{"id":138781,"date":"2023-12-11T11:52:34","date_gmt":"2023-12-11T17:52:34","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/?p=138781"},"modified":"2023-12-11T11:52:35","modified_gmt":"2023-12-11T17:52:35","slug":"let-the-mystery-be","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/let-the-mystery-be\/","title":{"rendered":"Let the Mystery Be"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"powerpress_player\" id=\"powerpress_player_2834\"><audio class=\"wp-audio-shortcode\" id=\"audio-138781-1\" preload=\"none\" style=\"width: 100%;\" controls=\"controls\"><source type=\"audio\/mpeg\" src=\"http:\/\/www.austinuuav.org\/audio\/2023-12-10_Let_the_Mystery_Be.mp3?_=1\" \/><a href=\"http:\/\/www.austinuuav.org\/audio\/2023-12-10_Let_the_Mystery_Be.mp3\">http:\/\/www.austinuuav.org\/audio\/2023-12-10_Let_the_Mystery_Be.mp3<\/a><\/audio><\/div><p class=\"powerpress_links powerpress_links_mp3\" style=\"margin-bottom: 1px !important;\">Podcast: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.austinuuav.org\/audio\/2023-12-10_Let_the_Mystery_Be.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_pinw\" target=\"_blank\" title=\"Play in new window\" onclick=\"return powerpress_pinw('https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/?powerpress_pinw=138781-podcast');\" rel=\"nofollow\">Play in new window<\/a> | <a href=\"http:\/\/www.austinuuav.org\/audio\/2023-12-10_Let_the_Mystery_Be.mp3\" class=\"powerpress_link_d\" title=\"Download\" rel=\"nofollow\" download=\"2023-12-10_Let_the_Mystery_Be.mp3\">Download<\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Listen to the sermon by clicking the play button above.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Rev. Michelle LaGrave<br \/>December 10, 2023<br \/>First UU Church of Austin<br \/>4700 Grover Ave., Austin, TX 78756<br \/>www.austinuu.org<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Mystery abounds during this season of telling the old stories and celebrating the unknown. How does mystery feed our spirits or nourish our souls? How does embracing the unknown help us to grow?<\/p>\n<hr align=\"center\" noshade=\"noshade\" size=\"4\" width=\"300\" \/>\n<p align=\"left\"><b>Chalice Lighting<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">This is the flame we hold in our hearts as we strive for justice for everyone. This is the light we shine upon systems of oppression until they are no more. This is the warmth that we share with one another as our struggle becomes our salvation.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\"><b>Call to Worship<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">IN THIS SPIRIT OF SEARCHING <br \/>by Joan Javier-Duval<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Out of depths unknown <br \/>the spark of life ignites <br \/>and we are born <br \/>we enter a world, a universe <br \/>not of our making <br \/>our lives unfold <br \/>in mystery and wonder <br \/>questions abound <br \/>for which there are no definite answers <br \/>and so <br \/>we gather in community <br \/>to seek in one another <br \/>assurance <br \/>and recognition <br \/>compassion and strength <br \/>we gather in community <br \/>to be reminded <br \/>of what is most ultimate <br \/>and what is most sacred <br \/>in this spirit of searching <br \/>and of reverence <br \/>let us worship together this morning<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\"><b>Affirming Our Mission <\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">Together we nourish souls, transform lives, and do justice to build the Beloved Community.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p><b>Reading<\/b><\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">I have been looking for the words that come <br \/>before words: the words older than silence, <br \/>the ones not mine, that can&#8217;t be found by thought &#8211; <br \/>the ones that hold the beginning of the world <br \/>and are never used up, and arrive loaned, <br \/>and make me weep.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">&#8211; Nancy Shaffer<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\"><b>Sermon<\/b><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">There are so many kinds of mysteries in the world. The kind written in books, for which there is an entire genre. The kind for which there are no answers. The kind for which we suspect there might be a scientific explanation someday, even if not in our own lifetime. The kind which are hard to bear. The kind of which mystics speak. The kind that moves us to write a poem or compose a piece of music or create a piece of art. The kind that prompts us to study thea\/ology or moves us to explore the stars. In this world of ours, one thing is clear: mystery abounds.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Rev. Michelle tells her personal story: &#8220;Music for Dance class.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">There are times when the joy is found in not finding an answer, enjoying the mystery, the experience of wondering, allowing the mystery to remain unnamable, unknowable, letting the mystery be.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Here&#8217;s another story, this one comes from Erik Walker Wikstrom &#8230;<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">One day a Religious Man approached a Mystic and asked, &#8220;Does God exist?&#8221;<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">&#8220;Allow me to go within for an answer,&#8221; the Mystic replied. After meditating for quite some time, expanding her heartconsciousness to embrace the totality of existence, she answered, &#8220;I do not know what you mean by the word &#8216;God,&#8217; but I do know that this world is more mysterious and more wonderful than I could ever imagine. I know that you and I are part of something so much larger than our own lives. Perhaps this &#8216;something larger&#8217; is what you seek.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Then the Religious Man approached a Scientist. &#8220;Does God exist?&#8221; he asked.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">&#8220;Let me think,&#8221; the Scientist replied. And so she thought. She thought about the vastness of the universe-156 billion light-years, or something like 936 billion trillion miles, in diameter-and the almost immeasurable smallness of a quark. She thought of how the energy of the Big Bang fuels the beating of her own heart. And then she answered, &#8220;I do not know what you mean by the word &#8216;God,&#8221; but I do know that this world is more mysterious and more wonderful than I could ever imagine. I know that you and I are part of something so much larger than our own lives. Perhaps this &#8216;something larger&#8217; is what you seek.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">The Religious Man then thought to himself. He thought of what he knows and what he does not know. He thought about how he knows what he knows, and how he knows he doesn&#8217;t know what he doesn&#8217;t know. He thought about his experience of the world and how it is but one tiny, infinitesimal fraction of all experience. He thought about his dependence on forces larger than himself, and he thought about the interdependence of all existence. He experienced wonder and pondered mystery. And then he knew-he knew in his soul the truth of what the Mystic and the Scientist said-that he is part of something so much larger than his own life.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">And then, only then, did he think about what he&#8217;d call it.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">Where is mystery in your life? <br \/>And what do you call it? <br \/>Or do you prefer for it to remain unnamed? <\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Sarah York writes:<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">We receive fragments of holiness, <br \/>glimpses of eternity, <br \/>brief moments of insight. <br \/>Let us gather them up <br \/>for the precious gifts that they are <br \/>and, renewed by their grace, <br \/>move boldly into the unknown.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">May it always be so. Amen and Blessed Be.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\"><b>Benediction<\/b> by Eric Williams<\/p>\n<blockquote>\n<p align=\"left\">We all emerge from<br \/>Dwell within <br \/>Are transformed by <br \/>And called back to Love.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">May your mind be humbled before this Mystery. <br \/>May your heart grow hopeful by it. <br \/>May you be sustained by this Love always.<\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Amen and Blessed Be.<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n<hr align=\"center\" noshade=\"noshade\" size=\"4\" width=\"300\" \/>\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/category\/sermons\/indexes\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>SERMON INDEX<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Most sermons during the past 23 years are available online through this website. Click on the index link above to find tables of all sermons for each year listed by date (newest to oldest) with topic and speaker. Click on a topic to go to that sermon.<\/p>\n<p align=\"center\"><a href=\"http:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/podcast\/first-unitarian-universalist\/id372427776\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><b>PODCASTS<\/b><\/a><\/p>\n<p align=\"left\">Podcasts of this and other sermons are also available for free on iTunes. You can find them by clicking on the podcast link above or copying and pasting this link. https:\/\/itunes.apple.com\/podcast\/first-unitarian-universalist\/id372427776<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Listen to the sermon by clicking the play button above. Rev. Michelle LaGraveDecember 10, 2023First UU Church of Austin4700 Grover Ave., Austin, TX 78756www.austinuu.org Mystery abounds during this season of telling the old stories and celebrating the unknown. How does mystery feed our spirits or nourish our souls? How does embracing the unknown help us&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":"","_links_to":"","_links_to_target":""},"categories":[19,174,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-138781","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-audio-available","category-michelle-lagrave","category-sermons"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138781","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=138781"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138781\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":138782,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/138781\/revisions\/138782"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=138781"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=138781"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/austinuu.org\/wp2013\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=138781"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}