Archive for September, 2009|Monthly archive page
Leave a CommentSacred Promises
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“Sacred Promises: A sermon” by Rev. Roberta 9/20/2009
On September 14,1974 a couple of 22 year olds walked into a Justice of the Peace in upstate New York and got married. It was very low key; just us and our parents and my somewhat confused grandmother and my brother. We didn’t want an elaborate ceremony and we held the reception in a nearby park.
I Can’t Stop Loving You
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“I Can’t Stop Loving You” A homily by Rev. Roberta Finkelstein
“Such is the power of public liturgies,” wrote Clarke Wells in his lyrical and moving essay. Public liturgies, whether in football stadiums or in this sanctuary, have the power to bring disparate people together, transcending differences and elevating all of us to a higher plane.
Work That Matters
Sermon Transcript
“Work That Matters – A Labor Day Reflection” by Rev. Roberta Finkelstein
The poet Marge Piercy says, “People yearn for work that is real.” What makes work real? A good Labor Day week-end question. Where I come from, Labor Day is the final gasp of summer – up north we are so busy with back to school and how to get rid of zucchinis that we may forget the historical significance of Labor Day; forget to offer that nod of gratitude to courageous generations of workers who learned that by coming together in unions they could demand fair compensation and working conditions and make their work more satisfying. Low pay, long hours, unfair compensation and exploitation of workers were common. Paid vacation and sick leave were unheard of. When people are underpaid or exploited, they are not happy. That is why the labor movement began. But studies of employee satisfaction tell us that although low pay or unfair employment practices create dissatisfaction, higher compensation or better conditions don’t necessarily create satisfaction. Something less tangible contributes to true job satisfaction; the something that makes work real.
