Pastor Phillip Baber presents
“The Awakening That Didn’t Happen”
With Alyssa Halliday as Worship Leader
Dr. Gary Smart, Accompanist
Special Music by Dr. John Daugherty, Vocals
“Awakening” is the Soul Matters theme explored by UU congregations for the month of April, while April 10th marks the beginning of the Christian observance of Holy Week. In this sermon, Pastor Phillip Baber will consider the story of Jesus’ agony in the Garden of Gethsemane as a point of intersection between these areas of religious focus.
About Our Guest Speaker:
Phillip Baber is the pastor of The People’s Church of Jacksonville and the Regional Director of the Poor People’s Campaign of Northeast Florida. He is the former pastor of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Jacksonville and a former co-president of I.C.A.R.E., the Jacksonville-based Interfaith Coalition for Action, Reconciliation, and Empowerment. Phillip’s ministry is dedicated to the advancement of our collective liberation, leading him to advocate in support of criminal justice reform; police accountability; racial and economic justice; justice for refugees and immigrants, and LGBTQIA+ rights.
About Our Guest Musician:
Dr. John Daugherty is Assistant Professor, Baritone, & Opera Program Director at the University of North Florida, where he joined the voice faculty in the Fall of 2020. He continues to enjoy an active performance and recording career which includes opera, song recitals, and oratorio, performing repertoire drawn from a wide array of genres and styles. Dr. Daugherty previously served on the faculty of Furman University and acted as a vocal instructor for the University of Michigan freshman musical theater class. He holds his doctoral and master’s degrees from the University of Michigan, and his bachelors from Texas Tech University. He was also a graduate of the Santa Fe Opera’s inaugural class of the Young Voices Program. When he is not instructing or performing, he can be found reading the classics, strength training, or searching for the next cup of coffee. You can find out more about him at johnrdaugherty.com.