Blog

By Rev Rex A E Hunt

During the first days of winter last year Dylis and I were in Canberra and decided to visit the National Gallery. I particularly wanted to view and experience the Indigenous Art Triennial display called ‘Ceremony’. Featured were the works of 38 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander artists from across Australia, which revealed how ceremony sits at the nexus of Country, culture, and community.
But just before we entered the first of several ‘Ceremony’ display areas we passed some other paintings also on display. And among that display were several by the late Australian artist, Margaret Preston (1875–1963).

The compltete talk can be read here.

The ancient Hebrews had an absolute taboo on the use of the word “God”.  This taboo was expressed in the third of the Ten Commandments: “Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain.”  The sharing of silence is an important part of our worship services, and in the services of many Unitarian congregations around the world.  We can’t avoid words altogether, but we do well to remember that our words are no more than nets which we cast into the vast ocean of life in our attempts to capture meaning.

This full sermon by the Rev Geoff Usher can be read here.

If you think of St George, what is the image, the picture, that you have? For most people, the mention of the name of St George conjures up a picture of a brave, handsome knight, in shining plate armour of mediaeval vintage: dealing the death blow to a fearsome, fire-breathing dragon, while a beautiful young woman hovers in the background, full of gratitude and admiration, perhaps also of love, for the gallant hero who has saved her from being killed by the monstrous dragon. Sometimes he is on horseback, using a full-sized lance – the sort of thing used in jousting tournaments, but with a proper sharp point on i t , not a blunt end. Sometimes he is on foot, getting in close to deliver the coup de grace – the final slash – with a bright straight sword.

The rest of this tale can be read here.

Humility is the orphaned virtue of our age.  Charles Dickens dealt it a mortal blow in his portrayal of the unctious Uriah Heep.  True humility is one of the most expansive and life-enhancing of all virtues.  It does not need to advertise itself, but is a glorious revelation of the human spirit.

The full sermon can be found here.

These have been collected by Valerie Worswick, a member of Eric’s centre for progressive religion. These can be read in the links below.

https://sydneyunitarians.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Opening.pdf
https://sydneyunitarians.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Marriage.pdf
https://sydneyunitarians.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/NorthRyde.pdf
https://sydneyunitarians.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/E.S.NOTES-ON-PROCESS-THEOLOGY-AUGUST-2019-CPRT-GROUP-LED-BY-PETER-CORRY.pdf
https://sydneyunitarians.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/E.S.RETHINKING-THE-EASTER-STORY.pdf
https://sydneyunitarians.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/WHAT-IS-HOPE.pdf
https://sydneyunitarians.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/07/Morphic.pdf

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