Suggestions for inclusion here are solicited
Songs I have adapted
for use by non-sectarian religious gatherings and a further list of songs that may be readily
adapted with modest editing are shown below.
Songs I have suggested for non-sectarian use
Rephrasing, here is another song:
Somewhere in my notes are songs taken from a Baptist hymnal with only
two- or three-word substitutions that render the songs non-sectarian. When I run across
them I will add them here.
Should the surgeon prescribe surgery?
The Bald Eagle
Our Sun and source of (nearly) all energy available to us
Science and the opening chapter of Genesis are remarkably in accord.
The story of Noah contains many contradictions with natural science.
The leaf of a tree presents myriad examples of the intricacies of Nature
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My printer takes 2 pages or 1 sheet of paper to print this page.
Title in my hymnal -- Title -- Title God bless America Faith of our fathers Another year is dawning Oh, they tell me of a home Forward thru the ages Shall we gather at the river Lead on, oh King eternal All things are thine America the Beautiful My country tis of Thee We gather together Come, ye thankful people, come Land that is fairer than day Bringing in the sheaves Work for the night is coming Open my eyes that I may see Teach me to pray Joyful, joyful, we adore thee Thanksgiving hymn -- change 'Oh, Jesus' to 'Jehovah' The Master hath come -- using 'Jehovah' Mine eyes have seen the glory -- eliminate last verse (my book) Rise up oh men of God -- reference to Jesus seems innocuous
To God be the glory, great things He has done
The stars in the heavens, the clouds overhead
The fish in the oceans, the fruit of the land
His crowning creation, the living clay, man.
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the earth hear His voice
Praise the Lord, praise the Lord, let the people rejoice
Oh, worship the Maker, sing praise to His name
And thank Him for loving and leading us on.
To God raise your voices, let hosannas ring
In grateful submission give thanks for His aid
By using our wisdom show-we treasure His gifts
And thank Him for making this place we call home.
Thoughts for discussion
The Red Sea incident -- Israelite escape from the Egyptians
(Review rationallink.org/redseain.htm as introduction to this.)
God told Moses where and He told him how. This form of guidance, a stirring in the mind
of the worshiper, has been the essence of my own experiences in prayer. Surely the same
channels of communication are open to us that were open to Abraham, Moses and Paul.
God's response to a man's petition is as available, as useful, as easily understood today
as it was a this morning, a week, a year or thousands of years ago.
It falls to each of us to prescribe for himself the treatment he will receive for whatever
ills afflict him. Should an ear ache be treated at home or should we go to a specialist?
Should a backache be taken to a chiropractor, to an osteopath, to an internist or to a
surgeon? The course of treatment is determined by our assessment. Now, surgeons undertook
that specialty, not only from a dedication to improve the lives of others, but also with a
conviction that the best remedy for disease is to remove the offending part. There is a
moral issue in those marginal situations where surgery is not the only answer, and perhaps
not the most evident answer.
The Southern bald eagle, which ranges from south of New Jersey from the Atlantic to the
Pacific coasts but has its largest population in Florida, is our national bird. The Northern
bald eagle is somewhat larger and ranges north of New Jersey, with its largest population
in Alaska. It is a meat and fish eater and is not known to eat seeds or plants, but it
cannot carry large mammals to its nest since it can carry only about half of its own weight
of 10 pounds. It is a poor hunter and a poorer fisher, so it may walk along a beach
clearing it of dead fish and litter, or it may soar over the highway to eat dead and dying
animals hit by cars. Like most predators, the bald eagle cannot catch healthy animal
prey, but the sick or injured who are not alert or quick enough; thus it strengthens the
animal kingdom by destroying the weak so the strong live and reproduce.
The sun provides our light and promotes the growth of plant life and the animal life that
feeds upon it. It is also responsible for our fossil fuels, which come from plant and
animal life that proliferated millions of years ago and became submerged to become our
coal, petroleum and methane. And it drives the various weather engines. Because of the
inclination of Earth's axis of rotation to the orbital plane, our orbit around the Sun
creates our seasons by varying the angle of incidence of sunlight on Earth's surface. The
layers of ionized gases in our atmosphere's ionosphere are controlled by the Sun and
assist or degrade radio and television signals. The radiation belts farther above our
Earth are also generated by our Sun and, by their interplay with Earth's magnetic field,
produce the auroras.
See rationallink.org/genesis1.htm.
See rationallink.org/noahflud.htm.
Veins, photosynthesis, nutrients from roots, growth of trunk, respiration, . . .
Shards of possible prayer
"These things we ask in the name of your servants who have worked to spread your message
of love and charity, especially Jesus. Amen"