The sermon was delivered on Sunday, July 2, 2017, at All Souls Unitarian Church in Tulsa, Oklahoma, by Bishop Carlton D. Pearson, Affiliate Minister. SERMON DESCRIPTION The gift of independence, is in many ways an illusive fantasy that takes imagination, effort, and creative work. A gift, something willingly given without being earned, can be taken back. Talent, something we're born with is natural aptitude and is neither given nor taken away, even though it can atrophy from lack of use. Talent can be nurtured, enhanced, and perfected but independence is earned or procured and must be maintained. Realistically, independence is actually a form of dependency or co-dependency. It needs attention to be maintained in a way that talent doesn't. Theoretically, independence should be intrinsic and innate. But rarely, if ever, independence is experienced in love, relationships, socially, psychologically, and physically. Let's work both for and on our gifts of independence! SUBSCRIBE TO AUDIO PODCAST: http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/all-souls-unitarian-church/id193096943 WATCH THIS SERMON ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/AKkF8ViVqUA SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=allsoulsunitarian GIVE A DONATION TO HELP US SPREAD THIS LOVE BEYOND BELIEF: http://www.allsoulschurch.org/GIVE or text LOVEBB to 73256 LET'S CONNECT: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/allsoulstulsa Twitter: https://twitter.com/AllSoulsTulsa All Souls Church Website: http://www.allsoulschurch.org