporary service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Eric Banner, Intern Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION As the year draws to a close, many of us are struggling to find a place to put all our things. But our faith teaches that it is not what we have that is most important, but who we are, and how we live. In our church we teach neither the easy grace of a prosperity gospel, nor the ascetic poverty of monasticism. Instead, we teach a middle-way, where the questions are instead: What is enough? and What shall we do with what we have? For many of us, our closets are overflowing – in no small part because we are holding onto pieces of our past that no longer fit our lives. In this time of New Year’s resolutions, are we ready to make room in our lives for the new people we want to be? Are we ready to first empty our closets of the old things that take up too much room to let our new self in? During this holiday season, a season of gift giving and receiving, will you give yourself the gift of letting go? Will you take this time to clean out the closet? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The sermon was delivered on Sunday, December 30, 2012, during the humanist service, The Point, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Eric Banner, Intern Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION As the year draws to a close, many of us are struggling to find a place to put all our things. But our faith teaches that it is not what we have that is most important, but who we are, and how we live. In our church we teach neither the easy grace of a prosperity gospel, nor the ascetic poverty of monasticism. Instead, we teach a middle-way, where the questions are instead: What is enough? and What shall we do with what we have? For many of us, our closets are overflowing – in no small part because we are holding onto pieces of our past that no longer fit our lives. In this time of New Year’s resolutions, are we ready to make room in our lives for the new people we want to be? Are we ready to first empty our closets of the old things that take up too much room to let our new self in? During this holiday season, a season of gift giving and receiving, will you give yourself the gift of letting go? Will you take this time to clean out the closet? SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
This homily, part four of a four-homily series, offering various perspectives on the Winter Solstice, was delivered on Sunday, December 23, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When light and dark are out of balance, how do we stay balanced and centered? For millennia the winter solstice has been a special time filled with deep meaning, rituals, and inspiration. Cultures around the world have found many different ways to celebrate and find comfort and significance during this time of year. On Sunday morning Dec. 23, our services will explore how we might choose to approach the darkest time of the year. Christmas has come to dominate this season in most western countries, but there is also much rich history and tradition that predates Christianity. What can inspire our season? SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
This homily, part three of a four-homily series, offering various perspectives on the Winter Solstice, was delivered on Sunday, December 23, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Randy Lewis, Student Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When light and dark are out of balance, how do we stay balanced and centered? For millennia the winter solstice has been a special time filled with deep meaning, rituals, and inspiration. Cultures around the world have found many different ways to celebrate and find comfort and significance during this time of year. On Sunday morning Dec. 23, our services will explore how we might choose to approach the darkest time of the year. Christmas has come to dominate this season in most western countries, but there is also much rich history and tradition that predates Christianity. What can inspire our season? SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
This homily, part two of a four-homily series, offering various perspectives on the Winter Solstice, was delivered on Sunday, December 23, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When light and dark are out of balance, how do we stay balanced and centered? For millennia the winter solstice has been a special time filled with deep meaning, rituals, and inspiration. Cultures around the world have found many different ways to celebrate and find comfort and significance during this time of year. On Sunday morning Dec. 23, our services will explore how we might choose to approach the darkest time of the year. Christmas has come to dominate this season in most western countries, but there is also much rich history and tradition that predates Christianity. What can inspire our season? WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
This homily, part one of a four-homily series, which offers various perspectives on the Winter Solstice, was delivered on Sunday, December 23, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Eric Banner, Intern Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION When light and dark are out of balance, how do we stay balanced and centered? For millennia the winter solstice has been a special time filled with deep meaning, rituals, and inspiration. Cultures around the world have found many different ways to celebrate and find comfort and significance during this time of year. On Sunday morning Dec. 23, our services will explore how we might choose to approach the darkest time of the year. Christmas has come to dominate this season in most western countries, but there is also much rich history and tradition that predates Christianity. What can inspire our season? SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
This sermon, part three of a three-part series, was delivered on Sunday, December 16, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Have you ever asked: “How can there be a God when there are innocent children starving to death, being abducted, sold into slavery, and treated unfairly because of their race, gender, and more?” Can you imagine a convincing case against believing in God? Can you imagine a convincing case for believing in God? Do you think it matters? You be the judge! As part of our annual fundraising in last year’s church auction, a member of the church was the lucky winner of a sermon from Marlin and a sermon from Tamara. What has resulted is a dialogue of sermons over the course of a single Sunday morning. Experience them all! SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
This sermon, part two of a three-part series, was delivered on Sunday, December 16, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Have you ever asked: “How can there be a God when there are innocent children starving to death, being abducted, sold into slavery, and treated unfairly because of their race, gender, and more?” Can you imagine a convincing case against believing in God? Can you imagine a convincing case for believing in God? Do you think it matters? You be the judge! As part of our annual fundraising in last year’s church auction, a member of the church was the lucky winner of a sermon from Marlin and a sermon from Tamara. What has resulted is a dialogue of sermons over the course of a single Sunday morning. Experience them all! SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
This sermon, part three of a three-part series, was delivered on Sunday, December 16, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Have you ever asked: “How can there be a God when there are innocent children starving to death, being abducted, sold into slavery, and treated unfairly because of their race, gender, and more?” Can you imagine a convincing case against believing in God? Can you imagine a convincing case for believing in God? Do you think it matters? You be the judge! As part of our annual fundraising in last year’s church auction, a member of the church was the lucky winner of a sermon from Marlin and a sermon from Tamara. What has resulted is a dialogue of sermons over the course of a single Sunday morning. Experience them all! SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, December 9, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Our nation is currently engaged in the longest war of our history. At the same time, it seems that for many Americans we barely feel that our country is at war. Somehow the prolonged conflict in Afghanistan has been made easy for the American public to ignore. Over the past decade, some politicians have advocated for a return of the draft so that this war effort would become more visible to the American conscience, and the burden would be spread more evenly throughout our population. As a minister, I have had some meaningful opportunities during this war to engage with soldiers both leaving for and returning from Afghanistan. Their journey has much to teach the rest of us about what is most important about life. As we continue to explore the theme of peace, I will share how their sacrifices can enliven our own sense of passion and purpose. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 25, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION One thing I’ve learned since moving to Oklahoma is how to “bless people’s hearts.” This is not a phrase one hears often on the East Coast. I’ve discovered that you can say just about anything about a person here in Oklahoma as long as you begin or end your sentence with “bless their heart.” And as families come together for the holidays we know there will be a lot of hearts being blessed. In December, as we kick off Peace as our theme, we will explore how to achieve inner peace in the midst of conflict and tension. We will even look at some real strategies for diffusing some of the conflicts that can arise between people at this time of year. If you cannot make it this Sunday, then bless your heart. But if you can, it may just bless your life. May peace be with you today and always. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website: Download:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 25, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton Pearson, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Giving is something we do, given is something we are, or should be. One is an external act, the other is an internal fact. Deep within the soul and spirit of humanity is an innate and intrinsic virtue and valor to give as well as receive. It is natural law. There is, in all of us, a powerful sense of worth, inward wealth and desire, indeed a need to serve, share, and show the light and love we all came here with. Doing so is the irresistible discipline and divinity of the Self. Join me, as we explore the ancient art of giving and receiving, and prepare for the season ahead. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 25, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Do you remember the Lone Ranger? The iconic American hero, who rode into towns along the Western frontier, saved the day, and then rode away before anyone could thank him? As we leave Thanksgiving behind and head toward the great gift exchange season of Christmas, I’ve been wondering why it is so difficult for many of us, not just the Lone Ranger, to receive. Paradoxical as it may appear, giving is often easier than receiving. Not just material gifts, but gifts of friendship, trust, and even love. For some, once we receive and recognize a gift, we feel we also owe something in return. Others may believe they are not worthy of receiving. No matter which role you prefer, this ancient tradition that traces back to the ancient Babylonians, the Druids, and the Romans, depends on both – a giver and a receiver. Sociologists, psychologists, and economists agree that gift exchanges have been, and continue to be, a powerful force for communities and civilizations. We explore the significance, the benefits, and the risks of gift exchanges, past and present. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The homily, explaining why everyone is welcome at the table of Love Beyond Belief, was delivered on Sunday, November 18, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Message delivered on Sunday, November 18, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Eric Banner, Intern Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It's not hard to choose gratitude when times are easy, but it is even more important to choose gratitude when times are tough. In this message I explore what Oklahomans know about surviving hard times, like the Dust Bowl and having your house burn down, and yet still finding something to be grateful for. The first step is having a regular practice of gratitude, and using times like Thanksgiving to remind ourselves of all that we already have to be grateful for, especially when it feels like there's nothing but the blue sky and a stool to sit on. What will you find to be grateful for, even when the rain doesn't come? SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 11, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Patrick Henry (in 1799) famously said, “United we stand; divided we fall. Let us not split into factions which must destroy that union upon which our existence hangs.” It is said in different words in the Bible, “A house divided against itself cannot stand.” Mark 3:25 Democracy works because we are united by a vision and set of values larger than any party, platform, or position. All Souls is the same, in that there are often people on both sides of every social, political, and economic debate who call this church their home. We have been successful in being able to hold divergent opinions and disagree while still retaining our loyalties to our church home. This spirit began at the founding meeting of the church. On this Sunday following a national Presidential election, we share the spirit that binds us together as a nation and a church even when differences could divide us. It is good to be reminded of our highest ideals, as well as what has inspired the best of the best to remain loyal to something higher than their own opinions, agendas and biases. It is the root of greatness. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 4, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Author and researcher Dr. Robert Emmons believes he has discovered what gives life meaning: Gratitude. Emmons is a professor at the University of California and supports his claim with research that suggests people who view life as a gift and consciously acquire an “attitude of gratitude” improve their emotional and physical health. According to Emmons, gratitude is a “chosen attitude.” We must be willing to recognize and acknowledge when we are the recipients of an unearned benefit. In our Humanist service at 8:30 a.m., we explore this choice of gratitude. At 10:00 a.m. in the traditional service, the message is further illustrated by a children’s story from the Bhagavad Gita, and in the 11:30 a.m. contemporary service we hear about Jesus’ healing of the lepers in the Gospel of Luke. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website: Download:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, October 28, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Since Mitt Romney became the Republican nominee for president, many people have wondered, “What exactly is Mormonism?” “Is it Christianity? ”Do they really believe Jesus will return to earth in Missouri?" There are many questions and much interest, and there is even an award-winning Broadway musical called The Book of Mormon. Rick Fortner and a host of friends have worked up a special song from the musical to accompany our service exploring the foundations of Mormonism and whether any of this should matter when we step into the voting booth in the coming election. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, October 21, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION There is a wonderful scene in Alice in Wonderland where Alice is swimming in a pool of her own tears, and she encounters a mouse swimming along near her. Alice innocently tries to connect with the mouse around stories of her cat Dinah. Alice realizes that she is not connecting, yet continues to insert her foot in her mouth several times. “Oh dear!” cried Alice in a sorrowful tone, “I’m afraid I’ve offended it again!” For the Mouse was swimming away from her as hard as it could go, and making quite a commotion in the pool as it went. So she called softly after it, “Mouse Dear! Do come back again, and we won’t talk about cats or dogs either, if you don’t like them!” When the Mouse heard this, it turned around and swam slowly back to her. Its face was quite pale, and it said in a low trembling voice, “Let us get to the shore, and I’ll tell you my history, and you’ll understand why I hate cats and dogs.” In order to expand our own understanding in the world, we must be in relationship with difference, and stay in relationship when in conflict. When we find ourselves offended by another’s behaviors or actions, it is often the differences between us that make a difference to us. What do we do when we have offended another unintentionally? How do we handle being offended? In the Christian scriptures, offending another person parallels the concept of putting a stumbling block before them. Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in your brother’s way. (Rom. 14:13; cf. Rom. 14:20) Is it a sin both to offend and to take offense when none is intended? Come and explore with me the idea of causing and taking offense. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, October 14, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Last Sunday, I changed my sermon topic to respond to a tragedy in our community. I want to thank everyone in the family of All Souls for rising to the situation and pulling together to respond with love and compas- sion. This coming Sunday, I will return to my original message from last week under a new title – a sermon inspired by my recent trip to our Partner Church in Romania. It was like walking back through 450 years of Unitarian history. I saw the rock upon which Francis David stood as he proclaimed his progressive faith in the midst of the Protestant Reformation and converted King John Sigismund to the religion that became known as Unitarianism. I also visited the place where the king and Francis David proclaimed Europe’s first declaration of Religious Freedom in 1568. It was a time of religious wars and conflict across the continent, and these men spread a vision of tolerance. What is interesting is how similar those times are to our times now and how their actions can inspire our own. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, October 7, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION How can life be all right, when everything seems all wrong? When facing difficult, life-altering circumstances in our lives, when dealing with bitter consequences of choices that we or other people have made, and when wondering what to do and struggling to make sense of it all, sometimes we need to remind ourselves of grace. Grace gives us a perspective that makes forgiveness and healing possible. As we give grace to others, we should also accept it from others and extend it to ourselves. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, September 30, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Frederick Buechner writes, “What the word ‘home’ brings to mind, before anything else, is a special place that is clearly distinguishable from all other places. It is a place where you feel you belong, and which, in some sense, belongs to you. Home is the place throughout your life that you keep going back to, and which is apt to determine the kind of place – perhaps a place inside yourself – that you spend the rest of your life searching for, even if you are not aware that you’re searching.” Let’s explore the idea of home and its influence on us, as well as what it looks like to have a church home as theologically diverse as our own. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, September 23, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Is Evolutionism enough of a worldview to base one’s religion, or moral system of living? We will explore how the Theory of Evolution offers a moral way of understanding the world and our place in it and how the evolutionary worldview does not discount, but uplifts the world’s great religious traditions. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Message delivered on Sunday, September 16, 2012, during The Point, the Humanist service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In the course of a life, everyone faces at least a few really hard, sometimes heart-wrenching, and often life-changing decisions. When it is a clear, good-versus-bad proposition, it is not usually too difficult. But many big decisions involve competing definitions of good and priorities that make them complex, and sometimes troubling, no matter which decision is made. We now have three services on Sunday in which to explore this subject from three distinct perspectives. At 8:30 a.m., at The Point, we will take a Humanist approach and explore how people may make such decisions without referencing scripture, God, or religion. At 10:00 a.m., in the Traditional Service, we will look to examples that inform us from the religions and cultures of the world, which may or may not include a Biblical perspective and will certainly be informed by the Humanist perspective. And at 11:30 a.m., in our Contemporary Service, we will have the benefit of these other perspectives to introduce, but we will be sure to highlight what the Bible can teach us about making really difficult decisions. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, September 16, 2012, during the Contemporary Worship Service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION In the course of a life, everyone faces at least a few really hard, sometimes heart-wrenching, and often life-changing decisions. When it is a clear, good-versus-bad proposition, it is not usually too difficult. But many big decisions involve competing definitions of good and priorities that make them complex, and sometimes troubling, no matter which decision is made. We now have three services on Sunday in which to explore this subject from three distinct perspectives. At 8:30 a.m., at The Point, we will take a Humanist approach and explore how people may make such decisions without referencing scripture, God, or religion. At 10:00 a.m., in the Traditional Service, we will look to examples that inform us from the religions and cultures of the world, which may or may not include a Biblical perspective and will certainly be informed by the Humanist perspective. And at 11:30 a.m., in our Contemporary Service, we will have the benefit of these other perspectives to introduce, but we will be sure to highlight what the Bible can teach us about making really difficult decisions. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Message delivered on Homecoming Sunday, September 9, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. MESSAGE DESCRIPTION The Point is a new Humanist service (every Sunday at 8:30 AM CST) that draws from history, philosophy, literature, poetry and nature. No robes, no hymns, no prayers or scriptures. Just a relevant message, inspiring music by Rick Fortner and friends, and a community committed to the common good. Join us on this journey of depth and discovery. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, September 2, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Adjunct Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION As we bid farewell to the sultry days of this record-breaking Oklahoma summer, we notice how we have gravitated toward states of being that do not move us to exertion. For sure, heat makes you weary. Our comfortable twenty-first century conditions make a distant memory of the kind of heat that sapped our strength and made early rising a must if there was to be any work done. We have become conditioned to the air conditioner. I’m not mad at ‘ya! Our bodies need that kind of relief. But what about our spirits? We constantly wage conflicts, regardless of the weather, between wanting to “do something” and comfortable inaction. I want to speak to your spirits about ways and means of moving outside our comfort zones. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 26, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Have you ever noticed yourself getting very upset, very depressed, or very desirous about someone or something and wondered afterward, “What came over me?” In ancient times, we might have thought of these occurrences as possessions. Even today, there are people who seek out clergy to perform exorcisms to rid them of what they consider a demonic possession or a spell. What comes over us can be something as common as an uncontrollable addiction, a bad temper, a mental disorder, a feeling of shame, or a response to past trauma. Psychologists often refer to “buttons” that can get pushed by a person or situation and that can send us over the edge of control. Part of the journey of being human involves realizing that there are chemical, psychological, and situational circumstances that can lead us to undermine our own effectiveness and success and can hinder our capacity to be agents of free will. On Sunday I will explore how and why we sometimes feel overcome, and some of the things we can do to take back control. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 19, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Historical data from the last 30–50 years, according to sociologist Keith Hampton, shows that neighboring in America has declined. A current study found that only 25 percent of us know our neighbors’ names, and 8 percent don’t know any of them at all. However, the study also suggests that “neighboring may be an important part of the everyday support people get.” The world’s religions ask us to pay attention to who we call neighbor and how we treat them. In the Christian scriptures, we are told in Mark, chapter 12, that there is no commandment greater than this: [30] Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength. [31] The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ Let us explore how we define neighbor, and how we can offer support without feeling overwhelmed or overtaken. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 12, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Pastor Randy Lewis, Student Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION It has been said, “Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice; moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue." The quote implies that for the sake of liberty, extremism can be justified. For liberty’s sake, we’ve seen passions inflamed, innocence sacrificed, and violence encouraged. And yet, there are a few who question whether we are better for it. We all have our stories about where we come from, how we got here, and where we are headed. And we often live in those stories, choosing to believe that which we’ve concluded to be the truth. Often, we respond to each other based on our created stories; and after we have told them enough times, at some point, the actual truth is immaterial. This is a predicament that many of us face, impaired by our own sense of truth or what is right. There are those in our nation who are polarized because of what they have chosen to believe about our country, politics, religion, and one another. As a result, we have seen incivility, where the reasonable become unreasonable and the fair and balanced become uncompromising, partial, and unstable. I ponder the scripture that states, “A house divided cannot stand.” How can we remain so uncompromising, so transfixed in our own sense of what is right and, at the same time, continue to stand together as a nation? While many may no longer believe it, I say there is hope. Join me this Sunday, as we consider what is possible! SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 12, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gary Kowalski, Guest Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Back in town for his high school’s 40th reunion, Rev. Gary Kowalski (who grew up in All Souls) muses on what has changed for better and worse in the intervening decades – particularly in the department of race relations. Gary is minister emeritus of the First Unitarian Universalist Society of Burlington, Vermont, where he has served on that state’s advisory panel to the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 5, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION Watching the Olympics can inspire a person to dream of success, achievement, recognition and the thrill of victory. It can also remind us of the pain of defeat, disappointment, or dashed dreams. Embedded in these modern games are many archetypes and metaphors for living with the struggles of our inner and outer worlds. There are ways each person can achieve “gold” in this life. What is your personal Olympics? VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 29, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. For any of us to survive in the world today, we need a roof over our heads, enough healthy food to eat, and a good education. As a religious community that believes in deeds not creeds, we are called to create just such a world. Since 1994, our HOUS (Housing Outreach for Unitarian Souls) volunteers have been moving toward making this dream a reality, by steadily working on one house after another. Their quiet persistence has paved the way for more than one hundred families to stay healthier and happier in their own homes! These days HOUS works with Rebuilding Together Tulsa. A spokesperson for RTT says the typical homeowner they serve is a single African American woman, over sixty, who is caring for multiple generations in one home. Back in 1994, HOUS’s founding members had a dream. They dreamed if they could do it, others would too. They’ve done it. Now it’s our turn to get organized so that more can join together in building the world we dream about. We are a community that helps our members, our friends, and our neighbors to thrive and not just survive. I hope you’ll pay attention to your dreams, get out your hammers, and join me this Sunday as we end our Summer of Love and Justice with stories of how ordinary people can make all the difference in the world. SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH OTHER VIDEOS:
WANT TO LISTEN? SUBSCRIBE TO PODCAST:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
The Soul of Music - Rev. Tamara Lebak Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 22, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister. The Unitarian Universalist Musicians Network is a professional organization of the Unitarian Universalist Association, founded in 1983, to develop and enrich music ministry in the denomination and to support the musicians who carry out this vital work. Their current 600-plus membership encompasses both professional and volunteer musicians, largely from North America. As a network, they welcome all musicians, including ministers and religious educators, who support music ministry in Unitarian Universalist congregations and institutions. UUMN members include music directors, conductors, singers, instrumentalists, composers, ministers, music committee members, as well as individual members of congregations. SUBSCRIBE TO PODCASTS:
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
SUBSCRIBE TO WATCH VIDEOS:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF:
LET’S CONNECT: Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 8, 2012, at All Souls by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. With the recent Supreme Court ruling on Arizona’s SB1070 and President Obama’s executive action on young immigrants, the national debate is intensifying. Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist Jose Antonio Vargas’s definition of an American is, “Anyone who works hard, who’s proud of his country and wants to contribute; who’s not a burden on anyone.” Rev. Kelvin Sauls, writing for the Black Alliance for Just Immigration, states, “A human rights framework must be foundational to the development of immigration policy nationally.” Members of our congregation have formed the All Souls Alliance for Just Immigration, or ASAJI, and are committed to continue learning about global patterns of migration, emigration, and immigration. What is your definition of a real American? And why? Listen to this sermon and consider what it means to be an American citizen. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR PODCAST!
VIEW ON YOUTUBE:
GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF!
LET’S CONNECT! Facebook: Twitter: All Souls Church Website:
Sermon delivered on Sunday, June 24, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.The phrase "bloom where you were planted" seems to acknowledge that we are not really in control of where specifically we were planted; but more than that, we are not in control of many aspects of our lives. Ecotheology is the study of the ways we engage in our environment. It assumes the relationship between religious and spiritual views of the world and our relationship to the Earth.In the Christian scriptures we are told that we are not of the world but in the world. In this sermon, Rev. Lebak explores the question, What do our liberal religious values ask of us when we reflect on the relationship between human beings and the Earth upon which we live?
Sermon delivered on Father's Day Sunday, June 17, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Seth Carrier, Intern Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, June 10, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, June 3, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, May 27, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister. Memorial Day weekend is not just for weddings, weekend getaways, and cookouts. It is a time set apart for remembering. Many of us would rather face forward, bravely going where no human being has gone before, into an undiscovered future. But what can we do when the past haunts us? How do we honor those we have loved and lost, and at the same time acknowledge the conflict and disappointments which are an inevitable part of every life, every family, every religious community? Listen about the origins of Memorial Day – a gift from newly-liberated African American slaves – and consider why it might be a weekend for you to take some time to turn back and look at the past. What stories do you need to remember, retell, and reinterpret?
Sermon delivered on Sunday, May 20, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Homily delivered on Mother's Day, Sunday, May 13, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, May 6, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Seth Carrier, Intern Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, April 29, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Homily delivered on Sunday, April 22, 2012, during the Coming of Age service at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, April 15, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Homily delivered on Easter Sunday, April 8, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, April 1, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. John B. Wolf, Minister Emeritus.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, March 25, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, March 18, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, March 4, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, February 19, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Adjunct Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, February 12, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, February 5, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, January 29, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Nancy Crumbine, Guest Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, January 22, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Part 2 of the two-part sermon delivered on Sunday, January 15, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Part 1 of the two-part sermon delivered on Sunday, January 15, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Randy Lewis, Student Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, January 8, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, January 1, 2012, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, December 25, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Seth Carrier, Intern Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, December 18, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, December 11, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, December 4, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 27, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Seth Carrier, Intern Minister.
Homily delivered on Sunday, November 20, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Homily delivered on Sunday, November 13, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Adjunct Minister.
Homily delivered on Sunday, November 13, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Dr. John B. Wolf, Minister Emeritus.
Homily delivered on Sunday, November 13, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Homily delivered on Sunday, November 13, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 6, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Mark Morrison-Reed, Guest Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, October 30, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, and Rev. Bruce Hoppe, Associate Minister, Christ Community Church, Greeley, CO.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, October 23, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Barbara Prose, Assistant Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, October 16, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, October 9, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, October 2, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, September 25, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, and Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, September 18, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Homily delivered on Sunday, September 11, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, September 4, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 28, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Adjunct Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 21, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 14, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 7, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Michael Dowd, Guest Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 31, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Adjunct Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 24, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton Pearson, Guest Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 17, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Randy Roberts Potts, Guest Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 10, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 3, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Imam Arthur Farahkhan, Guest Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, June 26, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Victor Parachin, Guest Minister.
Sermon delivered on Father's Day, Sunday, June 19, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, June 12, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Barbara Prose, Resident Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, May 22, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, May 8, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, May 1, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, April 24, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, April 10, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, April 3, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Adjunct Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, March 27, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, March 20, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, March 13, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, February 20, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, February 13, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, February 6, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Part 7 of 7: On January 30, 2011, ministers of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, gave extemporaneous messages based on questions from members in the service. In this section, Rev. Marling Lavanhar, Senior Minister, Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister, and Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Adjunct Minister, answer questions regarding faith, racism, and constructive criticism.
Part 6 of 7: On January 30, 2011, ministers of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, gave extemporaneous messages based on questions from members in the service. In this section, Rev. Gerald L. Davis, Adjunct Minister, answers questions regarding the Holy Spirit, passion, and giving up.
Part 5 of 7: On January 30, 2011, ministers of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, gave extemporaneous messages based on questions from members in the service. In this section, Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister, answers questions regarding the afterlife, evil, and opening minds.
Part 4 of 7: On January 30, 2011, ministers of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, gave extemporaneous messages based on questions from members in the service. In this section, Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, answers questions regarding love, guilt, etc.
Part 3 of 7: On January 30, 2011, ministers of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, gave extemporaneous messages based on questions from members in the service. In this section, Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, and Randy Lewis, Student Minister, answer questions regarding light vs. dark, mysticism, etc.
Part 2 of 7: On January 30, 2011, ministers of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, gave extemporaneous messages based on questions from members in the service. In this section, Randy Lewis, Student Minister, answers questions regarding heaven and hell, fear, and the value of community.
Part 1 of 7: On January 30, 2011, ministers of All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, gave extemporaneous messages based on questions from members in the service. In this section, Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, answers questions regarding the afterlife, evil, and opening minds.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, January 23, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Kate Braestrup, Guest Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, January 16, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 28, 2010, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Barbara Prose, Resident Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, January 9, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, January 02, 2011, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, December 26, 2010, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton Pearson, a guest minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, December 19, 2010, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, December 12, 2010, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, December 05, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 21, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 14, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 07, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister
Homilys delivered on Sunday, October 31, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister; Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister
Homilys delivered on Sunday, October 31, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister; Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister
Sermon delivered on Sunday, October 24, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister
Sermon delivered on Sunday, October 17, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister
Service delivered on Sunday, October 3, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Service delivered by Rev. Tamara Lebak on Sunday, September 26, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma
Sermon delivered on Sunday, October 10, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister
Sermon delivered on Sunday, September 19, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister
Homilies delivered on Sunday, September 12, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Dr. John B. Wolf, Minister Emeritus and Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister
Sermon delivered on Sunday, September 5, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Guest Minister, Rev. Gerald L. Davis, M. Div., MSW, Church of the Restoration.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 29, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Jim Eller, Guest Minister
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 15, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 15, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 8, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Bishop Carlton Pearson.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, August 1, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 25, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 18, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Guest Speaker, Rabbi Charles Sherman.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 11, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Guest Minister, Rev. Kathleen Rolenz.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, July 4, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Guest Minister, Rev. Bill Neely.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, June 27, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Guest Minister, Rev. Gerald L. Davis, M. Div., MSW, Church of the Restoration.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, June 20, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. John Buehrens, Guest Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, June 13, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, June 6, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, May 30, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, May 23, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Guest Minister, Rev. Gerald L. Davis, M. Div., MSW, Church of the Restoration.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, May 16, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, May 9, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, May 2, 2010, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, April 25, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Guest Minister, Rev. Gerald L. Davis, M. Div., MSW, Church of the Restoration.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, April 11, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Easter Sunday, April 4, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, March 28, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered during The Ordination of Sarah Gettie Burks on Sunday, March 21, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, March 21, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Guest Minister, Rev. Gerald L. Davis, M. Div., MSW, Church of the Restoration.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, March 21, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Dr. Laura Hallman, Guest Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, March 7, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by guest speaker, Andrew Harvey, Founder & Director of the Institute of Sacred Activism.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, March 7, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by guest speaker, Andrew Harvey, Founder & Director of the Institute of Sacred Activism.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, February 21, 2010, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Valentine's Day, February 14, 2010 by Reverend Tamara Lebak at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Sermon delivered on February 7, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on January 31, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on January 24, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by the Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on January 10, 2010 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by the Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on January 3, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on December 20, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 13, 2009 by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, December 6, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 29, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Guest Minister, Rev. Gerald L. Davis, M. Div., MSW, Church of the Restoration.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 22, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 15, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 8, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on Sunday, November 1, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on October 25th, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered on October 11th, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on September 6, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Gerald L. Davis, M. Div., MSW, Church of the Restoration.
Sermon delivered on October 4th, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on September 27, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar & Rev. Tamara Lebak.
In leu of Youth Sunday, which took place at All Souls Church on Sunday, March 10, 2013, we are reposting a sermon, "Universalism," delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, on September 20, 2009.
Sermon delivered on September 13, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on August 30, 2009 by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister, All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Sermon delivered on August 23, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by the Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on August 16, 2009 by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister, All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Sermon delivered at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by the Reverend Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on August 2, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma on July 26, 2009 by the Reverend Gerald Davis, Church of the Restoration.
Sermon delivered on July 19, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister on June 14, 2009.
Sermon delivered at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, OK by Senior Minister Marlin Lavanhar on June 7, 2009.
Sermon delivered at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, OK on Mother's Day, May 10, 2009 by the Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma on May 3, 2009 by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on April 5, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered on April 5, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma on March 29, 2009 by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma on March 15, 2009.
Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister, All Souls Unitarian ChurchThe Oklahoma Center for Community and Justice is dedicated to fighting bias, bigotry and racism. OCCJ promotes understanding and respect among all races, religions and cultures through advocacy, conflict resolution and education.
Sermon delivered at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma on February 22, 2009 by Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, Guest Minister.
Sermon delivered at All Souls Unitarian Church on February 15, 2009 by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister.
Sermon delivered at All Souls Unitarian Church on February 8, 2009 by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister.
Sermon delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma on February 1, 2009.
Sermon delivered on January 18, 2009 at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, OK by guest minister, Rev. Gerald L. Davis, M. Div, MSW, Church of the Restoration.
All Souls ChurchRev. Tamara Lebak, Associate MinisterSermon Delivered on January 4, 2009
Sermon delivered by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Senior Minister, All Souls Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma on January 4, 2009.
Sermon delivered by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Senior Minister, All Souls Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma on December 14, 2008.
All Souls Unitarian ChurchSermon delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior MinisterNovember 9, 200811:30am Service
Reading delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, All Souls Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma on November 2, 2008.
Sermon delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, All Souls Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma on November 2, 2008.
Sermon delivered by Bishop Carlton Pearson, All Souls Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma on October 26, 2008
Sermon delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, All Souls Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma on October 19, 2008
Sermon delivered at All Souls Church by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister on October 12, 2008
Sermon delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, All Souls Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma on October 5, 2008
Rev. Kathleen Rolenz, West Shore Unitarian Universalist Church speaking at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma for the installation of Rev. Tamara Lebak on September 28, 2008
Sermon delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, All Souls Church, Tulsa, Oklahoma on September 21, 2008
Sermon delivered at All Souls Church by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Associate Minister on September 14, 2008
Sermon delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, June 1, 2008. Re-recorded due to technical difficulties.
Sermon delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, and Rev. Tamara Lebak, Assistant Minister, March 16, 2008.
Sermon delivered by Jeremy Elliott, Intern Minister, Feb. 24, 2008. The Rev. Dr. Rebecca Parker, President of Starr King School for the Ministry, teaches that the history of Unitarianism and Universalism in America has been a history of unleashed soul power. From our founding, we have endeavored to cultivate all of the faculties of the soul to liberate, nurture, and heal our world. The Rev. Dr. William Ellery Channing spoke of the importance of “unfolding? these powers to find our salvation. Henry David Thoreau challenged humanity to “live life deliberately? to be truly alive to the world.
This Sunday, we will explore and celebrate the lineages of ordinary prophets of liberal religion who shaped the movement we have inherited. How might we offer the powers of our souls to change the world?
Sermon delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, Feb. 17, 2008. Last week, during Super Tuesday, my son came home from first grade asking questions about the difference between Democrats and Republicans. At first I was pleased to see that my son was beginning to take an interest in American public life. I began by asking what he knew. He explained that he had learned from his friend that, “Democrats don’t believe in the Bible.? Initially, I smiled and thought it was a cute story about some first graders and their interpretation of American politics and religion. Then, it came to me that this is what a lot of adults actually think too. When any religion becomes identified with a particular political party, that religion compromises its purpose, weakens its witness and becomes idolatrous. In this protracted primary season it can do us some good to think about the role of religion in American public life.
Sermon delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, Jan. 27, 2008.
Duke Ellington is considered one of America’s greatest composers. He won Grammys, a Pulitzer Prize and the highest medals of honor by two presidents of the United States and one from the country of France. He ventured into the realm of sacred music and even has a hymn in the Methodist Hymnal. The story of Ellington’s rise and his passion is a heartfelt, spiritual biography that transcends boundaries of many kinds. The All Souls Adult Choir will uplift the service with a choral rendition of one of Ellington’s most well known sacred songs. In the service you’ll find out what Ellington considered a four-letter word for God.
Sermon delivered by Rev. Tamara Lebak, Assistant Minister, Jan. 13, 2008.Tim O’Reilly writes that John Brockman’s magazine The Edge (www.edge.org) is “A remarkable feast of the intellect... an amazing group of reflections on science, culture, and the evolution of ideas. Reading the Edge question is like being invited to dinner with some of the most interesting people on the planet.? This month The Edge put the question to over a hundred scientists and scholars “What have you changed your mind about? Why?? Articles were submitted by Steven Pinker, Alan Alda, Michael Sherman, Richard Dawkins and many other names that you would likely recognize. I scanned for theologians and UU ministers and found none. The question intrigues me. How much and what kind of evidence instigates a change of mind? A change of heart? Over your lifetime, what have you changed your mind about and why? And how is this relevant to our religious community today?
Homily Delivered by Rev. Marlin Lavanhar, Senior Minister, Nov. 18, 2007. The Sunday before Thanksgiving is when we celebrate our Thanksgiving Festival. It has evolved over the past few years in the same direction that I believe our country’s self-identity needs to evolve. In our service we still honor the history and traditions of the Pilgrims, with whom our church-tradition shares a familial relationship. However, we have also begun to honor and recognize how people of many countries, ethnicities and religions have come to America and become a part of this great nation. Thanksgiving is the most widely celebrated holiday in the United States because it is not just the holiday of one faith tradition. It is a national celebration. As we mature beyond the many myths that have traditionally defined our country’s origins, we come to hold an even deeper respect for our union and the reasons for which it stands.