"The Power of Protest" -- UUSE Virtual Worship, January 26, 2025

Gathering Music

"Ship of Fools" by Hunter/Garcia

"Just One Victory" by Rundgren

Dan Thompson, guitar & vocals

and Jen Richard, vocals

Welcome and Announcements (David Klotz)

Centering

Musical Interlude

Opening Thoughts on Power of Protest (Mary Lawrence)

Chalice Lighting and Opening Words #462 (Paul Robeson)

I shall take my voice wherever there are those who want to hear the melody of freedom or the words that might inspire hope and courage in the face of despair and fear. My weapons are peaceful, for it is only by peace that peace can be attained. The song of freedom must prevail.

Opening Hymn

#170 "We Are a Gentle Angry People"

Words & music: Holly Near

arr. by Patrick L. Rickey

led by Jenn Richard

We are a gentle, angry people, and we are singing, singing for our lives.

We are a gentle, angry people, and we are singing, singing for our lives.

We are a justice seeking people ...

We are young and old together ...

We are a land of many colors ...

We are gay and straight together ...

We are a gentle, loving people ...

Time for All Ages (Emmy Galbraith)

Welcoming Visitors and Joys & Concerns

Offering

The recipients of our January community outreach offering are Moral Monday CT and Power Up CT. Moral Monday gathers voices in the struggle for freedom and justice for black and brown people. Their areas of focus, activism and social change work include police accountability, voting rights, and workers' rights. Moral Monday CT was founded by Bishop John Selders and Lady Pamela Selders. Power Up CT brings much needed visibility to the ongoing realities of racism in Manchester and surrounding communities. They currently run Empower U, an after-school program at Squire Village in Manchester. UUSE currently serves as Power Up's fiscal sponsor.

Offertory

"All Men Are My Brothers"

by Dan Thompson

Homily

"The Power of Protest"

Stories from UUSE members on experiences

with protest that have made a difference

Mary Lawrence

Song

"Will the Circle Be Unbroken/The Flame"

by Lara Herscovitch

performed by Dan Thompson and Jenn Richard

Words from Al Benford (shared by David Klotz)

Musical Interlude

Closing Thoughts on Power of Protest

Closing Hymn

"People Have the Power"

by Patti Smith

performed by Jenn Richard, vocals;

Dan Thompson, guitar and vocals;

and Mary Lawrence, vocals

Extinguishing the Chalice and Closing Words

#560 Commitment

by Dorothy Day

People say, what is the sense of our small effort.

They cannot see that we must lay one brick at a time, take one step at a time.

A pebble cast into a pond causes ripples that spread in all directions. Each one of our thoughts, words and deeds is like that.

No one has a right to sit down and feel hopeless.

There's too much work to do.

Closing Circle

May faith in the spirit of life

And hope for the community of earth

And love of the light in each other

Be ours now, and in all the days to come.