David Dean presents
a sermon written by
Rev. Douglas Taylor
Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Binghamton (NY)
“A Theology of Resistance”
Jennifer Bacmeister, Worship leader
Dr. Gary Smart, Accompanist
Adero Harrison, Vocals
Dr. King wrote: “We are called to be people of conviction, not conformity; of moral nobility, not social respectability. We are commanded to live differently and according to a higher loyalty.” As Unitarian Universalists, we, too, are called in this way. We are not called to be respectable among the other religions; we are not called to be palatable or popular or within any proximity of prevailing opinion. We are called upon to be radical, to be a community of resistance, to be the light of the world…
About our Speaker
David Dean, a BBUUC member and an integral part of our Worship Team, is an Emmy-nominated editor who works as Senior Editor/Post-Producer for the PBS series “Samantha Brown’s Places to Love.” David is also a presenter, writer, and storyteller who volunteers his time as the editor of our worship videos and contributes his other talents in the worship arts to our ministry.
About the Sermon Author
Rev. Douglas Taylor has been the Minister of the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Binghamton (NY) since the fall of 2003. He is a fourth-generation Unitarian Universalist and the son of an ordained UU minister. His mother, Rev. Elizabeth M. Strong, was ordained as the Minister of Religious Education at the First Unitarian Church of Rochester, NY, when he was thirteen. As perhaps one would assume, the church was an enormous part of his life during my formative years. It was through the church that he discovered his first love: music. Singing led him to perform in church and high school musicals. It led him to his first real job as the music and drama counselor at Camp Unirondack (a UU summer camp in the Adirondacks) in the summer of ’88. After several years working with developmentally disabled adults, he entered seminary. He graduated from Meadville Lombard Theological School in Chicago, one of our two Unitarian Universalist seminaries, and was ordained in 1999.
About our Musician
Adero Harrison is a singer whose journey began at the age of four in her grandmother’s church. With a degree in Vocal Performance, she has graced stages from local venues to Carnegie Hall, showcasing her talent across genres like opera, jazz, and folk. Offstage, Adero balances her career with the joys and responsibilities of motherhood, raising her spirited 12-year-old daughter and tending to her lively household of pets. Through her music, she aims to evoke emotions and connect with listeners on a deeper level. Adero believes in musical journeys where every note tells a story, and every performance is a heartfelt expression of life’s experiences.