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​​​​​ ​​Sunday, July 6th, 2025 

10:45 AM

Rev. Dr. Althea Smith

Living in This World Requires Improvisation

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This week’s service is a Jazz service. It is reported that Jazz was born in New Orleans in a place called Congo Square, around 1820. This was a place where enslaved peoples gathered and played music. People from different countries, different parts of countries, came together, each contributing their own unique sound. 

 

African music, Caribbean music, joined by instruments from marching bands. Marching band play was big during the Civil War. All of this with an overlay of spiritual music and the blues.

 

One of the pillars of Jazz is improvisation. The Cambridge Dictionary defines improvise: to invent or make something, such as a speech, at a time when it is needed without already having planned it. As I look around at the world, the US, my neighborhood, Nantucket, I see a great need for the coming together to make something new. Life is asking us for improvisation.​

​

This week’s service is a Jazz service. It is reported that Jazz was born in New Orleans in a place called Congo Square, around 1820. This was a place where enslaved peoples gathered and played music. People from different countries, different parts of countries, came together, each contributing their own unique sound. 

 

African music, Caribbean music, joined by instruments from marching bands. Marching band play was big during the Civil War. All of this with an overlay of spiritual music and the blues.

 

One of the pillars of Jazz is improvisation. The Cambridge Dictionary defines improvise: to invent or make something, such as a speech, at a time when it is needed without already having planned it. As I look around at the world, the US, my neighborhood, Nantucket, I see a great need for the coming together to make something new. Life is asking us for improvisation.

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For this special service our Music Director, Nigel Goss, will be joined by Anthony Healy on piano and Colin Harrington on drums along with some Special Surprise Singers!  Join us as we celebrate with the musical among us.

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Please join us at 10:45 AM

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Upstairs in the Sanctuary

 

Sunday Service
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/92316986312

Meeting ID: 923 1698 6312
Password 001809

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Order of Service

Watch our virtual services online anytim

Happenings

1

Coming Soon

The  

High Moral Courage

Pamphlet

Tea Time Wednesday
is paused for the summer

2

The Common Read

Parable of the Sower

 By Octavia E. Butler

Undrowned

            By Alexis Pauline Gumbs

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The Fire Next Time

            By James Baldwin

Pedagogy of the Oppressed

            By Paulo Freire

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Children of the Same God

            By Susan J. Ritchie

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Second Congregational Meeting House Society, Unitarian Universalist

11 Orange Street

P.O. Box 1023

Nantucket, MA 02554

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508-228-5466

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office@unitarianchurchnantucket.org

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Church office hours: 

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday 12:00pm-2:00pm

or by appointment

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