Excerpt from Justin Pearson guest sermon churchoftheriver 2023-04-10 | "The movement lives or dies in Memphis."-MLK. The Church of the River shared our sanctuary on Easter Sunday with Community of Faith Christian Church and heard an emotional sermon from their pastor's son, Justin J. Pearson, one of the #tennesseethree Black lawmakers expelled from their elected offices in April 2023. In this excerpt, he talks about his ouster from the state legislature and reminds us of the words spoken 55 years ago by Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Church of the River Livestream - June 18, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-06-19 | Our annual "Question Box" sermon, in which Rev. Sam attempts to answer questions from the congregation about religion, spirituality and whatever else is on their minds! Moderated by Bella DuBalle.
Church of the River Livestream Jun 11, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-06-12 | Our annual Spring Music Fest, featuring The Awesome Little Choir and special guests!
Mid-South Pride Festival and Parade, June 3, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-06-05 | The Church of the River marching group in the Mid-South Pride Festival and Parade, June 3, 2023
Church of the River Live Service - June 4, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-06-05 | Our annual LGBTQ+ Pride service! This year we'll be talking about the sacredness of Judy Garland, professional wrestling, and the advocacy work that religious institutions are called to do to support the LGBTQ+ community.
Church of the River Livestream - May 14th, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-05-15 | “The Flower Ceremony: Radical Community and the Power of Ritual”--Cindy Hastings Sakaan, Director of Religious EducationCome hear about the roots of Flower Communion, the power of ritual, and how a simple ceremony might soar for future generations.
Church of the River Livestream - May 7th, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-05-08 | Sermon: "Organize, Organize, Organize!" If freedom is not our goal, then freedom doesn’t have to be part of the process of achieving that goal. But if freedom is our goal, then we have to organize ourselves in a way that is, itself, an expression of the freedom that we desire.
Church of the River Livestream - Apr 30, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-05-01 | Youth Sunday service theme: "Water,Earth,Fire,Air :What can we know about the Sacred in these Elements?"Homilies from Rachel Larkins, Mason Yarbrough, Calle McDearmore, and Tyler Cooke.
[UPDATED] Church of the River - Apr 23, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-04-24 | This is the updated link to today's service. Sorry for the confusion!
Church of the River Livestream - Apr 16, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-04-17 | Sermon title" "The Church of the Grass"Someone recently referred to us (erroneously) as The Church of the Grass. Which got Rev. Sam to thinking: What does it mean to trust the things you can’t understand? What does it mean to have faith when everything goes wrong? How many other natural phenomena could our church be named after?
Church of the River Livestream - Apr 9th, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-04-09 | A joint Easter service by Rev. Sam Teitel with Rev. Jason Pearson from Community of Faith Christian Church and his son Justin Pearson, one of the "Tennessee Three" lawmakers expelled from the legislature last week.
Church of the River Livestream - Apr 2, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-04-03 | A special service celebrating 20+ years of service by Director of Religious Education Cindy Sakaan, who is retiring in June.
Church of the River-Cindy Sakaan Photo Tribute churchoftheriver 2023-04-02 | A short photo essay celebrating the 20+ year career of our Director of Religious Education Cindy Sakaan, who retires in June 2023.
Cindy Sakaan Retirement Tribute-April 2, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-04-02 | Congregation members recorded messages to Director of Religious Education Cindy Sakaan for her retirement celebration on April 2, 2023.
Church of the River Livestream - Mar 26, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-03-27 | "I Wish None of This Had Happened!" with Rev. Sam TeitelThis Sunday marks three years since our congregation started having virtual worship services to help protect us from COVID-19. What have we learned in the last three years? What Gifts have we been given? What lessons can our spiritual ancestors teach us about processing the experience that we just had and moving forward?
Church of the River Livestream - Mar 19, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-03-20 | Minister Emeritus Rev. Burton Carley"On Being Rational and Other Conspiracy Theories"Inconvenient truths not only apply to the environment. They exist in the story of a famous feminist out of our tradition, and in ourselves.
Church of the River Livestream 3/5/2023 churchoftheriver 2023-03-06 | "The Olympia Brown Mysteries."We begin a Women's History Month series on important women in Unitarian Universalist history with the story of Rev. Olympia Brown, and how her fight for equality is a fight still being waged today on many different fronts.
Church of the River Livestream Feb 26, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-02-27 | Sermon: "Holy Compost!" by pulpit guest Rev. Lillian Lammers.The world tells us to hide the parts of ourselves we don’t like or the things that cause us to feel shame. What lessons can we learn from the soil about the benefits of bringing things up the surface in sacred community, rather than burying them deep within ourselves?
Church of the River Livestream Feb 19, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-02-20 | Sermon Title: On Nightmares, Pt. 2It is normal to be afraid of the dark. What would it mean if we learned to give thanks not only for the dark and the night, but even for our fear of them? Is there beauty to be found not only in the darkest parts of the world, but in the darkest parts of ourselves?
Church of the River Livestream - 02/12/2023 churchoftheriver 2023-02-13 | Our annual "Love and All That Jazz" service, featuring live jazz from the Jeremy Shrader Quartet and modern poetry about love.
Church of the River Livestream - Feb 5, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-02-06 | Our sermon theme for February is "Night". The sermon for Feb. 5, 2023, is "Nightmare, Part 1".
Church of the River Livestream - Jan 29, 2023 churchoftheriver 2023-01-30 | "The Deep Ocean"What does it mean for us to work for justice in a society that is so blatantly unjust? And what does it mean for the city of Memphis to heal after yet another horrific act of racist violence?
Church of the River Livestream - 01/22/2023 churchoftheriver 2023-01-23 | "Freedom in Worship" with pulpit guest Rev. Elias OrtegaThe corporate worship of a community centers the stories that give meaning to their collective lives and connects them to others across generations and traditions. Our stories are strands in need of weaving to a larger tapestry of faith that tells a story of a community grounded in freedom of worship made free to serve the world.
Church of the River Livestream - 01/15/2023 churchoftheriver 2023-01-16 | "The Broken and the Frozen"The Arctic has long been a source of fascination for human beings. What is it about this place that draws us to it? What happens when we go to one of the most inhospitable places on Earth and find ourselves?
Green Hell - Church of the River Livestream 01/08/23 churchoftheriver 2023-01-09 | Humans are brilliant animals, but we are not always brilliant enough to remember how fragile we are.What does it mean to allow ourselves to be truly humbled by the natural world? What does it mean to care for our planet out of need, not sentiment? And when is a children's book just too long?
New Years Day - Church of the River Livestream 01/01/23 churchoftheriver 2023-01-02 | Dr. Vahisha Hasan
Candlelight Service 2022 churchoftheriver 2022-12-19 | Scenes from our Candlelight Service December 18, 2022.
Candlelight Service - Church of the River Livestream 12/18/22 churchoftheriver 2022-12-19 | Church of the River Candlelight Service
Advent 2022 Week 4: Love - Church of the River Livestream 12/18/22 churchoftheriver 2022-12-19 | Sometimes love means taking stupid risks for people you barely know.What does it mean to love your neighbor though your neighbor hates you? And what does it mean to love your neighbor even though dangerous people hate your neighbor?Rev. Sam Teitel is a Unitarian Universalist minister, poet, and punk rocker. He serves as the minister of The Church of the River in Memphis, Tennessee. In his spare time, he loves checking out new restaurants and record stores in Memphis with his wife, Sandra, their son, Gideon, and their Jack Russell Terrier, Tommy.
Advent 2022 Week 3: Peace - Church of the River Livestream 12/11/22 churchoftheriver 2022-12-12 | Peacemaking does not mean accepting the status quo. Peacemaking usually means breaking down the status quo in order to create a more just and compassionate world.What does it mean to seek peace? What do we do when the only way to find peace is through chaos?Rev. Sam Teitel is a Unitarian Universalist minister, poet, and punk rocker. He serves as the minister of The Church of the River in Memphis, Tennessee. In his spare time, he loves checking out new restaurants and record stores in Memphis with his wife, Sandra, their son, Gideon, and their Jack Russell Terrier, Tommy.
Sue Ferguson Testimonial — Canvass / Stewardship Drive 2023 churchoftheriver 2022-12-06 | "I was Director of Religious Education for 11 years. One of the 2 year olds grew up and became our church President — none other than Matt Holladay. My daughter was married in this church. My husband's Memorial Service was in this church. This UU denomination and particularly this Church of the River has become a part of the fabric of my life." — Sue FergusonPlease consider a gift to our church at a level that is meaningful to you. We use our pledges and donations to create the church budget to offer Sunday worship service experience, children & adult programming... and more. churchoftheriver.breezechms.com/form/458b836970932
Advent 2022 Week 2: Joy - Church of the River Livestream 12/4/22 churchoftheriver 2022-12-05 | Religious institutions should never demonize or degrade human sexuality. Rather, we should honor and celebrate it.How can we move past destructive and ignorant ideas about sex in ways that are in line with our Unitarian Universalist values? And what is the religious function of joy?Rev. Sam Teitel is a Unitarian Universalist minister, poet, and punk rocker. He serves as the minister of The Church of the River in Memphis, Tennessee. In his spare time, he loves checking out new restaurants and record stores in Memphis with his wife, Sandra, their son, Gideon, and their Jack Russell Terrier, Tommy.
Getting Our Hopes Up - Church of the River Livestream 11/27/22 churchoftheriver 2022-11-28 | Hope is a revolutionary act. In a world filled with violence, greed, hate, etc. the craziest thing we can do is hope for better.According to Christian faith tradition, this coming Sunday is the first Sunday in Advent—the season of preparation for Christmas—the coming of the One known as the Christ Child. Advent takes place over four Sundays, assigning one of four gifts of the season to each: hope, peace, joy, and love. This year, not only is Advent a little longer because Christmas is on a Sunday…but this first Sunday’s theme is hope. I think we’re going to need the extra time. It’s going to be a hard task for some of us to focus on hope. We’ve had a hard week…month…season. From the fatal shooting in Colorado Springs at an LGBTQA bar to our own losses right here at home. In the midst of it all, where will we find hope?Rev. Ayanna Johnson Watkins (she/her) is a clergyperson and community organizer focused on building transformative community and nurturing the God-given purpose of each individual. She earned her B.A. in Sociology from Yale University and both her M.Div. and M.A. in Social Service Administration from the University of Chicago—then stayed in Chicago for another ten years working as a writer, social worker, pastor, teacher, and community organizer. Ayanna now lives in Memphis, TN, with her husband and two daughters—where she is honored to be Lead Organizer & Executive Director of Memphis Interfaith Coalition for Action & Hope (MICAH).
Calle Mae Dearmore Testimonial — Canvass / Stewardship Drive 2023 churchoftheriver 2022-11-22 | "I wasn't raised religiously and I grew up in a pretty tiny private school so my sense of community was a little lacking. I'd searched for a while for a place that would give me that community and I found it right here with all of you." — Calle Mae DearmorePlease consider a gift to our church at a level that is meaningful to you. We use our pledges and donations to create the church budget to offer Sunday worship service experience, children & adult programming... and more. churchoftheriver.breezechms.com/form/458b836970932
Choosing Abundance - Church of the River Livestream 11/20/22 churchoftheriver 2022-11-21 | We live in a world that tells us that we need more - more money, more stuff, more accomplishments. This toxic culture leaves us feeling like we don't have enough time, capacity, or joy. Using the latest brain science, mixed with ancient wisdom (and of course the story of Stone Soup) we will be wondering together how to acknowledge the realities of a scarcity mentality while opening up the possibility of choosing abundance.Rev. Sandra Summers, MEd is a co-creator of healing spaces. Equipped with more degrees than necessary, she brings a holistic approach to individuals and communities to co-create spaces of wellness and healing. Sandra's diverse W2 life makes her deeply aware of the spaces needed to breathe back life into folx across the landscape of what it means to be a person. Her purpose is to help others stay in love with their purpose. Sandra's social media feed will lead you to conclude that she loves her son, her husband, her dog, and food. Those conclusions are true. For more information about Sandra's work go to CommunitySpiritualHealth.com
Ellen Klyce Testimonial — Canvass / Stewardship Drive 2023 churchoftheriver 2022-11-17 | "I remember a sermon asking can a Unitarian be born again? And the answer was yes. Any number of times. So this [church] is the place I go when I need that renewal and refreshment and redemption of new birth." — Ellen KlycePlease consider a gift to our church at a level that is meaningful to you. We use our pledges and donations to create the church budget to offer Sunday worship service experience, children & adult programming... and more. churchoftheriver.breezechms.com/form/458b836970932
Webers Testimonial — Canvass / Stewardship Drive 2023 churchoftheriver 2022-11-17 | "We were looking for a place for our daughter and a place that would welcome us and accept us. The human experience!" — Patrick & Carla WeberPlease consider a gift to our church at a level that is meaningful to you. We use our pledges and donations to create the church budget to offer Sunday worship service experience, children & adult programming... and more. churchoftheriver.breezechms.com/form/458b836970932
The Facts vs The Truth - Church of the River Livestream 11/13/22 churchoftheriver 2022-11-14 | Always bare in mind that living in a fantasy is a lot easier than accepting a reality check from a condescending jerk.What do you do when somebody has proved that your whole worldview is wrong? And what if they're being a jerk about it?
Memorial Service for Andy Branham churchoftheriver 2022-11-12 | Andrew Criddle Branham, known by many simply as Andy B, was a son, father, grandfather, husband, brother, attorney, poet, and servant. The first of three children, Andy was born on January 27th, 1953 to Eugene and Mary Ann Branham in Gallatin, TN. Growing up in Sumner County, he attended public school and spent his free time exploring his grandfather Branham's farm and visiting his grandfather Perkins' drug store–all of which shaped his love of nature and community alike. In 10th grade, he left for The McCallie School for boys in Chattanooga, TN where he received his high school diploma. From Chattanooga, he headed west to Memphis where he attended Southwestern (Rhodes) College earning a double major in Journalism and Religious Studies, and joining the Kappa Sigma fraternity. He used his degrees to get a job working as a journalist in Arkansas before returning to Memphis and enrolling in Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law. It was in Law School that he met his first wife, Patience Russell Branham, with whom he raised their beloved daughter Anna. After law school, Andy embarked on a robust legal career including a long tenure at International Paper and the development of Counsel on Call's Memphis office. Yet perhaps most notable were his countless hours of service both as an attorney and as a pillar of the recovery community. As the founder of the non-profit MidSouth Sober Living, he worked tirelessly to restore lives nearly lost to addiction, helping innumerable individuals and their families. In 2002, he married his beloved wife and partner Pamela Parker Branham with whom he enjoyed many years of love and adventure up until his untimely passing on November 3, 2022. Andy felt privileged to find Pam, with whom he grew his service to Memphis. He remained ever grateful to the love and light she brought to their combined, extended family. Andy saw the best in the people and places around him. He felt at home in nature, taking up nature photography and celebrating his love of the outdoors in his spiritual oasis on the Bledsoe Creek, where he looked forward to spending his retirement gardening and teaching his granddaughters how to catch crawdads. Known for his goofy sense of humor, he often couldn't resist jumping into the creek, occasionally sacrificing his hearing aids for a good plunge. His kindness was unmatched, and his constant humility likely prevented him from knowing just how appreciated he was by everyone who knew him. The loss of Andy Branham is felt by many, yet his presence will be felt by many more, for generations to come. The full impact of his life will never be captured in words, but we may begin to measure it in his legacy of family, love, service and community. He is preceded in death by his mother, Mary Ann Perkins Branham. He is survived by his wife Pamela Parker Branham, his daughter and son-in-law, Anna and Sumeet Chahal, his granddaughters Ayla and Gene Chahal, his sisters Mary Ann Branham and Louise Pendery, his niece and nephew Sarah and John Pendery, and his father, Eugene Branham, among a much larger extended family. He loved each of them unconditionally. A Memorial Service will be held this Saturday, November 12th at 11am at The Church of The River, 292 Virginia Ave W, Memphis, TN 38103. In lieu of flowers, kindly honor Andy's memory with a donation to MidSouth Sober Living, 1950 Madison Ave, Memphis, TN 38104. http://midsouthsoberliving.org/donate.html Arrangements entrusted to the Anderson Funeral Home, 202 E. Main Street, Gallatin, Tennessee 37066. www.andersonfuneralhome.org
If There Is No Harm, Why Am I Upset? - Church of the River Livestream 11/06/22 churchoftheriver 2022-11-07 | There is nothing more powerful than a parent's devotion to their child. This makes us powerful, but it also makes us vulnerable.We all want to love and protect our children. How do we seperate that healthy instinct from our own personal fears and hangups?
All Souls Sunday 10/30/22 churchoftheriver 2022-10-31 | Rev. Sam Teitel joined The Church of the River in Aug 2017. He feels blessed to serve such a vibrant, historic congregation, and would love to meet you on a Sunday morning. Rev. Sam believes a church can be a place where joy and fulfillment happen in tandem with challenge and introspection. Come join us for an extraordinary adventure in faith.
Kali Chaudas - Diwali Celebration 10/23/22 churchoftheriver 2022-10-24 | In Gujarati, Kali means dark (eternal) and Chaudas means the fourteenth. Kali Chaudas marks the 2nd day of Diwali - The Hindu Festival of Lights. On this day Goddess Kali, also known as Shakti, defeated the demon Narakasura. Join Rev. Sam Teitel and Pratik Mamtora to explore how good triumphs over evil and how light shines upon life as per Hindu traditions and scriptures.Pratik Mamtora joined the Church of the River staff and community in June 2022 as the Director of Congregational life. Pratik has been part of Unitarian Universalist congregations for over 13 years. Pratik knows the value of hard work and dedication. He is committed to the work of equity, inclusion, justice and diversity. Pratik is proud of his culture, ethnicity and heritage. He is thrilled to celebrate Diwali – Hindu Festival of Lights with us.An avid fan of classic TV shows like I Love Lucy, The Mary Tyler Moore Show; he loves to read, write poetry, practice yoga and hike in his spare time. Pratik lives in downtown Memphis with his four legged furry friend, Kashmere. This Pomsky loves treats of all kinds. If you ever meet… or when you meet him, Pratik will make you smile.
Lilith, The Chimney Sweep, and the Gorgeous Broken World 10/16/22 churchoftheriver 2022-10-17 | Our broken parts are what make us compassionate and powerful. Do not be afraid of your brokenness, give thanks for it.Continuing on with Spooky Scripture 2022, this week we are looking at one of the most fampous and fear demons: Lilith. What does it mean if we try to unpack the story of this much maligned individual? And what might it mean if we saw our own brokenness not as a defect, but as a source of power and strength?Rev. Sam Teitel is a Unitarian Universalist minister, poet, and punk rocker. He serves as the minister of The Church of the River in Memphis, Tennessee. In his spare time, he loves checking out new restaurants and record stores in Memphis with his wife, Sandra, their son, Gideon, and their Jack Russell Terrier, Tommy.
The Rock Star Gospel 10/9/22 churchoftheriver 2022-10-10 | Horror Bible 2022 continues! As humans, we love to judge people based on their appearance, even though we know that appearances can be deceiving. This week we are going to be talking about The Prince of Darkness himself, Ozzy Osbourne, the singer from the band Black Sabbath. We all may have more in common with Ozzy than we think, and that's probably a good thing.Rev. Sam Teitel joined The Church of the River in Aug 2017. He feels blessed to serve such a vibrant, historic congregation, and would love to meet you on a Sunday morning. Rev. Sam believes a church can be a place where joy and fulfillment happen in tandem with challenge and introspection. Come join us for an extraordinary adventure in faith.
A Shadow of a Shadow 10/2/22 churchoftheriver 2022-10-03 | This week we are beginning Horror Bible 2022! All of us carry the best and worst of ourselves around everywhere we go. What does it mean to accept that the difference between us and the people who we perceive as "bad people" is really very small? And what does it mean to love ourselves and others even so?Rev. Sam Teitel is a Unitarian Universalist minister, poet, and punk rocker. He serves as the minister of The Church of the River in Memphis, Tennessee. In his spare time, he loves checking out new restaurants and record stores in Memphis with his wife, Sandra, their son, Gideon, and their Jack Russell Terrier, Tommy.
More UU Than You Knew 9/25/22 churchoftheriver 2022-09-26 | Rev. Gail Tapscott will take you on a journey through the extraordinary amount of Unitarian Universalist contributions to the fields of UFOlogy and science fiction writing. Particular emphasis will be focused on how the work of fabled UU syfy writer Frederick Pohl’s writing reflects our values and principles in his often biting and humorous satire. One novel, “The Cool War” even has a UU minister as the hapless hero.Rev. Gail Tapscott, Minister Emerita of the UU Congregation of Ft. Lauderdale has been semi-retired in Oxford MS for six years. She continues to preach regularly in MS and elsewhere in person and on Zoom. Rev. Gail is a graduate of Harvard Divinity School and also has an MA in Philosophy from St. John’s College. She has also been a professor of World Religions and Critical Thinking.
