I and Thou: Bridging the Divide
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship podcast, we explore whether constructive conversations can help bridge the political polarization in this country. Can the insights of Martin Buber and Richard Rorty help? Gary Lerude explored this topic in a service on July 20, 2025. He is one of four aspirants for the lay ministry being trained by UU minister Rev. Marti Keller. AUUF is a multi-religious faith community with shared values, including equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and transformation, all in the service of love. We believe each of us has...
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Pluralism: The Promise and the Perils
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship podcast, we explore pluralism, one of the values adopted by the Unitarian Universalist Association at the 2024 General Assembly. Most of us have a sense of pluralism, but we may not understand the nuances: How is pluralism different than diversity? How does it relate to other values like respect, tolerance, acceptance, and equity? Elizabeth Martin says pluralism is not passive, it’s an achievement — one that can be challenging to achieve, particularly in our polarized world. She has seen the challenges firsthand in her role as...
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Reclaiming Hope in Troubled Times
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
The service on July 6, 2025, fell two days after Independence Day, 249 years after the Declaration of Independence was signed. On this anniversary, many of us are concerned about the state of our democracy, concerned that our federal government is not living up to the vision stated in the Declaration of Independence. Recall those prophetic words, that all of us are created equal with unalienable rights, including life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. Reflecting on those concerns, Sylvia Rogers urges us not to lose hope, and her homily offers ways to maintain our spirits despite the...
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Endless Summer
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode, recorded at the service on July 13, 2025, Rev. Marti Keller speaks of our mixed feelings about a seemingly endless summer, certainly an apt topic for these hot and humid days in Alabama. As children, how we looked forward to summer, wanting it to last forever. Yet how soon we became bored! The ideal of an endless summer parallels the human yearning for an endless life. That idea is increasingly the focus for research and technology startups, hoping to capitalize on the birth of a new industry. Rev. Marti asks, if we lived forever, would we lose the sanctity of living? Richard...
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Celebrating Children as Our Hope
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) podcast, Melanie Rains presents the homily “Children as Our Hope.” She reminds us of our shared responsibility to the youngest members of our congregation and society and affirms how their presence enriches our lives and our collective spiritual journey. The podcast was recorded at AUUF’s service on May 18, 2025. Sylvia Rogers served as the service associate. AUUF is a multi-religious faith community of shared values, including equity, justice, pluralism, interdependence, generosity, and transformation, all in the...
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Battles of the Republic 2025: A Mother’s Day Homily
The Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship Podcast
In this episode of the Auburn Unitarian Universalist Fellowship (AUUF) podcast, you’ll hear this year’s Mother’s Day sermon from our minister, the Rev. Marti Keller. She shares the history of what’s become an annual shopping event to honor our mothers and suggests the holiday is deeper than cards and flowers. It should be a time to reflect on how society can better support the mother’s role — like access to healthcare during and after pregnancy, parental leave, affordable child care, food assistance for those in need, and a commitment to quality schools. The podcast was recorded at...
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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...
info_outlineThe 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 non-religious beliefs. AUUF is one of more than 1,000 Unitarian Universalist congregations around the U.S. We invite you to attend our services, Sunday mornings at 10.
Our theme music for the podcast is A Call to the Soul by Folk Acoustic Music, from Pixabay.