Sunday Service, 9 March 2025
Led by Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall and David Brewerton
(video and audio to follow after the event)
Musical Prelude: Waltz by Dmitri Shostakovich (performed by Sydney Mariano, Abby Lorimier and Andrew Robinson)
Responsive Opening Words: ‘We Travel This Road Together’ by Tess Baumberger (adapted)
Please respond to this call to worship with the words: ‘We travel this road together’.
From the busy-ness of everyday we gather once a week
to remember who we are, to dream of who we might become.
We travel this road together.
As companions on this journey, we share the milestones we meet along the way.
Individual moments of joy and sorrow become shared moments of comfort and celebration.
We travel this road together.
We share this journey across differences of belief and opinion
Because we value diversity and because we care for one another.
We travel this road together.
Through times of trial and turbulence, we contribute as best we can,
Showing up and supporting each other’s efforts as we work to fulfil our mission.
We travel this road together.
We are strengthened by those values that we share,
called onwards by the vision of a better world for all.
We travel this road together.
Today as we take the next steps, let us notice our fellow travellers:
The burdens that they carry, the songs that inspire their hearts.
We travel this road together.
As we gather in beloved community, let us open the holy havens of our hearts,
Let us share the sacred places of our souls, for we are pilgrims who share a common path.
We travel this road together. (pause)
Words of Welcome and Introduction:
These words from Tess Baumberger welcome all who have gathered this morning for our Sunday service. Welcome to those who have gathered in-person at Essex Church, to all who are joining us via Zoom, and anyone watching or listening at a later date via YouTube or the podcast. For anyone who doesn’t know me, I’m Jane Blackall, and I’m minister with Kensington Unitarians.
This morning’s service is titled ‘Every Little Helps’ – a title suggested by our own David Brewerton – who’ll be offering his reflections on the theme later in the service. When world events, or our own personal trials, seem overwhelming it is just so easy for us to get disheartened and feel helpless. This morning’s service is hopefully an antidote to that sense powerlessness; we’re affirming the importance of persisting with doing what we can do, and attending to the small acts that are within our reach, in the hope that this will help to nudge the world (or our own lives) in a better direction.
Chalice Lighting: ‘The Light Within Us’ by Brian C. Lee
Let’s light our chalice flame now, as we do each week. It’s a moment for us to stop and take a breath, settle ourselves down, put aside any preoccupations we came in carrying. This simple ritual connects us in solidarity with Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists the world over, and reminds us of the proud and historic progressive religious tradition of which this gathering is part.
(light chalice)
We light our chalice as a symbol of the Light within us
and the life that flows through the world around us.
It is our beacon as we search for truth.
It is the warmth in our hearts for love.
And it is the energy that propels us to action.
May we be kindled by our time together.
Hymn (on sheet): ‘The World Needs Love’
Our first hymn this morning is on your green hymn sheet: ‘The World Needs Love’ (I got confused about the hymn sheets so you have two today!). For those joining via zoom the words will be up on screen (as they will for all hymns). Feel free to stand or sit as you prefer; let’s sing up as best we can.
The world needs love; so many hearts are hurting.
Grace, work through us, help us to spread your peace,
bringing to all - through your forgiving spirit -
freedom from guilt, from bitterness release.
Reconcile us; help us to share your calmness,
’till anger stills and all our conflicts cease.
The world needs hope, a vision for the future,
what life might be, if all would live in you.
Help us to lead - through your transforming spirit -
lives that reflect what you would have us do,
to share our gifts, show forth your loving kindness,
encourage all to find their hope in you.
The world needs faith, a willing dedication
of all we are and all we might yet be.
Help us to serve - through your empowering spirit -
in active faith in our community.
Love for each soul, respecting and upholding,
declares the worth of all humanity.
The world needs joy, a sense of celebration
that human lives have such diversity.
Help us to see - through your dynamic spirit -
each person’s part in life’s vitality.
Sharing our joys, supporting others’ sorrows
make our small world a better place to be.
Candles of Joy and Concern:
Each week when we gather together, we share a simple ritual of candles of joy and concern, an opportunity to light a candle and share something that is in our heart with the community. So we’ve an opportunity now, for anyone who would like to do so, to light a candle and say a few words about what it represents. We’ll go to the people in the building first, then to Zoom.
So I invite some of you here in person to come and light a candle and then if you wish to tell us briefly who or what you light your candle for. I’m going to ask you to come to the lectern to speak this time as I really want people to be able to hear you and I don’t want to keep nagging you about getting close to the handheld mic. And if you can’t get to the microphone give me a wave and I’ll bring a handheld mic over to you. Thank you.
(in person candles)
And if that’s everyone in the room we’ll go over to the people on Zoom next – you might like to switch to gallery view at this stage – just unmute yourselves when you are ready and speak out – and we should be able to hear you and see you up on the big screen here in the church.
(zoom candles)
And I’m going to light one more candle, as we often do, to represent all those joys and concerns that we hold in our hearts this day, but which we don’t feel able to speak out loud. (light candle)
Time of Prayer & Reflection: based on words by Adam Slate
Let’s take those joys and concerns into an extended time of prayer. This prayer is based on some words by Adam Slate. You might want to adjust your position for comfort, close your eyes, or soften your gaze. There might be a posture that helps you feel more prayerful. Whatever works for you. Do whatever you need to do to get into the right state of body and mind for us to pray together – to be fully present here and now, in this sacred time and space – with ourselves, with each other, and with that which is both within us and beyond us. (pause)
Spirit of Life, God of All Love, in whom we live and move and have our being,
we turn our full attention to you, the light within and without,
as we tune in to the depths of this life, and the greater wisdom
to which – and through which – we are all intimately connected.
Be with us now as we allow ourselves to drop into the
silence and stillness at the very centre of our being. (pause)
Spirit of Life, Spirit of Love,
Spirit of Hope, Spirit of Justice,
God known by many different names:
You have given us a day unique from any other.
You have connected us, all of us,
with each other and with the world,
in ways that are largely a mystery to us.
You have given us little instruction
other than to be present in our own lives,
to feel wonder at the creations of the universe,
and to love one another wholeheartedly.
You have put gifts and challenges in our paths,
joys and sorrows, strengths and frailties,
some of which we have already encountered,
and others we have yet to discover.
On this unique day, may we receive
the blessings that we need to flourish,
and the courage we need to act in service of the Good. (pause)
And let us take a few quiet moments now to look inward, to get in touch with what’s real,
what is going on beneath the surface of our lives this morning. Let us notice what we’re carrying.
What troubles us. What questions or uncertainties we are faced with. What hopes we nurture. (pause)
And from that place of realness – silently, inwardly, ask for what you most need – don’t get too hung up on who or what you’re asking – maybe it’s God, maybe you’re casting it out into the Universe. Even if you’re the only one to hear your prayer – be clear on what you need in this moment. (pause)
And let us also be sure to give thanks for what we already have. Let us look back on the week and recall all those moments – large or small – of kindness, generosity, comfort – even moments of joy. Silently, inwardly, take the time to savour those gifts, connect with gratitude, and take in the good. (pause)
And let us turn outwards now, shifting our attention to the world around us, from those who are closest to our heart, to neighbours and strangers, our wider community, stretching ever onward,
as we sense our connection to every living being we share this planet with, and hold them all in love. (pause)
Spirit of Life – God of all Love – as this time of prayer comes to a close, we offer up
our joys and concerns, our hopes and fears, our beauty and brokenness,
and we call on you for insight, healing, and renewal.
As we look forward now to the coming week,
help us to live well each day and be our best selves;
using our unique gifts in the service of love, justice and peace. Amen.
Hymn (on sheet): ‘We Belong to One Another’
Let’s sing again now – our second hymn is on your pink hymn sheet – ‘We Belong to One Another’. I’m not sure we’ve learned this one yet so I’ll ask Andrew to play it through once before we sing.
We belong to one another. To each other we are bound
As we build a world together full of joy that we have found.
What we are we owe to others. When they need us, we respond.
We belong to one another and we hold a common bond.
We rely on one another at the dawning of our days
When we learn from those around us how to live in loving ways.
As we grow, we need each other and the gifts that we can share.
As our lives come to their ending, how we need each other’s care.
We give thanks for one another, for each heart and hand and face.
We are grateful for the blessings that infuse our lives with grace.
May we offer our abundance. As we’re given, may we give.
In our thanks for one another, may we help each other live.
Reading: ‘Faith in Small Actions’ by Tim Atkins (read by Roy)
This reflection by Unitarian Universalist Tim Atkins opens with a quote from the novel ‘Good Omens’: "It used to be thought that the events that changed the world were things like big bombs, maniac politicians, huge earthquakes, or vast population movements, but it has now been realized that this is a very old-fashioned view… The things that really change the world, according to Chaos theory, are the tiny things. A butterfly flaps its wings in the Amazonian jungle, and subsequently a storm ravages half of Europe.”
Tim Atkins continues: When I first learned about the Chaos Theory during the summer before my 8th Grade Year, I never expected it to have such a profound impact on my spirituality.
Meteorologist Edward Lorenz first “discovered” the Chaos Theory when he realized that one small, infinitesimally small, change, can lead to a dramatically different result. And he proved it mathematically. In a complex system, one small change can lead to a result that hadn’t ever been imagined.
Meteorologists dubbed this the butterfly effect, which hypothesizes that a butterfly flapping its wings in one part of the globe could cause a tornado in another. The weather system is too complex to fully ever be predicted – one small change, the butterfly flapping its wings, could lead to a dramatically different result in the end. The more complex the system, the more likely it is a small change can have a drastic impact.
Now, what system out there is more complex than life? If the Chaos Theory proves that in complex systems, small changes lead to dramatic results, then it follows that the Chaos Theory also proves that in life, a small change can also lead to a dramatic result.
This is an incredibly empowering thought to me: small changes in my personal life can lead to dramatic improvements years down the road. And the small changes I try to make through engaging in social justice work have the potential to change the entire world.
So often I’ve felt overwhelmed about social justice. How can I change the entire world? It’s too hard, too complicated to change the world — I’m just one person. How often have you felt something similar?
We have to have faith to take these small actions. We have to have faith that in the end our small actions matter, that our small actions will lead to the result we want. Sometimes they do, sometimes they don’t. We can’t predict what will happen when a small change has been entered into a complex system; the only thing we can predict is that we’ve changed the future in some way.
Every single one of us can make a change, today, that will change the future in ways we can’t possibly imagine today. What change will you make?
May we all be reminded of our own agency in changing the world. Let us all take small actions that build off each other and change the world in beautiful and unexpected ways.
Words for Meditation: ‘Do Small Things with Great Love’
Thanks Roy. We’re moving into a time of meditation now. To take us into stillness I’m going to share a selection of quotes on the theme of ‘doing small things with great love’ – this is something that we do on a regular basis at Heart and Soul – just to introduce a few different perspectives on a theme that we can meditate on – and I hope they will encourage you of the worth of making whatever contribution you can make towards the greater good even if it all feels overwhelming. There are seven quotes, if you’re in the building they’re on your hymn sheet, if you’re online you can read them on the website, but they’re there for later, I’d suggest you just listen for now. And I’m going to invite Brian to come up and share the reading with me.
The quotes will take us into a few minutes of shared silence which will end with the sound of a bell. And then we’ll hear some more music for meditation from Abby, Sydney and Andrew. So let’s do what we need to do to get comfortable – adjust your position if you need to – perhaps put your feet flat on the floor to ground yourself – maybe close your eyes. As we always say, the words are just an offering (this is a wordier intro than usual), so feel free to use this time to meditate in your own way.
Clarissa Pinkola Estes said: 'Ours is not the task of fixing the entire world all at once, but of stretching out to mend the part of the world that is within our reach. Any small, calm thing that one soul can do to help another soul, to assist some portion of this poor suffering world, will help immensely. It is not given to us to know which acts or by whom, will cause the critical mass to tip toward an enduring good.'
Kim Chernin said: ‘Devotion to the small is the spiritual core of political acts. As a devotion, it takes note of the power of the small and observes its potential for generating consequence. That is what makes it political. The small, it might be said, spins the threads that weave the net that catches the world.’
Howard Zinn said: ‘Revolutionary change does not come as one cataclysmic moment (beware of such moments!) but as an endless succession of surprises, moving zigzag toward a more decent society. We don't have to engage in grand, heroic actions to participate in the process of change. Small acts, when multiplied by millions of people, can transform the world.’
Kent Nerburn said: ‘We must remind ourselves that, though our lives are small and our acts seem insignificant, we are generative elements of this universe, and we create meaning with each act that we perform or fail to perform.’
M.J. Ryan said: ‘What's the first small step to what you want? Go ahead — underwhelm yourself. The success you create will give you the courage and enthusiasm to persevere and perhaps even up the ante.’
John Angell James said: ‘I am only one; but still I am one. I cannot do everything; but still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything, I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.’
Mother Teresa: ‘Not all of us can do great things, but we can do small things with great love.’
Period of Silence and Stillness (~3 minutes) – end with a bell
Interlude: Präludium by Dmitri Shostakovich (performed by Sydney Mariano, Abby Lorimier, and Andrew Robinson)
Reading: ‘Choose to Bless the World’ by Rebecca Parker (ask Chloë to read)
Your gifts—whatever you discover them to be—
can be used to bless or curse the world.
The mind's power,
the strength of the hands,
the reaches of the heart,
the gift of speaking, listening, imagining, seeing, waiting
Any of these can serve to feed the hungry,
bind up wounds,
welcome the stranger,
praise what is sacred,
do the work of justice
or offer love.
Any of these can draw down the prison door,
hoard bread,
abandon the poor,
obscure what is holy,
comply with injustice
or withhold love.
You must answer this question:
What will you do with your gifts?
Choose to bless the world.
The choice to bless the world is more than an act of will,
a moving forward into the world
with the intention to do good.
It is an act of recognition,
a confession of surprise,
a grateful acknowledgment
that in the midst of a broken world
unspeakable beauty, grace and mystery abide.
There is an embrace of kindness
that encompasses all life, even yours.
And while there is injustice, anesthetization, or evil
there moves a holy disturbance,
a benevolent rage,
a revolutionary love,
protesting, urging, insisting
that which is sacred will not be defiled.
Those who bless the world live their life
as a gesture of thanks
for this beauty
and this rage.
The choice to bless the world can take you into solitude
to search for the sources
of power and grace;
native wisdom, healing, and liberation.
More, the choice will draw you into community,
the endeavour shared,
the heritage passed on,
the companionship of struggle,
the importance of keeping faith,
the life of ritual and praise,
the comfort of human friendship,
the company of earth
the chorus of life welcoming you.
None of us alone can save the world.
Together—that is another possibility, waiting.
Reflection: ‘Every Little Helps’ by David Brewerton
You see it all over the place, “Every Little Helps”. If it now seems to be owned by Tesco, that was not always the case. As a proverb it goes back centuries, at least to the seventeen hundreds. And that’s the genius of it. When the advertising copywriter presented it to Tesco in 1993, he didn’t have to sell it or repeat it. Everybody in the meeting had already heard it, from their mothers, grandmothers, all over. All they had to do was nod wisely and say “that’s the one, That’s for us”. And it still is: as recently as January this year it was voted Britain’s favourite slogan.
Now, I know next to nothing about the theory of advertising but it has been suggested that the proverb’s extraordinary success is because it reduces Tesco to a manageable size. So Tesco is not the automated behemoth that underpays farmers and blocks our roads with its juggernauts, but a friendly business that, above all, understands us. Understands that we may appreciate a little help from time to time. And they can provide it. After all, it doesn’t need Tesco to tell us every little helps. We know it already. As did our mothers and our aunties. As I said, genius.
OK. Many of you will be familiar with the starfish story. The version I like concerns a little girl who comes across the beach covered with thousands of starfish that had been washed up in a storm. She begins throwing them, one by one, back into the sea. An adult stops to tell her she will never throw enough of them back to make a difference. The little girl pauses, a starfish in hand, and looks up at the adult. Then she throws the starfish as far as she could into the sea. "Well”, she said, “I made a difference to that one.”
The adult knew when he was beaten and he, too, began picking up starfish and returning them to the water. Others joined in and soon. little by little, all the starfish were back where they belonged.
The other Sunday morning, as we came out of the house, I noticed a rental bike, a Lime bike, lying across the pavement. Anyone pushing a buggy or in a wheelchair would not be able to get past it. I went to pick it up. They are heavy. Really heavy. Too heavy. Patricia made to come and help me but then a young man stopped, waved us back, picked the thing up and propped it, neatly on its stand, against the wall. Would he have bothered if he hadn’t seen two old people struggling. Maybe, maybe not. You never know.
But here’s the point: One small thing can and frequently does lead to a bigger thing. I wondered what would have happened if that same scene had played out where there are often dozens of capsized bikes — say down at Angel. Would it be like the starfish story, with others joining in to pick them up? I’ve no idea. But even if only one bike is moved out of the way, it makes a difference.
At the conclusion of our meditative prayers each Sunday, we talk of “using our unique gifts in the service of love, justice and peace”. But how do we do that? “We”, I mean, Unitarians. Well, here’s an example. At the end of January the 16 supporters of Just Stop Oil who had been sent to jail went to the Court of Appeal to challenge the 41 years of excessive prison sentences they had received for their parts in actions. A demonstration in support of the jailed activists was planned to take place outside the court over the two days of the hearing. On the second day, a sit down in the Strand for 90 minutes was scheduled for the middle of the day.
Somebody in Unitarians for Climate Justice realised that Essex Hall, the Unitarian HQ, is just a stone’s throw from the High Court where the appeal was to be heard. The building has unused space which includes an empty shop with direct access to the street. These were “unique gifts” that the Unitarians possessed and that the “service” that could be offered was a respite centre for those taking part in the protest outside the court. Unitarians could offer hot drinks, toilets, a sit down, a chat and a warm up as respite from the cold tarmac of the Strand.
Many who volunteered to steward and serve at the venue over the two days were just that bit too frail to go and sit down in the road with a risk of being arrested, but making tea and coffee, opening packets of biscuits, washing up and telling people where the toilets were, they had done that for years at church. It was second nature to them.
Unique gifts? Making tea and coffee? Welcoming. Offered in the service of love, and justice. Our prayer answered, if you like. It was a service much needed and enormously appreciated. Especially the loos!
Here’s what a well-known theatre director who came by, Ian Rickson, wrote: “As the protests and speeches began to congregate a gentle army bustled around in the improvised canteen of the Unitarian HQ. Octogenarians unwound beautiful banners, volunteers refilled peoples’ mugs, and younger activists temporarily nuzzled in for the warmth that emanates from this unique site. Outside, the courts were rousing their power, the Police vans were multiplying, but in this unique zone, where faith intersected with protest, there was solidarity”.
The occasion was, of course, a great advertisement for the Unitarians. So many of those who came to seek respite were looking for somewhere to donate. They will remember that the Unitarians offered the service in the name of justice, and out of love. They didn’t know, and we didn’t tell them, that the volunteers had travelled, often long distances, at their own expense, and that they brought the refreshments with them.
That wasn’t the point. The point was that in our own way we had found a way to contribute to a cause in which we believed. We may be unable to climb gantries above the motorway, or were perhaps too cautious to risk arrest outside the Royal Courts of Justice. There were, by the way, enough police there to have arrested everyone three times over. Vans full of bored officers were nose to tail down Chancery Lane.
Last Friday, the Judges announced their verdict while a Police helicopter circled overhead. There were some token reductions in some sentences. But they fell well short of what many would regard as justice served.
But it was something. Better than nothing. And the Unitarians had found a role to play.
As Ian Rickson pointed out so beautifully, we are a gentle army. But none the less determined for all that. Every Little Helps.
Hymn 37 (purple): ‘For the Fruits of All Creation’
Let’s sing again. Our final hymn is number 37 in your purple books, ‘For the Fruits of All Creation’.
For the fruits of all creation,
thanks be to God;
for the gifts to every nation
thanks be to God;
for the ploughing, sowing, reaping,
silent growth while we are sleeping,
future needs in earth's safe-keeping,
thanks be to God.
In the just reward of labour,
God's will is done;
in the help we give our neighbour,
God's will is done;
in the world-wide task of caring
for the hungry and despairing,
in the harvests we are sharing,
God's will is done.
For the harvest of the spirit,
thanks be to God;
for the good we all inherit,
thanks be to God;
for the wonders that astound us,
for the truths that still confound us,
most of all, that love has found us.
thanks be to God.
Announcements:
Thanks to Ramona for tech-hosting and Shari for co-hosting. Thanks to David for his reflection and Roy, Brian, and Chloë for reading. Thanks to Sydney, Abby and Andrew for lovely music today, and Benjie for supporting our singing. Thanks to Hannah for greeting and Julia for doing the coffee. For those of you who are here in-person – please do stay for a cuppa and cake – we’ve got our old favourite of apple and sultana cake today.
Tonight and Friday at 7pm we’ve got our ‘Heart and Soul’ online contemplative spiritual gathering – this week we’re considering ‘Listening and Being Heard’ – email me if you want to join us for that.
I want to draw your attention to another event that’s coming up soon – our friends at New Unity are hosting a workshop on disability on Tuesday 11th March at 6.30pm – that’s a hybrid event and I’ll be helping to look after the online zoom room – let me or Adam know if you want to come.
Community singing is back this Wednesday, all being well, always great fun but we sometimes have last-minute changes of plan due to the busy life of our singing leader so if you’re interested in coming to that make sure you’re on my singing mailing list for last-minute updates.
This month’s Better World Book Club is on ‘Every Kind of People’ by Kathryn Faulke.
A reminder for our members that by now you should have received your voting packs for the EC elections. Please do come and have a chat if you’re unsure about the process or the issues.
Next Sunday Sarah Tinker will be here at 11am when the service will be ‘Marking the Spring Equinox’. And the service will be followed by Margaret’s singing class and our regular Art Play Crafternoon.
Details of all our various activities are printed on the back of the order of service, for you to take away, and also in the Friday email. Or why not take home a copy of our new fancy newsletter?
The congregation very much has a life beyond Sunday mornings; we encourage you to keep in touch, look out for each other, and do what you can to nurture supportive connections.
Time for our closing words and closing music now.
Benediction: based on words by Craig Rowland
As we extinguish this chalice flame,
may the warmth of its light remain within us,
guiding our steps and our hearts in the week ahead.
Let us carry forward the strength of this community,
the courage to speak truth, and the hope that transformation is possible.
In each breath we take, may we remember that
the work of love, justice, and healing is ours to continue
—both here in this church and beyond these walls –
doing whatever little we can do to further the cause each day.
Go in peace, with the light of this gathering to illuminate your way. Amen.
Closing Music: John Macdonald's Reel by Natalie Haas and Alasdair Fraser (performed by Sydney Mariano, Abby Lorimier, and Andrew Robinson)
Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall
13th October 2024