"Healing helps us fight in the places we need to, but love in the places we long to." - Prentice Hemphill In her sermon "Wounded Healers," Rev. Beth Dana reflects on how we can begin to heal toward wholeness in a broken world. She shares the story of her first job - working with the Albany County Public Defender's Office in their alternative sentencing program, where the work of the small but mighty county office was rooted in the belief that treatment and rehabilitation are better alternatives to punishment and imprisonment. She also lifts up the work of attorney and advocate Brittany K. Barnett, Dr. Gail Christopher and the Kellogg Foundation, and our own Director of Equity Initiatives Jerry Hawkins and Racial Equity Task Force Leader Steve Jensen - all of whom are dedicated to the mission of truth, healing, reconciliation, and transformation. They serve as examples that the work of transforming systems and institutions starts with people-to-people relationship building. This sermon is part of our Truth, Healing, Reconciliation, and Transformation sermon series. Within this series, we will examine the four pillars that help us move away from division and toward a place of wholeness. We will reflect on how truth allows us to look at the world through new lenses, how healing takes place through vulnerability, how reconciliation restores that which has been damaged, and how transformation is made possible when we choose love over fear, again and again. Topics include: Brittany K. Barnett, Unitarian Universalist, Drop the Rock Rallies, Henri Nouwen, Chiron, Hercules, Somatic therapist Prentice Hemphill, Cornell University, criminal justice, Gaza 💚 Consider making a one-time contribution to First Church today. Your financial support allows us to provide our weekly livestream, produce Tiny Pulpit Talks - our weekly podcast, pay our staff, and make our UU values real in the world. 💲Give through PayPal, Venmo, & Apple Pay here: https://tinyurl.com/firstchurchpaypal 🌎 Join our global movement of truth, justice, and love. No matter where you are in the world, we invite you to be a part of our community. Fill out a welcome card at the following link and we'll be in touch with resources to get started: https://dallasuu.org/welcomecard/ First Unitarian Church of Dallas is devoted to genuine inclusion, depth and joy, reason and spirit. We have been a voice of progressive religion in Dallas since 1899, working toward a more just and compassionate world in all of what we do. We hope that when you come here your life is made more whole through experiences of love and service, spiritual growth, and an open exploration of the divine. Learn more at https://dallasuu.org/ New sermon every week. Subscribe here: https://tinyurl.com/1stchurchyoutubesubscribe Follow us on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/1stuchurch/ Follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/1stUChurch Watch the livestream on Sundays at 9:30am, 11am, & 7pm CST: https://dallasuu.org/live/
