Sermons, 2023-24

Sermons 2023-24

Poohsticks Is the Way – June 16, 2024
In Taoism, the concept of wu-wei can be translated as ‘effortless action’ or ‘doing nothing.’ But it is not really about doing nothing – it is about allowing what is needed to arise naturally, without clever manipulation or meddling. See also: Winnie the Pooh.

Whom Would Jesus Cancel? – May 19, 2024
“Cancel Culture” continues to be a problem. It is the urge to remove, silence, or ‘shut down’ a person, a group of people, or an idea that is deemed harmful or dangerous. It is a desire for consequences in response to a perceived menace. But what is the spiritual value in ‘canceling’?

Real Pro-Life is Pro-Earth – April 21, 2024
The truth is that a pro-life stance would protect our earth and our water. A real pro-life stance would fight against poverty and champion healthcare for all. That other crowd is really just pro-birth, which is too small and stingy to truly serve life.

Deeper into the Well – March 24, 2024
The world around us goes more divisive and draining. We find ourselves as ‘consumer’ even as we feel ourselves as one of the things being consumed! We are longing for a dimension of depth in our living.

Faithful Anxiety – March 10, 2024
Not all anxiety is bad or unhealthy – often, but not always. Systems thinking has given us the phrase ‘non-anxious presence’ as personal goal when dealing with conflict. But a good level of anxiety is healthy for a system and an individual to aid in healthy functioning.

The Distortion of Our Best Values – February 25-2024
Hope, Tolerance, Peace, Self-Respect and even Love. At times we are fed a message that these important, guiding values of our liberal faith are dangerous and bad for society. And some of the arguments make a lot of sense! It makes me think there is a cruel game afoot in which we grow complicit in our own destruction.

Rest Is Resistance – February 11, 2024
There is a lot of attention on Self-Care in our society. Exhaustion is seen as a mark of status, and being busy is a sign of success. But should rest and renewal be a luxury allowed to only those who can afford it?

Thus Do We Covenant – January 28, 2024
The concept of ‘Covenant’ is deeply counter-cultural. There are few examples in our society’s shared experience we can point to that demonstrate how a covenant works. We have lots of examples of what it is not: it is not a contract, rule, or a way to judge who is right and who is wrong. While it is sometimes helpful to talk about what it isn’t, it is better to learn what it is.

Martin’s Letter as Biblical Epistle – January 14, 2024
Many progressive liberals hold the words and deeds of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr as prophetic and of continued relevance today, well more than 50 years after his death. Perhaps they are especially relevant given the threats we see to our democracy and our common spirit today.

A Life of Ritual and Reason – December 17, 2023
Many Unitarian Universalists are not exactly “religious” in the way so many religious people use the term. We tend toward a rational and scientific outlook. And yet, ritual and liturgy remain quite important in our communal practice as a congregation.

The Taming of Foxes – December 10, 2023
This year we are revitalizing our Small Group Ministry (SGM) program with the help of our Soul Matters themes. Our Small Groups are a way to form ties with others and to know yourself better. They strengthen the heart of our community through meaning-making and simple friendships.

The War on Truth – November 19, 2023
Winston Churchill is credited with the witticism: ‘A Lie Is Halfway Round the World Before the Truth Has Got Its Boots On.’ Ironically, Churchill may not be the originator of that line. But the problem we face in our society is more pernicious than mere ‘Churchillian Drift!’ Lies and disinformation are eroding our reality with frightful consequences

Grandma’s Hands – October 29, 2023
Trauma takes up residence in our bodies. Healing also begins with our bodies. Remembering, or perhaps we could say, “re-member-ing” ourselves as individuals is not done in isolation. We need communities where the healing can ripple out.

Roadmap to Repair – September 24, 2023
Forgiveness and repentance are an annual theme for us. This year, the UUA Common Read is a book about the topic: On Repentance and Repair by Danya Ruttenberg. Join me in considering a very old outline for how to move forward after an experience of harm.

Let Our Service Begin – September 17, 2023
The Bengali poet Rabindranath Tagore wrote, “I slept and dreamt that life was joy.  I awoke and saw that life was service.  I acted and behold, service was joy.” Is there an element of service in your life? In our congregation? In what ways do we serve needs greater than our own?

Church, Why Bother? – August 27, 2023
The trends are upon us! Attendance and participation in religious communities are declining in the US across the board. This has been going on for a while, but the pandemic increased things. Maybe there are good reasons for not attending that we can learn from. What do people need today that we could offer?