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: Click for DESCRIPTION of / PUBLICITY for each program
Evolution Now (for adults) AUDIO of Connie's 2008 sermon at UU Hendersonville NC
Your Brain's Creation Story (for adults and teens) - AUDIO of Connie's 2009 sermon at UU Whidbey Island
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 UU Hartford CT (Click for Order of Service suggestions for Death sermon)
We Are Stardust! for adults or INTERGEN. (Click here for Order of Service for intergenerational Stardust service)
♦ DESCRIPTION of / PUBLICITY for each program
Michael's SERMON titles: or click for DESCRIPTION of / PUBLICITY for each program
Gratitude: An Evolutionary Celebration
The Gifts of Evolutionary Spirituality
Thank God for Evolution
♦ DESCRIPTION of / PUBLICITY for each program
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templates for PUBLICITY FLIERS
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Free follow-up presentation by Michael Dowd (90 minutes, for a weekday evening) CHOOSE ONE:
1. "THE GOSPEL ACCORDING TO SCIENCE: Evolutionary Good News"
Alternative title: "THANK GOD FOR EVOLUTION"
In this richly illustrated talk, Rev. Dowd will cover the major themes of his 2008 book, Thank God for Evolution: How the Marriage of Science and Religion Will Transform Your Life and Our World, which received endorsements from six Nobel Prize-winning scientists, as well as religious leaders across the 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.
2. "EVOLUTION AND THE GLOBAL INTEGRITY CRISIS"
From crumbling economies to collapsing ecosystems, humanity is experiencing an unprecedented global integrity crisis. In a richly illustrated presentation, Michael Dowd sheds light on a wide range of personal, social, political, and economic issues through the prism of global integrity: humanity in right relationship at all levels, from the personal to the planetary. The evolutionary sciences teach us that throughout life's history, a vital trend is chaos catalyzing cooperation in ever-larger systems of interdependence. Dowd proposes that only an evolutionary worldview can help us co-create a just and thriving future at this new, planetary level of interdependence. The talk is based on his landmark book, Thank God for Evolution, which has been endorsed by 6 Nobel Prize-winning scientists and religious leaders across the spectrum.
♦ Rev. Dowd and his wife, science writer Connie Barlow, have been called "America's evolutionary evangelists." Since April 2002 they have lived entirely on the road, visiting churches, schools, and spiritual centers across the USA.
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Our PUBLICIST will be happy to work independently (or with you, if you prefer) to secure regional radio/TV and newspaper interviews in advance of the event. Sample the ARCHIVE OF NEWS ARTICLES.
♦ PUBLICITY PHOTOS
♦ TEMPLATES FOR PUBLICITY FLIERS
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Rev. Dowd's evening program is partly a powerpoint presentation . Michael brings his own high-lumen, digital projector with him, and he also brings our own large screen and extension cord. The only equipment he needs from the church is a handheld or clip-on microphone. |
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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.
For GUEST SERMONS/MESSAGES at Sunday morning congregational services, we gratefully accept whatever compensation a congregation typically offers guest ministers or speakers.
For church SUMMER CAMPS, DISTRICT MEETINGS, AND OTHER GATHERINGS, we are happy to negotiate fees that will work for your group.
We try to schedule appearances on a region-by-region basis to minimize transportation time, costs, and energy. Because our ministry also depends on earnings from selling our books and DVDs, we will appreciate access to ONE LONG TABLE in your lobby or 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. Please know that we generally book 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. In addition, Michael presents a FREE powerpoint, evening talk 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 projector to use for the evening follow-up program, so the only thing you need to provide is an adequate room and voice amplification. Because book and DVD sales following the presentation are usually substantial (we make the table self-serve, so no assistance is required for that either), we suggest you publicize the event as FREE and consider it as an opportunity to attract newcomers from the wider community. (For especially large or community outreach events, our PUBLICIST will be happy to work directly with you on publicity. But for the most part, congregations have found quite adequate our DOWNLOADABLE FLYERS/POSTERS TEMPLATES.
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 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 for "Evolution Now: A Manifesto for our UU Congregations", a sermon by Connie Barlow, delivered at the Cedar Lane UU Church (Bethesda, MD) August 2008: PDF or mp3 AUDIO.
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
Arkansas - Little Rock
California - Anaheim, Asilomar Summer Camp, Berkeley, Carmel, Davis, Escondido, Fremont, Fullerton, Goleta, Grass Valley, Laguna Beach, Long Beach, Los Gatos, La Mesa, Mission Viejo, Modesto, Napa, Newbury Park, North Hills, Oakland, Palos Verdes Estates, Pasadena, Rancho Palos Verde, Redwood City, Riverside, Sacramento, San Diego, East San Diego, San Dieguito, San Jose, San Mateo, Santa Cruz, Santa Monica, Santa Rosa, Santee, Stockton, Ventura, Visalia, Vista
Colorado - Boulder, Denver, Pueblo, Littleton, Colorado Springs, Glenwood Springs, Durango,
Grand Junction, Durango, Bayfield, Golden
Connecticut - Hartford, W. Hartford, Danbury, Manchester, Westport, New Haven, Woodbury
Delaware - Mill Creek, Newark
Florida - Bradenton, Miami, Vero Beach, Fort Myers, Odessa, Orlando, Valparaiso Tallahassee, Jacksonville, Ft. Lauderdale, Boca Raton, Palm Beaches, Plantation, Greater Naples, Sarasota, Valpariso, Pensacola, Panama City, Bonita Springs, Tampa
Georgia - Lawrenceville, Augusta, Atlanta, Hilton Head, Athens, Savannah, Statesboro
Idaho - Idaho Falls, Twin Falls, Moscow
Illinois - Evanston, Springfield, Rockford, Palatine
Indiana - Fort Wayne, Hobart, Muncie, Lafayette, Bloomington, Indianapolis
Kansas - Lawrence, Manhattan, Salina, Topeka
Kentucky - Louisville, Lexington
Louisiana - New Orleans, Baton Rouge, Lacombe, Shreveport
Maine - Ellsworth, Portland, Sanford, Rockland, Milford, Damariscotta, Yarmouth
Maryland - Columbia, Easton, Adelphi, Lutherville, Bethesda
Massachusetts - Springfield, Needham, Worcester, Belmont, Northborough, Concord, North Andover, Reading, Greenfield, Littleton, Brookline, Winchester
Michigan - Flint, Birmingham, Lansing, Traverse City, Ann Arbor, St. Joseph's, Midland, Clark Lake, Kalamazoo, Brighton, Farmington Hills, Muskegon, Sarnia (Port Huron), Ludington
Minnesota - Minneapolis, White Bear (Mahtomedi), Duluth
Mississippi - Jackson
Missouri - Springfield, Kansas City, Ellisville, St. Louis
Montana - Billings, Missoula
Nebraska - Omaha
New Hampshire - Franklin, Peterborough, Milford, Exeter, Tamworth, Portsmouth South
New Jersey - East Brunswick, Hunterdon County, Englewood, Ridgewood, Lincroft, Galloway County, Titusville, Summit, Montclair, Plainfield, Cherry Hill, Princeton
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, Canandaigua, Syracuse, NYC (All Souls), Staten Island, Briarcliff/Croton/Ossining/
North Carolina - Asheville, Brevard, Hendersonville, Kitty Hawk, New Bern, Greenville, Greensboro (Jamestown), Durham, Raleigh, Wilmington, Black Mountain (Swannanoa Valley, Charlotte
Ohio - Cincinnati, Columbus, Kent, Cleveland (+ Westfield Twnshp), Hopedale, Dayton, Berea, Canto, Miami Valley
Oklahoma - Tulsa, Ardmore (SWUUSI 2008), Stillwater, Oklahoma City, Norman
Oregon - Hillsboro, Newport, Portland, West Hills of Portland, Hood River, Bend, Klamath Falls, Eugene
Pennsylvania - Berks County (Reading), Pittsburgh, South Hills of Pittsburgh, Meadville, Harrisburg
South Carolina - Greenville, Clemson, Beaufort, Columbia
Tennessee - Nashville, Knoxville, Oak Ridge, Pleasant Hill, Cordova, Memphis, Gray, Chattanooga, Murfreesboro
Texas - Dallas, Galveston, Houston (both), North Houston, Stafford, College Station, Denton, Austin, S. Austin, Plano, Fort Worth, San Antonio, Midland, Pasadena, The Woodlands, Huntsville, Waco
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, Vancouver
Wisconsin - Madison (First + James Reeb), 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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