Sunday Service 02/07/2021

Black, UU and Proud: From Joseph Jordan to BLUU

Sunday, February 7, 2021 at 10:30 AM PT
​with The Reverend Gordon Clay Bailey

Come worship with the UUs!

As a Unitarian Universalist whose family has been active with our association since the early 1900’s I have a unique perspective with both great joys along with a few sorrows.  Join UUCLV for a journey filled with folks that proclaimed this faith and continue to challenge it to live up to its promise.

#UUCLV #UU #UnitarianUniversalist #UnitarianUniversalism #UUCLVEvent #SundayService #BelovedCommunity #JosephJordan #BLUU #BlackUU

Read more about Joseph Jordan here:
https://uudb.org/articles/josephjordan.html
https://www.harvardsquarelibrary.org/biographies/joseph-f-jordan/

​Service Details

Prelude: We Shall Overcome performed by Morehouse College (See video below)
Introduction/Zoom Orientation with Erin Mara, Worship Associate
Ringing the Bell
Invocation with The Reverend Gordon Clay Bailey
Opening Words and Chalice Lighting with Erin Mara, Worship Associate
     "We light the chalice as a reminder that together we are a beacon in the desert. May its light lead the way to love, acceptance and justice as we strive for personal and societal transformation."
Covenant with Erin Mara, Worship Associate & The Reverend Gordon Clay Bailey

This is the Covenant adopted by and for UUCLV:
1. We practice hospitality, welcoming all those that enter.
2. We are building a multicultural, mutli0generartaioal community that promote and strives toward justice and worsk to end marginalization of any people.
3. We listen with respect and attention, and we communicate with care.
4. We are a church community who serves our church community with generosity and good humor, and we support one another in times of joy and need,
5. To encourage healthy interactions, we reach out, with openness and kindness, to maintain relationship/covenant.
6. We acknowledge our own shortcomings and hold ourselves accountable for our mistakes, recognizing them as opportunities for growth and self-awareness.

Opening Hymn: #1017 Building a New Way performed by The Love Supremes (See video below)
Of Our Hearts with Erin Mara, Worship Associate
Pastoral Reflection with The Reverend Gordon Clay Bailey
Pastoral Hymn: A Change Is Gonna Come by our own Sky Barton - Song by Sam Cooke
Offering and Invitations with Erin Mara, Worship Associate
     "With gratitude for the abundance in our own lives, we give for the life of this congregation and the benefit of the larger community."
Story for All Ages: The ABCs of Black History by Rio Cortez (See video below)
Sermon: Black, UU and Proud: From Joseph Jordan to BLUU with The Reverend Gordon Clay Bailey

Talking Points about the Sermon
Today’s service was primarily a history lesson. We talked about Joseph Jordan, the first African American ordained Universalist minister. Egbert Ethelred Brown the first Ordained Unitarian minister of African heritage. He was from Jamaica, BWI. Rev Dr Kristen Harper, Yvonne Seon, Adel Penniman Smith, Michelle Bentley, Qiyamah Rachman as some of the most important figures in Unitarian Universalist/ female history.  I brought up AAUUM (African American Unitarian Universalist  Ministry), DRUUM (Diverse and Revolutionary Multicultural Ministries), BLUU (Black Lives of Unitarian Universalism) as affiliate organizations within the UUA orbit.  These are both historic and deeply connected structures that supports Black, Brown and other BIPOC peoples.

Rev Bailey is going to set up a dialogue on race, ethnicity, gender, class and creed amongst the many human understandings.  Stay tuned...

Some resources for you from the Reverend:

• The Racial Timeline that Reverend Gordon mentioned in his sermon
  ​www.geo.sunysb.edu/UU-history/racial.htm
• Four decades have passed since controversy over ‘black empowerment’ nearly tore the Unitarian Universalist Association apart. Even now, UUs remain unreconciled over what was for many a life-defining fight. https://www.uuworld.org/articles/empowerment-tragedy
• Black History of Unitarian Universalism
  https://www.uua.org/pressroom/stories/black-history-unitarian-universalism-we-shape-our-faith-together
• A book you may be interested in to learn more:  Darkening the Doorways; Black Trailblazers and Missed Opportunities in Unitarian Universalism https://www.uuabookstore.org/Darkening-the-Doorways-P17147.aspx

Musical Interlude with Sky Barton
Closing Song: We Shall Overcome - New York Philharmonic - Arranged by Jordan Millar (See video below)
Benediction with The Reverend Gordon Clay Bailey
Extinguish the Chalice with Erin Mara, Worship Associate
     "We release that which was called with love and gratitude and we extinguish the flame, but not our commitment to being a beacon in the desert. This burns brightly until we gather again."
Postlude with Sky Barton
Announcements
Let’s Talk About It: Choose your own breakout room with Erin Mara, Worship Associate
1. General coffee talk
2. Social Justice Chat
3. Pastoral Care sharing: How are you doing?
4. Events, hopes, plans of UUCLV
5. Newcomers: info about UUCLV hosted by Hilary