Thanking Our Teachers
Updated: Aug 30
Sunday Service, 30 August 2026
Led by Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall
Opening Music: ‘Gow's Lament’ by Abby Lorimier, Georgia Morgan Turner, Georgia Dawson
Opening Words: ‘The Great Teachers in Life’ by Jason Cook (adapted)
We seekers are on a quest:
A quest to discover truth and meaning.
Sometimes we think we’ve found it—
Wrapped up, glimmering with newness
Straight off the intellectual assembly line.
All the answers right here for us
And others, if they’d only listen.
But truth has a way of coming in disguise,
Sometimes wearing rags and sometimes finery,
But so often cloaked from our immediate sight.
And sometimes, that which we have rejected,
That which we have let go of
Or decided was only for others
but not us— that can be our teacher.
Let our time of worship be an acknowledgment
Of the never-ending journey toward truth and meaning,
And our appreciation of those we learn from along the way.
Words of Welcome:
These opening words by Jason Cook welcome all those who have gathered on Zoom this morning to take part in our Sunday service (we’re not at the church in-person this week due to Notting Hill Carnival). Welcome to regular members of the congregation, to any friends and visitors who are with us today, and also those who might be tuning in at a later date. For those who don’t know me, my name is Jane Blackall, I’m Minister with Kensington Unitarians.
Do what you need to do to be comfortable this hour – it’s always lovely to see your faces in the gallery and get a sense of our togetherness as a congregation – and it helps me when I’m leading the service to be able to see at least a few friendly faces – but we know for some it will feel more comfortable to keep your camera mostly-off for the coming hour and that’s fine. Similarly there’ll be some opportunities to speak up and join in as we go along but there’s no compulsion to do so.
This morning’s service is titled ‘Thanking Our Teachers’. As we approach the start of a new school year let’s take a moment to lift up our teachers and give thanks for all that they have done for us. I’m not just thinking about school teachers – though it’s true that they are often highly influential – given that we spend so much time with them in our formative years – let’s think more broadly of all those teachers, including spiritual teachers, we have encountered along the way in life. Who are those people who have introduced us to new ideas, new ways of seeing, that may even have changed the course of our lives, and who have encouraged us to flourish and be our best selves. There’ll be an invitation to share a few words of appreciation for our beloved teachers later on.
Chalice Lighting: 'The Light in Each Other’ by Jill McAllister
Before we go any further though, I’ll light our chalice, as we always do whenever we gather. This simple ritual connects us with Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists the world over,
and reminds us of the proudly progressive religious tradition of which this gathering is part.
The light of life shines through
the eyes of each and every person.
The light of truth shines through each life.
May the light of this chalice remind us
that our search for truth and light is ongoing,
and is enhanced and nurtured by every person we meet.
May we honour the light in each other.
Hymn: ‘Song of Thanksgiving’ sung by Kensington Unitarians
Time to sing. Our first hymn is ‘Song of Thanksgiving’. This is a recording of our congregation from earlier in the year so please excuse any rustling you hear. The words will appear on screen so that you can sing along – or you might prefer to listen – we’ll make sure you’re kept safely muted.
We sing now together our song of thanksgiving,
Rejoicing in goods which the ages have wrought
For Life that enfolds us and helps and heals and holds us,
And leads beyond the goals which our ancestors sought.
We sing of the freedoms which martyrs and heroes
Have won by their labour, their sorrow, their pain;
The oppressed befriending, our ampler hopes defending,
Their deaths becomes our triumph, their loss is our gain
We sing of the prophets, the teachers, the dreamers,
Designers. creators, and workers, and seers;
Our own lives expanding, our gratitude commanding,
Their deeds have made immortal their days and their years.
We sing of earth's comradeship now in the making
In every far continent, region and land;
With folk of all races, all times and names and places,
We pledge ourselves in fellowship firmly to stand.
Candles of Joy and Concern:
Each week when we gather together we share a simple ritual of candles of joy and concern,
an opportunity to light a candle and share something that is in our heart with the community.
So we’ve got a good few minutes now, for anyone who would like to do so,
to light a candle (real or imaginary) and say a few words about what it represents.
When you’re ready to speak, unmute your microphone so we can all hear you,
and then re-mute yourself once you’ve finished. If you are going to speak, please be
aware of how long you’re speaking for, so that there’s time for others to say something too.
Let’s leave a pause between one candle and the next, so we can honour what’s been shared.
And don’t worry too much if two people end up speaking at the same time, or there’s
a technical hitch of some sort – these things happen on Zoom – please do persevere!
At this point it’d be nice, if you can, to switch to gallery view so we can all see everybody.
(candles – thank each person)
I’ve got one more candle here and – as we often do – I’m going to light that to represent
all those joys and concerns that we might be holding silently in our heart today,
those stories which we don’t feel able to share out loud this morning.
Let’s take a moment now to think of all those joys and concerns we have heard expressed…
all those little windows into our shared human condition and the life of the world we share…
and let’s hold them – and each other – in a spirit of loving-kindness.
And let’s take those joys and concerns into an extended time of prayer now.
Prayer: based on words by Simon John Barlow
You might first want to adjust your position for comfort, close your eyes, or soften your gaze.
There might be a posture that helps you feel more prayerful. Whatever works for you.
Do whatever you need to do to get into the right state of body and mind for us to
pray together – to be fully present here and now, in this sacred time and space –
with ourselves, with each other, and with that which is both within us and beyond us. (pause)
Spirit of Life, God of All Love, in whom we live and move and have our being,
we turn our full attention to you, the light within and without,
as we tune in to the depths of this life, and the greater wisdom
to which – and through which – we are all intimately connected.
Be with us now as we allow ourselves to drop into the
silence and stillness at the very centre of our being. (pause)
Source of All that is Good and True and Beautiful,
day by day we are renewed by your blessings
as we seek your presence.
Help us to allow Your Spirit to flow freely through us,
with loving awareness of the present
and hope for all our futures.
Guide us, that we may renew ourselves daily:
opening to new beauties;
uncovering greater courage;
and seeking deeper truths.
Let our shrine be a compassionate heart and our temple a wakeful mind.
Grant us the wisdom to see beyond the limits we set in our lives
and to know that in God there is no boundary.
May we realise: the freedom to be ourselves,
the compassion to be true companions to our friends;
and the desire to live as the passionate hearts of God here on earth;
the embodiment of Love in this interconnected web of All-That-Is. (pause)
And let us take a few moments now to look inward, get in touch with what’s real,
what is going on beneath the surface of our lives this morning.
Let us notice what we’re carrying. What troubles us. What is bubbling up.
What questions or uncertainties we are faced with. What hopes and dreams we nurture.
And from that place of realness – silently, inwardly, ask for
what you most need – ask God, or cast it out into the Universe –
even if you’re the only one to hear your prayer – name what you need this day. (pause)
And let give thanks for what we already have. Look back on the week
and recall all those moments of kindness, comfort, pleasure, even joy.
Silently, inwardly, take the time to savour those gifts, and take in the good. (pause)
And let us turn outwards now, shifting our attention to the world around us,
starting with those dear ones closest to our heart, stretching ever outward,
and spreading all around this planet, holding all beings in the light of love. (pause)
Spirit of Life – God of all Love – as this time of prayer comes to a close,
we offer up our joys and concerns, our hopes and fears,
our beauty and brokenness, and call on you for insight, healing, and renewal.
As we look forward now to the coming week,
help us to live well each day and be our best selves;
using our unique gifts in the service of love, justice and peace. Amen
Hymn: ‘Each Seeking Faith is Seeking Light’ by the Unitarian Music Society
Time for our next hymn: ‘Each Seeking Faith is Seeking Light’. This is a recording from the Unitarian Music Society. It’s one we’re not that familiar with but the words are lovely so let’s give it a go.
Each seeking faith is seeking light,
and light dawns on our seeking,
when clashing tongues combine
to pray that light will shine,
and guide and gather all on earth
in peaceful greeting.
Each seeking faith is seeking truth,
for truth is lived by seeking,
and though our faiths conflict,
no dogma can restrict
the power of truth set free on earth
in honest meeting.
Each loving faith is seeking peace,
and peace is made by seeking
to spin the strands of trust
in patterns free and just,
till every family on earth
is in safe keeping.
Each living faith is seeking life,
and life flows through our seeking
to treasure, feel and show
the heart of what we know.
In every faith the Light, the Life,
is shining, speaking.
Reading: ‘There are Teachers Everywhere’ by Mark Nepo (read by Lochlann)
This piece by Mark Nepo is a reflection on the concept of the ‘Upaguru’ – a concept present in some Indian religious traditions – meaning, approximately, ‘the teacher that is next to you at any moment’.
From the rotting tree felled by lightning to the water re-smoothing after the whale dives down, everything is of equal sanctity and grace. From the darkness we can’t see through to the tenderness of a grandfather afraid to speak, everything and everyone is a teacher. Each flower, each bird, each suffering, great and small, each eroded stone and crack in that stone, each question rising from each crack—every aspect of life holds some insight that can help us live. We can learn and deepen from anything anywhere.
Yet one of the paradoxes of being human is that no one can see or comprehend all of it. Thus, each of us must discover the teachers that speak to us, the ones we can hear. This seems to be our job as initiates of being: to pursue our curiosity and passion and suffering in an effort to uncover our teachers. Just as different insects are drawn to certain flowers, though pollen is everywhere, different souls are drawn to certain aspects of the living Universe, though God is in everything.
While the geography of stars pulsing in the night may help you discover the peace waiting in your soul, digging in the earth may help your sister know where she belongs. And yet, listening to elders speak of their life as they near death unlocks the things I need to learn. Each is equally a teacher, one no truer than the other. It’s as if everything has to carry what is holy because each of us has only one set of ears and one set of feet to stumble on our way.
The moments that hold mystery, whether dressed in pain or wonder, wait to be treated with respect and sincerity; as if a message was carved in stone for you before you were born, and a storm has washed it ashore just in time, and you need all the help you can get to decipher its meaning. And we will be found by our teachers repeatedly until we can uncover their meaning.
It makes a difference when we can look at experience as such a vastness. And the moments that open our lives become powerful stories in our own personal mythology, the retelling of which renews our vitality. For me, such moments include God emanating solitude through the waves of the sea, and Grandma staring into eternity at 94 when she thought no one was looking, and when I woke after surgery to the miracle of freshly squeezed juice.
So, who and what have been your teachers? What stories carry the teachings? And what inner history do they form? Who can you share this with? If no one, find someone. It’s one of the few things that matter. And where is your next teacher? In the loss about to happen that you won’t be able to make sense of? Or in the stone in your shoe next month that has the imprint of a bird’s wing?
It is all very humbling. For plan as we will, study as we may, search as we can, it is all a guess—a wild attempt to land ourselves in the open or in the dark – until our teachers appear.
Meditation: ‘Get Yourself a Teacher’
Thanks Lochlann. We’ve come to a time of meditation. To take us into stillness, I’m going to share a short quote about spiritual teachers from Wayne Dosick. After that I’ll offer a few prompts for reflection – I’ll invite you to recall your own significant teachers and give thanks for them – and we’ll have space to share our reflections on this later in the service. We’ll have a few minutes of shared stillness during which we’ll have a virtual chalice on screen. The silence will end with some beautiful music. So let’s each do what we need to do to get comfortable – have a wiggle if you need to – or put your feet flat on the floor to ground and steady yourself – maybe close your eyes. And as always, the words and music are just an offering, feel free to meditate in your own way.
Wayne Dosick writes: ‘Teachers, sages, masters, gurus, rebbes,
are angelic beings who open our hearts and open our eyes.
They are the spiritual guides in human form who bring God's word into this world.
They are the earth-beings who inspire us to seek
and climb the heights of our human potential…
Our greatest teachers are human beings who both think and feel,
who combine the world of the mind with the world of the heart and spirit.
The Talmud instructs, "Get yourself a teacher."’
(pause)
As we move into a time of shared stillness now, I invite you to contemplate your own teachers.
Who are those wise beings you’ve encountered along the way in life?
The ones who have helped you to flourish and be your best self.
Who shared their insights with you? Who gave you a nudge?
You might think of teachers from your childhood, or adolescence.
You might think of teachers who were around at key turning points in your development.
We keep on learning our whole life long. Who are your significant teachers at this stage in life?
Let us take time to give thanks for our teachers as we move into this time of shared stillness.
Silence: 3 minutes silence accompanied by chalice video
Musical Interlude: ‘After Sunrise’ by Sergio Mendes performed by Abby Lorimier, Georgia Morgan Turner, Georgia Dawson
Reading: ‘Teachers’ by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat (adapted) (read by Jeannene)
Whether they are called sages, masters, elders, crones, rabbis, gurus, sheikhs, ministers, or priests, teachers play an important part in our spiritual unfolding. They instruct directly and indirectly through stories, parables, koans, sermons, lectures, and personal example. They recommend readings in sacred texts, assign exercises and tasks to be accomplished, demonstrate devotional acts, and challenge us to reach the sacred fullness of our potential.
Of course, eventually in the spiritual life, there comes a point when we realize that everything we encounter and everyone we meet is a teacher. We can even learn from seemingly negative experiences such as difficulties, enemies, suffering, illness, and death. The first step in this practice, then, is to choose to see all of life as a classroom filled with spiritual lessons. Be a lifelong learner who walks in humility and with receptivity.
We hate to admit it, but we keep making the same mistakes over and over again. That is why the practice of engaging with these teachers is so important and so insistent. These recurrent issues mean we still have something to learn. A major obstacle to this practice, then, is pride — thinking you already know it all, that you (and perhaps you alone) have it figured out.
The shadow side of engaging with teachers emerges if you surrender your soul to a charismatic leader or a cult and give up personal responsibility for your spiritual growth. A subtle symptom of this tendency is doubting your own judgment and needing the constant affirmation of others. A far better approach is to rejoice in the abundance of teachers, to seek their wisdom everywhere, and to have confidence that this wisdom and insight is available and accessible to you.
Interactive Activity: ‘Thanking Our Teachers’
We’re coming towards a time in our service now for a few people, if you’d like, to share your own brief reflections on today’s theme – that is, ‘Thanking our Teachers’ – I wonder who has come to mind for you during the service this morning? Maybe you thought back all the way to your schooldays, and remembered teachers who had encouraged you, inspired you, maybe saw something in you that nobody else did and helped nurture and draw out your potential. Maybe you called to mind influential spiritual guides who have helped you see the world differently.
We’ve got about ten minutes now to share our reflections – maybe a bit longer, we’ll see how we go. I invite you to share from your centre to the centre of the gathering – think of it as an offering – not a discussion – please don’t comment on what others have shared. Don’t worry about following on from what the last person has said or trying to make it all join up logically! If anyone would like to speak please put your camera on and your hand up and I’ll call on you to unmute and speak speak. I want you to be able to share whatever you’re moved to share and also I’m mindful of time so maybe a couple of minutes each? By default we will leave this bit in the recording that goes up on YouTube so if you want to join in but don’t want to be included in the video that goes online please have a word with me or drop me an email straight after the service and I’ll edit you out.
I’ll get us started with a couple of shout-outs of my own: I am thinking about my teacher and now friend Michael – Mr Chyriwsky was my science teacher for my GCSEs and then taught me physics at A-level – I pursued science (for a while, at least) because of him. He was a great teacher – so inspiring and inventive, he came up with brilliant, creative, lessons and funny worksheets, which kept us engaged and gave us a laugh – but the influence he’s had on me goes way beyond the official curriculum he taught at school. It’s about his personal example – his character – who he was (and still is) as a human being – such a good and kind man – and he is still encouraging me about 38 years after I first walked into his classroom. Thank you, Michael.
And I also feel moved to say something about Hucklow Summer School – many of you will know that this is our annual Unitarian religious education event which takes place in Great Hucklow – and that I’ve been involved in organising summer school for over 20 years now (and was a punter for 5 years before that). I’ve encountered so many wonderful teachers at summer school down the years. When I first went I was in awe of a handful of people – some of them ministers, not all – mostly people older than me – who just seemed so much wiser than I could ever hope to be. Over the years some of them became close friends – including Simon John Barlow, Jef Jones, and our own Sarah Tinker – there are many others I could name too – and I feel I’ve learned so much from being in relationship with these wonderful people. These teachers or perhaps mentors have shaped my life. And even though I’m leading it nowadays and supposedly one of the teachers myself – I still learn so much myself from summer school – encountering and working with many different people who all have gifts and insights to share. I’ve come home inspired and alive because of the new connections forged with my teachers there. So I want to say thank you Simon John, thank you Jef, thank you Sarah, and – this year – thank you Raj.
Those are the teachers I want to thank this morning. But how about you? Are there teachers from school or college, or spiritual teachers, elders or guides, you want to name? Or maybe teachers you have encountered through books? We won’t necessarily have time for everyone – see how we go.
(invite people to speak – won’t have time for everyone – may continue after)
If nobody else wants to speak – thank you for your contributions – and I’ll bring
this to a close now with a few brief words from Amy Zucker Morgenstern:
In every person we meet… we find an opportunity for us to grow, to learn,
to go further along the path of transformation that is our purpose in life.
Every single one is our teacher. So may the next week bring you
many such moments of meeting that help you become the person
you want to be, and may you welcome them with joy. Amen.
Hymn: ‘For the Splendour of Creation’ sung by Kensington Unitarians
One last hymn – ‘For the Splendour of Creation’ – it’s to a well-known tune.
For the splendour of creation that draws us to inquire,
for the mystery of knowledge to which our hearts aspire,
for the deep and subtle beauties which delight the eye and ear,
for the discipline of logic, the struggle to be clear,
for the unexplained remainder, the puzzling and the odd:
for the joy and pain of learning, we give you thanks, O God.
For the scholars past and present whose bounty we digest,
for the teachers who inspire us to summon forth our best,
for our rivals and companions, sometimes foolish, sometimes wise,
for the human web upholding this noble enterprise,
for the common life that binds us through days that soar or plod:
for this place and for these people, we give you thanks, O God.
Announcements:
A few announcements: Thanks to Jeannene for co-hosting and reading, also Lochlann for reading, to Abby, Georgia and Georgia for our music, and everyone who contributed to our sharing. We’ll have virtual coffee-time after the service, so you can stay and chat if you’d like, or get in touch via email if you’d like to say hello. We’ll be back to hybrid Sundays from next week when we have a special guest preacher, Rev. Dr. Rory Castle-Jones from Gellionnen Unitarians in Wales, and he’ll be speaking about community, and hopefully telling us a little bit about their project which we’ve helped to support. I’ll be back in-person too so there will be plenty of cake!
We have various small group activities during the week for you to meet up. Tonight we have the Better World Book Club online when we’ll be talking about ‘Upstream’ by Dan Heath. Let me know if you’re expecting to come along to that and you haven’t already had the link.
On Wednesday night at 7pm there’s the poetry group, in-person with Brian, let him know if you want to come along, and tell him what poem you want to share so he can print it for everyone.
Heart and Soul, our contemplative spiritual gathering, will be back (online) on Friday when we’ll pick up the theme we started a few weeks ago, on ‘Growing Up’. In fact, today’s service was based on the readings from a previous Heart and Soul, so if you liked this then maybe give it a go.
As we move into September we’ve got a few special events to get in your diary: in a couple of weeks we’ll have our ‘Gathering the Waters’ service, a kind-of welcome back after people have been gallivanting over the summer, so if you’re travelling anywhere do try and bring some water.
We’ll have our next labyrinth mini-retreat to mark the equinox on Wednesday 23rd September – where is the year going! – that’s going to be on a weekday afternoon because the building is so busy at the moment we couldn’t find another slot, let me know if you can come to that.
And we’ve got our harvest festival service followed by a congregational lunch on Sunday 27th September. If you’ve got any produce or a favourite fruit or veg to bring and share for our display that’d be smashing and then you can let Julia Alden know what you’re bringing for the lunch.
The congregation very much has a life beyond Sunday mornings; we encourage you to keep in touch, look out for each other, and do what you can to nurture supportive connections.
Benediction: based on words by Joyce Rupp
We’ve just got our closing words and music now. So I invite you to select gallery view at this point, if you can, so we can all see each other and get a sense of our gathered community as we close.
Joyce Rupp said: ‘When I was but a babe in my spiritual growth,
I followed closely the wise ones, the mentors, the visionaries.
Now that I have grown I still need mentors, wise ones, and visionaries.
Only now we swim side by side. Now I trust my own path as well as the path of others.’
So, in the days and weeks to come, may we remain humble and receptive
to the teachers that we will meet – and that we may be – along the way. Amen.
Closing Music: ‘Be Our Guest’ by Abby Lorimier, Georgia Morgan Turner, Georgia Dawson
Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall
30th August 2026