Theme Speakers
Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow
Science and religion find common resonance and remarkable harmony in the work of Michael Dowd and Connie Barlow. Michael is an ordained minister in the United Church of Christ. Connie is a geologist.
For 6 years, Michael and Connie have lived entirely on the road, delivering talks for some 300 UU congregations, summer camps, and minister retreats as well as for other religious and secular groups. They have been called “America’s evolutionary evangelists.” Michael and Connie are passionate about sharing the 14 billion-year history of Cosmos, Earth, life, and humanity in ways that offer practical guidance and uplift and expand heart, mind, and soul. They tell this history as a sacred narrative that can help heal the world.
Connie’s most recent book, The Ghosts of Evolution, was Amazon.com’s top-recommended science book for several months in 2001. Michael’s latest book Thank God for Evolution!, will be the basis for their theme presentations and work with children and youth at SWUUSI. Thank God for Evolution has been endorsed by 5 Nobel Prize winners and 120 other science and religion leaders across the theological spectrum.
Michael and Connie use stories, parables, plays, visual slides and music to create a sacred telling of the unmistakable and unending progression of the cosmos. They have brought their sacred telling of the Great Story to a number of congregations in the area. If you have never heard their message you will find it inspiring. Those who have heard and seen Michael and Connie before consistently report finding new and deeper understandings from each encounter with these two gifted and passionate presenters.
Artists in Residence
Mary Reynolds and Louise Goldberg
For SWUUSI ’08 much of our musical needs will be provided by Mary Reynolds and Louise Goldberg. In solo, as a duet and as part of the combo “Miss Brown to You,” Mary and Louise have both developed an excited and committed fan base—particularly in the area’s acoustic, women’s and progressive music circles. Mary and Louise will serve as Choir Director and Accompanist as well as Artist in Residence.
Mary Reynolds is an acclaimed interpreter of the songs of Emily Kaitz, Linda Waterfall & Ilene Weiss among others, and she can call upon an eclectic repertoire of traditional material and American popular songs. She is a classically trained vocalist and multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, bass or saxophone as required. Her compositions and interpretations were featured in the Fast Folk Musical Magazine when she lived in New York City in the early 80’s, and she performed on several other selections as a side musician. While living in Austin, she was a frequent performer on the Austin scene and was spotlighted in a solo “Live Set,” the venerable live radio broadcast of KUT Radio.
Louise Goldberg is also a consummate professional with a diverse career. Born and raised in New York City, she studied music at Boston University, and earned a Master of Music Degree at Oklahoma City University. In recent years, Oklahoma has been her home where she has taught middle school music, theatre, and science for 18 years. She can be seen performing professionally in a wide variety of musical styles from classical to jazz to reggae to folk to music from the planet of her origin.
Our experience at SWUUSI will be a rich one with a sound track being provided by Mary and Louise.
