Maya Angelou once wrote, “You may write me down in history With your bitter, twisted lies, You may trod me in the very dirt, But still, like dust, I’ll rise.” And Alice Walker wrote in her Book The Color Purple, “…have you ever found God in church? I never did. I just found a bunch of folks hoping for him to show. Any God I ever felt in church I brought in with me. And I think all the other folks did too. They come to church to share God, not find God.” Join us and invite the Resistance. What might emerge when we do? Black Roots, Christian faith, queerness, and liberation theology can teach us much about the art of Resistance. Will we find the truth of history? Will you hear a Spirit of God in what is shared? Let us embrace the Resistance and see what happens when we do.
BIO: roddy bell-shelton biggs uses they/them pronouns and is a Queer, BIPOC, Nonbinary seminarian, and aspiring Public Theologian. roddy is serving as a two-year part-time intern minister for the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Fredericksburg, VA. At the same time, they continue and seek to complete their seminary education at Meadville Lombard Theological School. They thank TVUCC for being the first place to affirm their call and Elandria Williams who challenged them to start on this path. Owning both the Christian faith and the spiritualities of their ancestors, roddy is grounded in Unitarian Universalist faith communities by choice. roddy is called to lead radical love, care, and sanctuary movements, simultaneously disrupting patriarchy and all systems of oppression plaguing our world. When roddy is not working or studying, they love being out in nature, traveling, eating good vegan/ vegetarian food, and all things theater.
(You can watch our worship service streamed at 11 am on our Facebook page https://tinyurl.com/yfx9pnx6, or our website https://tvuuc.org/ and also on our YouTube channel https://tinyurl.com/ycksxc98.)
Per the CDC, Knox County’s risk level has returned to LOW. No COVID-related restrictions are in place, though masks and vaccination are encouraged. The Lizzie Crozier-French room is designated for remote viewing with masks required for all over the age of two. You may also watch our services online. The full Covid policy can be viewed online here.