The Power of Small

Sunday Service, 10 August 2025

Led by Rev. Sheena Gabriel and Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall

Musical Prelude: Romance - Elfrida Andrée (performed by Holly Redshaw and Andrew Robinson)  

Opening Words: ‘This Place of Possibility and Hope’

Welcome to this place of possibility and hope.

Whoever you are, wherever you are on your journey,

May you find here a refuge for minds in search of truth,

And the courage to glimpse the good yet to be.

May our hearts and minds be opened to the power and the insight

that weave together the scattered threads of our experience

And help us remember the greater whole of which we are a part. 

Though we may be small in number, let’s call to mind the words of Martin Luther King:

“The hope of the world is still in dedicated minorities.

The trailblazers in human, academic, scientific and religious freedom

have always been in the minority”

As we gather to worship today, may we be such a minority,

Dedicated to the greater good of all...  (pause)   

Words of Welcome and Introduction: 

These opening words welcome all who have gathered this morning for our Sunday service. Welcome to those who have gathered in-person at Essex Church, to all who are joining us via Zoom, and anyone tuning in at a later date via YouTube or the podcast.  For anyone who doesn’t know me, I’m Jane Blackall, and I’m minister with Kensington Unitarians.

This morning’s service is titled ‘The Power of Small: When Little Things Make a Big Difference’.  We’re very lucky to have Rev. Sheena Gabriel with us today to share her reflections on this theme. Sheena has chosen today’s readings, hymns, and prayers, to explore the theme on both a personal and collective level... (I’m just hosting things in person at Essex Church while we beam Sheena in).

Chalice Lighting: ‘The Inner Spark’

Let’s light our chalice flame now, as we do each week. It’s a moment for us to stop and take a breath, settle ourselves down, put aside any preoccupations we came in carrying. This simple ritual connects us in solidarity with Unitarians and Unitarian Universalists the world over, and reminds us of the proud and historic progressive religious tradition of which this gathering is part.

(light chalice) 

May this Chalice be an outward symbol of the inner spark –

the light of God within each of us –  

that together can ignite a fire

to warm and brighten the dark places in our world.

Hymn (on sheet): ‘Here in this Moment’s Song’

Our first hymn this morning is on your hymn sheet: ‘Here in this Moment’s Song’. For those on zoom the words will be up on screen for all our hymns. Feel free to stand or sit as you prefer.

Here in this moment's song

great symphonies are sung;

all people we contain,

ageless, though old or young:

in passing words and melody

we celebrate eternity.

Thus, in each moment small

we can contain all hours;

in everyone the All

expresses and empowers;

each person great, a living world

from whom uniqueness is unfurled.

Hope shall admit no bounds,

as love no limit knows;

each new-born dream made real

in our commitment grows;

the possible, the yet-to-be

is now, is here, is you and me.

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 an opportunity now, for anyone who would like to do so, to light a candle and say a few words about what it represents. We’ll go to the people in the building first, then to Zoom.

So I invite some of you here in person to come and light a candle and then if you wish to tell us who or what you light your candle for – please keep it brief – be considerate of others. I’m going to ask you to come to the lectern to speak, as we want people to be able to hear you. 

(in person candles)

And if that’s everyone in the room we’ll go over to the people on Zoom next – you might like to switch to gallery view at this stage – just unmute yourselves when you are ready and speak out – and we should be able to hear you and see you up on the big screen here in the church.

(zoom candles)

And I’m going to light one more candle, as we often do, to represent all those joys and concerns that we hold in our hearts this day, but which we don’t feel able to speak out loud. (light candle)

And I’ll hand over to Sheena now to lead us in a time of prayer.

Time of Prayer & Reflection: based on words by Gordon B. McKeeman

Let’s take those joys and concerns into an extended time of prayer. This prayer is based on some words by Gordon B. McKeeman. You might 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)

A drop in the bucket.  What does that say about futility, insignificance?

Just suppose that we are the merest drops in a bucket,

We assume that a full bucket is what we're aiming at,

That until the bucket is full, nothing has been accomplished.

There is never a shortage of buckets. The empty bucket litany is long and tedious:

racism, sexism, ableism, authoritarianism, oppression,

injustice, violence, environmental degradation...

You feel like a drop in the bucket?

Who asked you to fill the bucket - especially all alone?

We may feel daunted - but together - we are not one drop.

Don't think you can do a large bucket? Try a smaller size.

Even imparting a bit of hope - a financial contribution, a few hours of service – every drop helps!

It might be wise to remember why you need to help fill this bucket -

possibly to quench the thirst of someone hard at work on a larger one.

Buckets of whatever size are filled a drop at a time,

And your drop may be one of the last ones needed.

Persistence depends on patience, on keeping at

when there is little to reassure us…

After all the Grand Canyon was fashioned by drops of water, as ordinary as they seem.

(pause)

When the bucket is emptied, each day depleting our resources,

When commitments drain our time and energy,

When emotions overwhelm and spiralling thoughts sap our spirits.

Faced with a world in such turmoil and need …

May we find refreshment at the Wellspring of life –

The source of living water that does not run dry.

May we know ourselves to be drops in the ocean of Love –

not separate from the Source....

Wellspring of life - fill the wells of our hearts -

so that our cups run over,

Pouring out refreshing balm - not just for ourselves, but for all those in need... 

(pause)

And in a few moments of shared stillness now, may we speak

inwardly some of those deepest prayers of our hearts —

the joys and sorrows we came in carrying –

in our own lives and the lives of the wider world.

Let us each lift up whatever is on our heart this day,

and silently ask for what we most need. (long 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 we 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 128 (purple): ‘Our World is One World’

Thanks Sheena. Let’s sing again now – our second hymn is number 128 in the purple books – ‘Our World is One World’. Again, let’s sing up as best we can, hymn number 128.

Our world is one world:

what touches one affects us all —

the seas that wash us round about,

the clouds that cover us,

the rains that fall.

Our world is one world:

the thoughts we think affect us all —

the way we build our attitudes,

with love or hate, we make

a bridge or wall.

Our world is one world:

its ways of wealth affect us all —

the way we spend, the way we share,

who are the rich or poor,

who stand or fall?

Our world is one world,

just like a ship that bears us all —

where fear and greed make many holes,

but where our hearts can hear

a different call.

In-Person Reading: ‘How to be a Bad Christian’ by Dave Tomlinson (excerpts, adapted) 

In the Gospels Jesus is recorded as saying, 'Truly I tell you, just as you gave a cup of cold water to one of the least of these members of my family, you did it to me.’  Jesus was an unlikely Messiah. Virtually his entire life was spent in a political backwater among peasant folk; he had no obvious plan to change the world, no strategy to overturn the system, no programme for creating social change. 

Yet he did change the world - by changing the lives of, mostly, uninfluential individuals. His passion was a vision of what the world would be like if God were king instead of rulers and politicians. But Jesus did not introduce a political strategy.  Rather, he spread a culture of hope, compassion, and healing among ordinary people. Breaking down prejudice and social barriers, empowering the poor and marginalised: not to turn them into a militant force to overthrow authorities, but to generate beloved community.  The way that Jesus went about changing the world resembled what is known today as the butterfly effect'. The principle that a small change in one place may have a dramatic effect elsewhere.

When Edward Lorenz, a meteorologist, tried to explain why it’s so hard to make accurate predictions about the weather, he realised that small differences in the atmosphere trigger vast, often unexpected results.  In 1972 he presented his findings in a paper entitled 'Predictability: Does the flap of a butterfly's wings in Brazil set off a tornado in Texas?'

Lorenz's proposal appeared preposterous, but his ideas were shown to be true. A butterfly's wings may create tiny changes in the atmosphere that set off a chain of events that can ultimately alter the path of a tornado, influence its speed, or impact other weather patterns.  One of the applications of the butterfly effect, is the recognition that decisions or actions we as individuals take, no matter how small, can play a massive role in determining the outcome of our lives, and other’s lives - even entire cultures. Like Gandhi's famous quote, 'Be the change you want to see in the world' it shows how one decision to change our personal world, or the world of one other person, can end up transforming society.

In 1955 in Montgomery, Alabama, an African-American woman called Rosa Parks decided she was tired of having to give up her seat to a white person on a bus. Her small act of defiance became an important symbol of the Civil Rights Movement.  At a meeting a few days after her arrest, a mostly unknown church minister, Dr Martin Luther King Jr, was elected as president of the Montgomery Improvement Association' The rest is history: triggered by one woman's decision to act - a flap of a butterfly's wings.

Desmond Tutu says the biggest defining moment of his life came through a simple act of courtesy witnessed as a young boy.  'I saw this tall white priest in a cassock doff his hat to my mother - a domestic worker'.' Tutu didn't know that priest was Trevor Huddleston, a dedicated anti-apartheid activist. But he saw something which instilled in him a passion to pursue justice for black people.  A miniscule flap of a butterfly's wings prompted a chain reaction that produced one of our world's greatest moral leaders. Trevor Huddleston didn’t doff his hat to a black domestic worker to overthrow apartheid. Rosa Parks had little idea her refusal to stand would inspire a movement to combat racial discrimination. Each of these people simply did what came naturally in the situation. They flapped their wings.

Words for Meditation: ‘The Caribou’ by Kurt Kauter

We’re moving into a time of meditation now. To take us into stillness I’m going to share some words by Kurt Kauter, which will take us into a few minutes of shared silence, which will end with the sound of a bell. Then we’ll hear music for meditation. So let’s do what we need to do to get comfortable – maybe adjust your position – put your feet flat on the floor to ground yourself – close your eyes. As we always say, the words are just an offering, so feel free to use this time to meditate in your own way.

"Tell me the weight of a snowflake," a coal-tit asked a wild dove.

"Nothing more than nothing," was the answer.

"In that case I must tell you a marvellous story," the coal-tit said.

"I sat on a branch of a fir, close to its trunk, when it began to snow, not heavily,

not in a giant blizzard, no, just like in a dream, without any violence.

Since I didn't have anything better to do, I counted the snowflakes

settling on the twigs and needles of my branch. Their number

was exactly 3 million, 741 thousand, nine hundred and 52.

When the next snowflake dropped onto the branch– nothing more than nothing,

as you say – the branch broke off." .....  Having said that, the coal-tit flew away.

The dove, since Noah's time an authority on the matter; thought about

the story for a while and finally said to herself:  "Perhaps there is only

one person's voice lacking for peace to come about in the world."

Period of Silence and Stillness (~3 minutes) – end with a bell  

Interlude: Beau Soir - Claude Debussy (performed by Holly Redshaw and Andrew Robinson) 

Online Reflection by Rev. Sheena Gabriel  

In the 1970’s, the economist E .F Schumacher first coined the phrase ‘small is beautiful. He argued against the prevailing idea that bigger is better, claiming that "small scale operations are always less likely to be harmful than large scale ones.’ And the truth of those words ring true in our own time - as we see the devastating impact that global conglomerates, oil industries, business tycoons, social media oligarchs, and world leaders, are having on our planet.

The idea that small can be beautiful - that little things matter - applies not just to the economy or politics, but in our everyday lives.  Proverbs from childhood come to mind: ‘Look after the pennies and the pounds will take care of themselves’ ...  ‘A stitch in time saves nine’.... And this poem:

For want of a nail the shoe was lost

For want of a shoe the horse was lost

For want of a horse the rider was lost

For want of a rider the message was lost

For want of a messenger the battle was lost

For want of a battle the kingdom was lost

And all for the want of a horseshoe nail.

The poem may refer to the death of Richard III at the battle of Bosworth Field, where the king was unhorsed - though the historical accuracy of the lost nail is doubtful!

And the saying, ‘the Devil is in the detail’ – comes from an earlier saying that ‘God is in the detail’.  Both are true. Small things can have big consequences for good - or ill.  The Bible, the Koran, Buddhist scriptures - all warn how the tongue, despite its smallness – can cause great harm; an ill-timed word, the delicious but unsubstantiated gossip that spreads like wildfire... the off-the-cuff comment caught on camera, that wrecks careers and relationships. And there are countless examples of small things that wreak havoc on an even bigger scale: the mosquito bite that spreads malaria, the spark that starts a forest fire, the microscopic virus that creates an epidemic, the loosened screw that causes a plane crash.

If small things can have devastating consequences, the opposite is also true. Jesus in the Gospels highlights the value of insignificant things. He tells his disciples the little child in their midst is the greatest in the Kingdom of heaven. In the temple he points out that the generosity of the widow’s gift of two small coins – far surpasses the plentiful offerings of religious leaders who parade their wealth. In his parables he likens the kingdom of God to a tiny mustard seed, which grows into a great shrub, providing shelter for bird - and claims if we have faith the size of a mustard seed, we can move mountains.

Many of the people Jesus talked with were farmers, labourers, peasants – considered nobodies by the rich and powerful.  The emperors and Caesars of the day erected giant statues of themselves - to advertise their power and the huge armies they commanded - but in the words of Gary Kowalski:

“Jesus said the real force that commands the world can’t be seen. Its behind-the-scenes, like yeast.  You stir a little into some warm water and mix with flour. ... with a little patience, the bread starts to rise, expand, in a way that’s almost unstoppable. And the people listening thought to themselves, we’re not kings, we don’t have armies, but maybe we do have some power after all...”

This book - ‘The Power of Small’ – and others like it - cite true stories of small ‘random acts of kindness’ that make a profound difference...  A timely gesture of concern which stops someone jumping off a bridge ... a smile and hot drink that restores hope to a homeless person. Perhaps you have your own stories of small actions that made all the difference?

In Jewish tradition, it’s said ‘that whoever destroys a soul, destroys an entire world.  And whoever saves a life, saves an entire world.’ (Oh, if only the Israeli leaders today would heed this wisdom...)  Sometimes, one single flap of the butterfly wing is all it takes - for good or ill.  Other times, it’s a slower process, which snowballs. 

We hear stories of people who out of the blue, carry out acts of shocking violence. How ‘out of character’ it seems...- but dig deeper, you’ll often discover a build-up of stresses over time. Perhaps the seeds were planted through childhood trauma - throw in a job loss, financial concerns... a glass of wine becomes a bottle or three… relationships flounder, one too many arguments… until some tiny trigger becomes the final straw that breaks the proverbial camel’s back. 

Back to our readings - the snowflake that breaks the branch - or the drops of water which over time fill a bucket. Or .... might just bring a ceiling down!   Many years ago, I lived in an attic flat above a doctor’s surgery. In the bathroom was a cast iron bath - with no overflow, and a dripping tap.  One morning after a bath I rushed off to work. Arriving home late, I found the bath full to the brim, water trickling over. In my rush I’d left the plug in, the bath still full - the slowly dripping tap had filled it to overflowing. The bath was not boxed in - gaps in the floorboards... the volume of water brought down the ceiling in the consulting room below. The Dr was very understanding, but I’m embarrassed to say it happened again a year or so later. This time the water just stained the ceiling – but it served as a wake-up call – to fix the dripping tap!

Malcom Gladwell in his book ‘The Tipping Point’ explores social epidemics which gather momentum for good or ill. He cites the sharp rise in teenage smoking and teen suicide in some areas – caused by copycat behaviour.  He also credits the sudden drop in crime rate in New York, in the 90’s, to a few individuals who attended to small details in the environment. Rather than tackling crime and disorder on the subways directly, the environment was cleaned up: litter cleared, graffiti-covered carriages removed - each time fresh graffiti appeared, it was cleaned.

This clean-up operation worked on the ‘broken window theory’; if a window is broken and left unrepaired, people conclude no-one cares, no-one is in charge - so more windows are broken ... and the reverse is also true. Making small changes to the outer environment to reduce crime is plausible, but more intriguing are studies suggesting a link between meditation and reduced crime rate. Here, a less obvious cause and effect is at work. 

Research published in the U.S in the 1970s and 80s, claims that in cities where 1% of the population practiced Transcendental Meditation, there was a significant reduction in homicide and violent crime. This suggests that the square root of just 1% can influence society for good. Since then, further studies seem to support this claim - which suggests there's a field effect of consciousness that can spread and influence society. This takes us into territory outside the scope of this service. But it’s within this expanded level of consciousness, that I pin my hopes for the future.

Carl G. Jung in a final interview - foreseeing the path to destruction which humanity was taking - said:

“The world today hangs by a thin thread - and that is the psyche of man… A change in the attitude of the individual can bring about a renewal in the spirit of the nations… Does the individual know that he (or sh)e is the make-weight that tips the scales …that infinitesimal unit on whom a world depends...  As the old Chinese saying goes ‘The right man (or woman!) sitting in his house and thinking the right thought will be heard 100 miles away’…”

That seems a heavy responsibility – the future of the world resting on a change of consciousness in each of us? But maybe it’s our best hope – because right now I have very little faith in the leaders of our nation or our world.  And when I’m tempted to despair, I consider how the individuals who’ve made a difference, are often unlikely characters: Jesus in 1st century Palestine with his motley band of disciples ... Rosa Parks who defied segregation laws and sat down on a bus... and in our own time - Greta Thunberg – a mute, autistic teenager who sat down, and sparked a global climate movement.

Clever policies and grand institutions and men in power seem unable – or unwilling - to solve the global issues we face.  So perhaps the time has come for us to put our trust in something else. As the 19thc. psychologist William James puts it: 

"I am done with great things and big things, great institutions and big success, and I am for those tiny, invisible molecular moral forces that work from individual  to individual, creeping through the crannies of the world like so many rootlets, or like the capillary oozing of water, yet which if you give them time, will rend the hardest monuments of man's pride.”

In the film version of the Hobbit by J.R.R Tolkien, Galadriel asks Gandalf the wizard, why he puts his trust in Bilbo: ‘Why the halfling?

Gandalf replies: “I don't know. Saruman (the white wizard) believes that it is only great power that can hold evil in check. But that is not what I have found. I've found it is the small things, everyday deeds of ordinary folk that keeps the darkness at bay. Simple acts of kindness and love. Why Bilbo Baggins? Perhaps it is because I am afraid, and he gives me courage.”

I too, feel afraid right now – and that’s why I need a community of friends and other ordinary folk like me - to give me courage.  In a world where the big people in charge have lost their way, let’s not forget that small ideas, small words, small projects, small actions, small acts of kindness - might just add up to something big.  Small really can be beautiful - but it’s up to each of us to make it so....  So, let’s flap our butterfly wings...

Hymn 124 (purple): ‘One More Step’

Thanks Sheena. Let’s sing one last time. Our final hymn is number 124: ‘One More Step’.

One more step, we will take one more step,

'til there is peace for us and everyone, we'll take one more step.

One more word, we will say one more word,

'til every word is heard by everyone, we'll say one more word.

One more prayer, we will say one more prayer,

'til every prayer is shared by everyone, we'll say one more prayer.

One more song, we will sing one more song,

'til every song is sung by everyone, we'll sing one more song.

Announcements:

Thanks again to Sheena for offering our reflection this morning and putting together the whole service. Thanks to Ramona for hosting and Lochlann for co-hosting. Thanks to Holly and Andrew for lovely music today. Thanks to Patricia for greeting and David for making coffee. If you are here in-person – we’ve got berry lime drizzle cake today – plus vegan treats.

We’ve got yoga with Hannah back here in the church at 12.30 – if you haven’t done that before please have a word with Hannah as she’ll need you to fill in a health form first.

Tonight at 7pm we’ve got our ‘Heart and Soul’ online contemplative spiritual gathering – this week we’re considering ‘Impact’– email me if you want to join us and I’ll share the link. There’s no H&S next Friday or Sunday as I’ll be away at Hucklow Summer School.

Next month’s Better World Book Club is on ‘The Other Significant Others’ and I have one last copy of that to lend out if you want to come along on the 31^st August (please note irregular date). 

Next Sunday our own Patricia Brewerton will be leading the service titled ‘What Am I Doing Here?’

Looking much further ahead I want to remind you that we have our next tea dance coming up on Sunday 7^th September – these events are so fun – and the more the merrier so do save the date. Our good friend Rachel Sparks will be back to lead us in a few fun group dances and there’ll be cake!

And I also want to let you know that we’ll be having our ‘Gathering the Waters’ service and a congregational lunch on 14^th September – if you haven’t been to that before all you need to know for now is that if you travel anywhere interesting over the summer we invite you to collect some water (tap water is fine!) from wherever you go – and save it to bring along to that service.

Details of all our various activities are printed on the back of the order of service, for you to take away, and also in the Friday email.  Or if you haven’t already got one why not take home a copy of our summer newsletter? Or you could take a copy for a friend – please help us spread the word.

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.

Time for our closing words and closing music now.  And our closing words are responsive, if you’re in the building they are in your order of service, and we’ll put them on screen too.

I invite you to join in with the words printed in bold.

Responsive Benediction: based on ‘The Low Road’ by Marge Piercy

What can they do to you?

Whatever they want.

How can you stop them?

Alone, you can fight, you can refuse,

but they roll over you.

But two people fighting back to back,

can cut through a mob.

Two people can keep each other sane

give support, conviction, love, hope.

Three people are a delegation, a committee, a wedge

With four you can play bridge

and start an organization.

With six you can rent a whole house,

eat pie for dinner with no seconds,

and hold a fund-raising party.

A dozen make a demonstration.

A snake dancing file can break a cordon.

A hundred fill a hall.

An army can meet an army.

A thousand you have solidarity

and your own newsletter;

Ten thousand, power, and your own paper;

One hundred thousand, your own media;

Ten million, your own country.

It goes on one at a time.

It starts when you care to act,

it starts when you do it again, after they said no,

It starts when you say We 

and know who you mean,

And each day you mean one more. Amen.

Closing Music: Mvt 3 from Sonata for Bassoon - William Hurlstone (performed by Holly Redshaw and Andrew Robinson) 

Rev. Sheena Gabriel and Rev. Dr. Jane Blackall

10th August 2025