In his book The Myth of Normal, Hungarian-Canadian physician and author Gabor Mate writes, “To meet modern society’s criteria for normality is, in many ways, to conform to requirements that are profoundly abnormal in regard to our Nature-given needs – which is to say, unhealthy and harmful on the physiological, mental, and even spiritual levels.” What have we normalized in our culture that causes trauma to the human spirit? What actions can we UUs take for our individual and collective spiritual well being?
SPEAKER
Rev. Terry Davis
Rev Terry is the part-time minister of UU Fellowship of Hendersonville.
She found Unitarian Universalism and her spiritual home at the Unitarian Universalist Congregation of Atlanta, where she was a 20-year member. In her ministry, she has served as the neo-natal intensive care unit chaplain at Emory University Midtown Hospital in Atlanta; as the pastoral care minister at Eliot Chapel, a 600-member Unitarian Universalist congregation in St. Louis, Missouri; and as the solo minister at Northwest Unitarian Universalist Congregation, a 250-member faith community in suburban Atlanta.
Terry and her spouse Gail Hyde moved to Asheville in 2019 after Gail’s retirement as CIO of Habitat for Humanity International. During the early years of the pandemic, Terry completed an intensive two-year spiritual director certification program with the Haden Institute, an international and ecumenical program grounded in Jungian psycho-spiritual teachings.
She has a private spiritual direction and short-term counseling practice in Asheville.
And, for fun and as food for her soul, on Saturdays, Rev. Davis serves as a “Craggy Rover” (volunteer park ranger) on a 5,892-foot peak high above the Blue Ridge Parkway for the National Park Service.
MUSICIAN
Jenna Jaffe, Guest Choir Director
Jenna Jaffe has been performing music, dancing and making art since she was a child. She has a vocal performance degree from the UC Santa Barbara and extensive graduate vocal work at the USC. Jenna is multifaceted. She is a multi-instrumentalist who has taught for thirty years. She is mixed media visual artist that focuses on equality for all life ( you can see her work at The Refinery, in Asheville). Jenna teaches ESL at AB Tech, is on the Board at AAPF, and both National & WNC Music Teachers Association.
In 2022 she received a Tzedek Social Justice Impact Award for her musical and artistic work engaged in community activism and system change.
In her “spare” time she gardens, studies languages, mindfulness, and energy healing. She also performs regularly in Asheville NC.
Anita Robertson, piano
Anita is an accomplished accompanist and solo pianist. She was an elementary school music teacher for many years and currently teaches at a local music studio. Anita has advanced degrees in music, as well as a master of divinity degree.
The UUFH Choir
The UUFH Choir is a wonderful group of people who enjoy and appreciate the opportunity to share the beauty and spirituality of music with our congregation. If you like to sing with others, you are invited to join the choir!
Topics: Growth, Humanism, humanity, Inclusivity, Mental Health, Perspective, Spirituality, Wisdom