The Spiritual Art of Gift-Giving
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
Release Date: 12/20/2024
A Conversation with Rev. Marti Keller
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
This episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) podcast features a conversation with our minister, the Rev. Marti Keller. Rev. Marti will be recognized at this year’s Unitarian Universalist (UU) General Assembly for her 25-year service as an ordained UU minister. Her ministry actually started before that, as she served as a lay minister with the Atlanta congregation. I thought it would be interesting for all of us to hear Rev. Marti’s story. As you’ll learn, stories are the essence of her spirituality. Our conversation was recorded on Saturday, May 3, 2025. — Gary...
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Flourishing Together: The Flower Communion
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
This episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) podcast recounts the story of the Flower Communion, an annual service in many Unitarian Universalist churches. It was created by Norbert Čapek in 1923 at the Unitarian church in Prague, Czechoslovakia. Čapek was seeking a ceremony to strengthen the community of his church, arriving at the symbolism of the flower communion. The Prague church was founded by Čapek and became the largest Unitarian church in the world. After occupying Czechoslovakia, the Nazis considered Čapek and his preaching to be subversive, and he was sent...
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Saving Paradise
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
This episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) podcast features our recent Easter service on April 20, 2025. Rev. Marti Keller plumbs the early history of Christianity, describing a theological shift from creating paradise on Earth to emphasizing the crucifixion, with paradise delayed until after death. Rev. Marti summarizes the scholarship of Rita Nakashima Brock and Rebecca Ann Parker, from their book Saving Paradise. By surveying the art adorning churches throughout the Middle East and Mediterranean, they found Christian sanctuaries from the first millennium filled with...
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It Would Be Enough
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) podcast, Rev. Marti Keller discusses the story and significance of Passover, a story she describes as “a moving truth that is simply not true.” Yet even if not factual, the story is compelling because it reveals an inherent truth. The lesson at the heart of Passover is appreciative mindfulness of what we already have, recognizing that we are given what we need. Richard Shelby was the service associate and presented the morning’s candle lightings. The podcast was recorded at AUUF’s service on April 13, 2025. AUUF is...
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Solitude and Solidarity
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) podcast, we continue exploring spirituality. Sylvia Rogers compares making the spiritual journey solo with walking our path as part of a religious community. Melanie Rains served as the service associate and shared the opening words. Sylvia and Melanie are aspirants in AUUF’s lay ministry program. The podcast was recorded at AUUF’s service on April 6, 2025. AUUF is a faith community of shared values — love, equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and transformation. We believe each of us has the right...
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A Meditation on Spirituality
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the podcast, recorded on March 2, 2025, Gary Lerude explores the practices that lead to a spiritual life: transcendence, gratitude, compassion, service, and humility. Gary is among the first class of aspirants training to serve as lay ministers for the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF). Sylvia Rogers, also an aspirant for the lay ministry, served as the service associate and shared the opening words for the service. AUUF, located in Auburn, Alabama, is a faith community of shared values: love, equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and...
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Misbehaving Women
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode, which honors Women’s History Month, Rev. Marti examines the phrase that well-behaved women rarely make history. As Rev. Marti notes, women’s contributions are overlooked and undervalued. Sylvia Rogers, a lay minister aspirant, served as the service associate and selected the chalice lightings. The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) in Auburn, Alabama, is a faith community of shared values: love, equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and transformation. We believe each of us has the right to seek spiritual truth and develop a personal...
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Beloved Community
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode, we explore our Beloved Community at AUUF and how it builds from the history and traditions of the building where we gather. The episode begins with a reflection by the president of the fellowship, Randy Melius, followed by the sermon from our minister, the Rev. Marti Keller. The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) in Auburn, Alabama, is a faith community of shared values: love, equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and transformation. We believe each of us has the right to seek spiritual truth and develop a personal theology. Our members come...
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Because I Knew You
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
The Sunday before Valentine's Day (February 9), Rev. Marti explored friendship and how important it is to our physical and mental health, particularly during times when the future is uncertain. She suggests friendship is core to our mission as a Beloved Community. The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) in Auburn, Alabama, is a faith community of shared values: love, equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and transformation. We believe each of us has the right to seek spiritual truth and develop a personal theology. Our members come from all religious and...
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Arc Bending
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
Following the unrestrained first week of President Trump’s second term, Rev. Marti raises the example of prophetic Unitarian minister Theodore Parker, a 19th-century abolitionist and social reformer, who first stated that the arc of the moral universe bends toward justice. As the new government seeks to deny the basic human rights of so many, Rev. Marti calls on us to help bend the arc of justice. The sermon was preached on January 26, 2025. Melanie Rains assisted with the service. The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) in Auburn, Alabama, is a faith community of shared values:...
info_outlineIn this inaugural podcast from the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF), our minister, Rev. Marti Keller, reflects on the spiritual art of gift-giving.