TITLES OF SERMONS, PRESENTATIONS, OR WORKSHOPS
(detailed descriptions & publicity templates)
For Sunday services, only one of us presents a short sermon form of these topics. For 2-hour follow-up workshops, Michael usually offers an adult program by himself. In the rare event that both of us are free to be at your church or fellowship on a Sunday morning, Michael will give the "sermon" and Connie is happy to be invited to offer a (free) R.E. program concurrently for kids.
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Connie's SERMON titles: or click for DESCRIPTION of / PUBLICITY for each program
Celebrating Evolution -
AUDIO of Connie's 2006 sermon at Second Unitarian of Omaha
Death Through Deep-Time Eyes - AUDIO of Connie's 2006 sermon at Unitarian Society of Hartford CT
A Walk on the Wild Side: Your Brain's Creation Story (for teens and adults)
We Are Stardust! for adults or INTERGEN. (Click here for Order of Service for intergenerational)
The Epic of Evolution: The Story of the Changing Story for adults or INTERGEN
♦ DESCRIPTION of / PUBLICITY for each program
Michael's SERMON titles: or click for DESCRIPTION of / PUBLICITY for each program
Thank God for Evolution!
The Great Story: Bridging Diversity, Inspiring Celebration, Empowering Great Work
AUDIO of a similar presentation by Michael in 2006 at Unitarian Universalists of Hendersonville, NC
The Marriage of Science and Religion for Personal and Planetary Wellbeing
Can the Universe Be Trusted?
♦ DESCRIPTION of / PUBLICITY for each program
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SELECTING A SPEAKER: We each usually speak in different churches on the same Sunday. We prefer to determine which of us speaks where, based on (1) driving considerations (only Michael drives our large van, so Connie has to be dropped off first), and (2) Connie prefers small to mid-size congregations, whereas Michael is happy to present in large venues. Note: Only Connie does intergenerational services.
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Connie or Michael "STORIES FOR ALL AGES"
for Sunday Services (6 to 8 minutes)
Celebrating Your Cosmic Age - Michael - (how we are all 13 billion years old)
We Are Made of Stardust - Michael or Connie - (how atoms were formed within stars)
Animals in Your Brain - (to accompany Connie's sermon, "A Walk on the Wild Side")
Connie's "RELIGIOUS EXPLORATION LESSONS FOR KIDS and TEENS"
concurrently in classrooms as guest teacher (if both Connie and Michael are available to come to your church)
A Walk on the Wild Side: Your Brain's Creation Story (different versions for TEENS and elementary)
River of Life (elementary age or families)
We Are Made of Stardust (elementary age) Click for DESCRIPTIONS of all 3 of these children's programs.
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Free follow-up presentation by Michael Dowd (2 hours, for a weekday evening)
In this richly illustrated talk, Rev. Dowd will cover the major themes of his 2007 book, Thank God for Evolution!, which has received endorsements from five Nobel laureates, as well as leaders across the religious spectrum. Come learn how our modern understanding of this 14 billion year old Universe, as given by mainstream science, builds bridges, provides guidance, and restores realistic hope for individuals and families, for humanity, and for the body of life as a whole.
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Rev. Michael Dowd applies "stardust" (glitter) during an Intergenerational
"We Are Stardust!" service at the Peterborough NH UU Church;
Connie Barlow describes how the chemical elements now in our bodies
were created inside ancestral stars.
The Great Story is the 14 billion year narrative of cosmos, Earth, life, and humanity, which draws upon the discoveries of the full range of sciences. Told
in meaningful and dramatic ways, The Great Story becomes our collective sacred story, inspiring
individuals from a wide range of religious and secular worldviews. Also known
as the Epic of Evolution, this perspective was the topic of Connie Barlow's cover story of the Nov/Dec 1998 issue of UU World.
Connie and Michael have been working with UU members to link this widespread movement to the science, humanist, pagan,
and liberal theistic diversity of our UU heritage. The spiritual and psychological
benefits that flow naturally from living within an awareness of this story
are experienced as Great News by a growing number of people the world over
and draw each of us to participate in, what celebrated cultural historian
and geologian Thomas Berry calls, "The Great Work" — the work of ensuring
a just, healthy, beautiful, and sustainably life-giving world for future generations
of all species.
Until the spring
of 2002, when they embarked on an itinerant ministry of teaching and preaching
the Great News of the Great Story, Michael and Connie were members of the
First Unitarian Society of Rockland County (New York). They are now members of the UUA Church of the Larger Fellowship.
Scheduling
Presentations
Michael and Connie are passionate about these topics and will present them wherever there
is interest. We gratefully accept whatever compensation a congregation typically
offers guest ministers or speakers, and schedule appearances on a region-by-region
basis to minimize transportation time and costs. We earn most of our living by selling 25 titles of books and DVDs (several of our own) at the conclusion of presentations, so will appreciate access to ONE or TWO long TABLES in your Fellowship Hall for setting up our wares.
Almost all of the communications with you (except for the content of all-day retreats) will be handled by our personal assistant, Mia Van Meter. Please know that Mia generally books Connie into one UU church on a Sunday morning and Michael into a different church in the same vicinity, so we do not appear together, except for longer church retreats and trainings. Generally, Michael presents a powerpoint, evening workshop for each of the two churches on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday immediately following the Sunday service. We carry our own portable screen and high-lumen digital project to use for the evening workshops.
Depending on whether we are also presenting for other organizations in your town or city, we may ask you to locate HOME HOSPITALITY for us for the night preceding a morning service and (sometimes) through the morning following the evening workshop. Click here for a handy list of information on our HOME HOSPITALITY needs. We intend this list to supply prospective hosts with all the information they need to feel comfortable in extending us an invitation.
To learn when we will
be in your region, click for our ITINERARY. To discuss the possibility of having us bring one
or more of these presentations to your church or fellowship, contact our assistant, Mia Van Meter, at: 
To learn more
about our work and the impact we are having, click on About
Us and What Others Say.
Click here for a Unitarian essay by UU member and Great Story teacher PATRICIA GORDON that imaginatively portrays how the Great Story enriches UU experience.
Click here for Connie's essay on her faith as a UU "religious naturalist" (in PDF only).
Click here to see WORDS OF PRAISE for our programs expressed by UU ministers, worship coordinators, and members.
Click here to view an annotated list of popular & academic WRITINGS BY CONNIE BARLOW.
Click here to learn about a free, "We Are Made of Stardust" Curriculum for UU children's R.E. programs.
Click here to view an annotated list of popular & academic WRITINGS BY MICHAEL DOWD.
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♦ Click here for a handy list of information on our HOME HOSPITALITY needs and requests.
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UU Congregations We Have Presented At
Since 2002 Michael and Connie have been guest speakers at Sunday services (sermons, and often the children's component as well) and/or offered evening workshops at UU fellowships and churches in:
Alabama - Tuscaloosa, Montgomery, Auburn
Arizona - Flagstaff, Green Valley, Sierra Vista, NW Tucson, Tucson, Sedona, Chandler, Phoenix
California - Los Gatos, Napa, Modesto, Rancho Palos Verde, Pasadena, Redwood City,
Oakland, Santa Cruz, Berkeley, Grass Valley, Sacramento, La Mesa, Vista,
Laguna Beach, San Dieguito, San Diego, East San Diego, Mission Viejo,
Visalia, Long Beach, Santa Rosa, San Mateo, Santa Monica, Goleta,
Asilomar Summer Camp, Davis
Colorado - Boulder, Denver, Pueblo, Littleton, Colorado Springs, Glenwood Springs, Durango,
Grand Junction, Durango, Bayfield, Golden
Connecticut - Hartford, W. Hartford, Danbury, Manchester, Westport, New Haven
Delaware - Mill Creek, Newark
Florida - Bradenton, Miami, Vero Beach, Fort Myers, Odessa, Orlando,
Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Palm Beaches, Miami,
Greater Naples, Sarasota, Valpariso, Pensacola, Panama City
Georgia - Lawrenceville, Augusta, Atlanta, Hilton Head, Athens
Idaho - Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Moscow
Illinois - Evanston, Springfield
Indiana - Fort Wayne, Hobart, Muncie, Lafayette, Bloomington
Kansas - Lawrence, Manhattan, Salina, Topeka
Kentucky - Louisville, Lexington
Maine - Ellsworth, Portland, Sanford, Rockland, Milford, Damariscotta, Yarmouth
Maryland - Columbia, Easton, Adelphi
Massachusetts - Springfield, Needham, Worcester, Belmont, Northborough, Concord,
North Andover, Reading, Greenfield, Littleton
Michigan - Flint, Birmingham, Lansing, Traverse City, Ann Arbor, St. Joseph's, Midland,
Clark Lake, Kalamazoo, Brighton
Minnesota - Minneapolis, Duluth
Mississippi - Jackson
Missouri - Springfield, Kansas City, Ellisville, St. Louis
Montana - Missoula
Nebraska - Omaha
New Hampshire - Franklin, Peterborough, Milford, Exeter, Tamworth, Portsmouth South
New Jersey - East Brunswick, Hunterdon County, Englewood, Ridgewood, Lindcroft,
Galloway County, Titusville, Summit, Montclair
New Mexico - Las Cruces, Albuquerque, Rio Rancho, Ghost Ranch, Los Alamos
New York - Rockland County, Sussex County, Long Island, White Plains, Binghamton
Orange County, Poughkeepsie, Kingston, Manhasset, Albany, Washingtonville
North Carolina - Asheville, Brevard, Hendersonville, Kitty Hawk, New Bern, Greenville,
Durham, Raleigh, Wilmington
Ohio - Cincinnati, Columbus, Kent, Cleveland, Hopedale, Dayton, Berea
Oklahoma - Tulsa
Oregon - Hillsboro, Newport, West Hills of Portland, Hood River, Bend, Klamath Falls
Pennsylvania - Berks County, Pittsburgh, South Hills of Pittsburgh
South Carolina - Greenville, Clemson, Beaufort
Tennessee - Nashville, Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Pleasant Hill, Cordova
Texas - Dallas, Galveston, Houston (both), College Station, Denton, Austin
Utah - Salt Lake City
Vermont - Woodstock, Burlington, Norwich
Virginia - Newport News, Loudoun County, Sterling, Easton, Norfolk, Reston, Fairfax, Manassas
Washington - E. Wenatchee, Whidbey Island, Port Townsend, Bellingham,
Kirkland, Olympia, Seattle, S. Seattle, W. Seattle, U District of Seattle,
Forest Park, Bellevue, Des Moines, Yakima, Edmonds
Wisconsin - Madison, Ripon, Racine, Kenosha, Wales, Mukwonago, Milwaukee, Wausau
Wyoming - Cheyenne
Eastern Canada - Montreal, North Hatley, Halifax
Western Canada - Victoria, Naramata, Vancouver, Vancouver Island
NOTE: This list may be incomplete. For a complete record of where we have spoken and when, see PAST ITINERARY and ITINERARY.
  
Click here for a list of UU BEST PRACTICES
that Connie & Michael have come upon during
their visits to UU churches and fellowships.
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