Emma Goldman said, "If I can't dance I don't want to be part of your revolution." Our speaker, Michael Sprong, puts the "pro" in protest and makes resistance fun. Michael will tell the story of how he and six other joyful peace activists sank the Air Force's pontoon boat at Offutt Air Force Base in Omaha, Nebraska (it really wasn't their fault!) after "liberating" an island in a recreational lake on the base. He will also offer other stories of creative, fun protest and resistance in the face of war and injustice. On a more serious (but still joyful) note he'll talk about how all issues of peace and justice are interrelated. Michael is a long-time advocate for the homeless and spent nearly a year working at the Dorothy Day House in Moorhead.
This service will be followed by our Annual Congregational Meeting.
We all have gifts to share, which were in some way nurtured by our mothers. Whether she sang us to sleep or helped type our term papers, her influence can still be felt when we sing familiar church hymns or enjoy a good book. Always a favorite, the annual Poetry and Music service has featured a range of guest writers and musicians. This year we have decided to highlight the talents of some of our members and friends. Please join us as we share the gifts of word and song, and celebrate the mothers who nurtured us. We will also honor those teachers who have nurtured our children in their religious education throughout this church year.
Using stories from a variety of his experiences, writer and speaker Bill Vossler will explore with us the core values of being human. His presentations always generate amazing discussions from UU's about their own experiences, whether they are black or white, live on the coast or in the heartland, Philadelphia or Wishek, Los Angeles or Casselton, on what it means to be human, vulnerable, different, unique, or even the same, as well as facing up to where we have failed to be good people, often corrected those failures, or just plain succeeded.
We will also honor those students who will be graduating from high school this Spring.
We come together on this last Sunday of the church season for a double ritual: we dedicate the new children in our congregation, and our new building addition. For the former, we affirm our commitment to nurturing their body and spirit as they grow and learn; and with regard to the latter, we mark the expansion of our present sacred space into our new physical space.
Please join us following the service for an Open House Celebration of our new building addition from 12:00 - 2:00 PM. Hors d'oeuvres and cake will be served along with tours of the new building space. Bring all your friends!