Uploaded November 2025 | Updated September 2026, 8 hours ago
November 16, 2025 service for the First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City, with a New Member Ceremony.
Rev. J Sylvan explores the idea of "paradise" by contrasting modern despair and future-focused utopian thinking with the early Christian understanding of paradise as a present, communal practice of serving, protecting, and nurturing life. They describe how early Christian art emphasized earthly delight, mutual care, and shared responsibility β rather than the later focus on the crucifixion β and connect this to their own experience of neighborly generosity that created a "heaven on earth" in everyday life. Rev. J urges us to cultivate small, immediate acts of care, justice, and stewardship that bring glimpses of paradise into the world right now.
Lay minister Jack Markman reflects on how his self-reliant, disaster-prepping mindset proved useless during the simultaneous earthquake and pandemic, when what truly sustained him was the support and cooperation of others. He concludes that while preparation has value, real resilience comes from interdependence, generosity, and getting through crises together rather than alone.
ORDER OF SERVICE
00:00 π΅ Introduction: "We Will Go Out In The World" by David Owens
00:55 π΅ Prelude: "Rainbow Connection" by Paul Williams (American, b. 1940) & Kenneth Ascher (American, b. 1944) β Rev. J Sylvan, vocals & guitar
04:54 π΅ Introit: # 188, "Come, Come, Whoever You Are" β words adapted from Rumi (1207-1273); music by Rev. Lynn Ungar (American, b. 1963); led by David Owens
05:40 Welcome & Announcements β Rev. J Sylvan
07:54 Chalice Lighting / Meditation β Rev. J Sylvan
14:07 π΅ Opening Song: "Brilliant Mistake" by Elvis Costello (English, b. 1954) β Rev. J Sylvan, vocals & guitar
18:01 Introduction of the Lay Minister β Rev. J Sylvan
18:25 Lay Minister: Jack Markman
24:22 π΅ Interlude: "The Circle Game" by Joni Mitchell (Canadian/American, b. 1943) β Rev. J Sylvan, vocals & guitar
29:00 New Member Ceremony β Rev. J Sylvan
35:22 π΅ Response β David Owens, piano
36:05 π΅ Song of Gratitude: # 1010, "We Give Thanks" β words & music by Wendy Luella Perkins (Canadian, b. 1966); led by Rev. J Sylvan
37:10 π΅ Doxology: "From All that Dwell Below the Skies" β words: composite based on Isaac Watts (English, 1674-1748); melody: "Old Hundredth" from Genevan Psalter (1551)
38:20 Sermon: "Saving Paradise" β Rev. J Sylvan
58:00 π΅ Closing Hymn: # 1064, "Blue Boat Home" β words by Peter Mayer (American, b. 1963); music by Rowland Hugh Prichard (Welsh, 1811-1887)
1:00:50 Benediction β Rev. J Sylvan
1:01:27 π΅ Postlude: "Come Sunday" by Duke Ellington (American, 1899-1974) β David Owens, piano
1:04:00 Closing Words β Rev. J Sylvan
1:04:23 π΅ End Credits
Rev. J Sylvan, Senior Minister
Rev. Monica Dobbins, Assistant Minister
Amanda Esko, Director of Religious Education
David Owens, Director of Music
Stefanie Park, Administrator
Tristan Moore, Audiovisual Director
π First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City
β Website: slcuu.org
β Facebook: facebook.com/firstuuslc
β Instagram: instagram.com/firstuuslc
β YouTube: youtube.com/FirstUUSLC
π All of First Unitarian Church's programs depend on the contributions of our members and friends.
β Donate: slcuu.breezechms.com/give/online
π¬ Related video topics from First Unitarian Church
β youtube.com/playlist?list=PLouELW-J6FZZLSGAsaNRV_DKPrN2PUh8g
November 16, 2025 service for the First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City, with a New Member Ceremony.
Rev. J Sylvan explores the idea of "paradise" by contrasting modern despair and future-focused utopian thinking with the early Christian understanding of paradise as a present, communal practice of serving, protecting, and nurturing life. They describe how early Christian art emphasized earthly delight, mutual care, and shared responsibility β rather than the later focus on the crucifixion β and connect this to their own experience of neighborly generosity that created a "heaven on earth" in everyday life. Rev. J urges us to cultivate small, immediate acts of care, justice, and stewardship that bring glimpses of paradise into the world right now.
Lay minister Jack Markman reflects on how his self-reliant, disaster-prepping mindset proved useless during the simultaneous earthquake and pandemic, when what truly sustained him was the support and cooperation of others. He concludes that while preparation has value, real resilience comes from interdependence, generosity, and getting through crises together rather than alone.
ORDER OF SERVICE
00:00 π΅ Introduction: "We Will Go Out In The World" by David Owens
00:55 π΅ Prelude: "Rainbow Connection" by Paul Williams (American, b. 1940) & Kenneth Ascher (American, b. 1944) β Rev. J Sylvan, vocals & guitar
04:54 π΅ Introit: # 188, "Come, Come, Whoever You Are" β words adapted from Rumi (1207-1273); music by Rev. Lynn Ungar (American, b. 1963); led by David Owens
05:40 Welcome & Announcements β Rev. J Sylvan
07:54 Chalice Lighting / Meditation β Rev. J Sylvan
14:07 π΅ Opening Song: "Brilliant Mistake" by Elvis Costello (English, b. 1954) β Rev. J Sylvan, vocals & guitar
18:01 Introduction of the Lay Minister β Rev. J Sylvan
18:25 Lay Minister: Jack Markman
24:22 π΅ Interlude: "The Circle Game" by Joni Mitchell (Canadian/American, b. 1943) β Rev. J Sylvan, vocals & guitar
29:00 New Member Ceremony β Rev. J Sylvan
35:22 π΅ Response β David Owens, piano
36:05 π΅ Song of Gratitude: # 1010, "We Give Thanks" β words & music by Wendy Luella Perkins (Canadian, b. 1966); led by Rev. J Sylvan
37:10 π΅ Doxology: "From All that Dwell Below the Skies" β words: composite based on Isaac Watts (English, 1674-1748); melody: "Old Hundredth" from Genevan Psalter (1551)
38:20 Sermon: "Saving Paradise" β Rev. J Sylvan
58:00 π΅ Closing Hymn: # 1064, "Blue Boat Home" β words by Peter Mayer (American, b. 1963); music by Rowland Hugh Prichard (Welsh, 1811-1887)
1:00:50 Benediction β Rev. J Sylvan
1:01:27 π΅ Postlude: "Come Sunday" by Duke Ellington (American, 1899-1974) β David Owens, piano
1:04:00 Closing Words β Rev. J Sylvan
1:04:23 π΅ End Credits
Rev. J Sylvan, Senior Minister
Rev. Monica Dobbins, Assistant Minister
Amanda Esko, Director of Religious Education
David Owens, Director of Music
Stefanie Park, Administrator
Tristan Moore, Audiovisual Director
π First Unitarian Church of Salt Lake City
β Website: slcuu.org
β Facebook: facebook.com/firstuuslc
β Instagram: instagram.com/firstuuslc
β YouTube: youtube.com/FirstUUSLC
π All of First Unitarian Church's programs depend on the contributions of our members and friends.
β Donate: slcuu.breezechms.com/give/online
π¬ Related video topics from First Unitarian Church
β youtube.com/playlist?list=PLouELW-J6FZZLSGAsaNRV_DKPrN2PUh8g
