I grew up hearing about the “Passion Story,” which is a Latin word denoting suffering (which means ‘Compassion’ is ‘suffering alongside or with”). One can never dismiss the power of pain in living existence, but obviously there is another meaning to Passion–which is the surging emotion of love, allowing transcendence over pain. This Sunday is a day … Continue reading “Passion” – Easter Sunday Spring Celebration- including Children’s Egg Hunt

Elon Musk said recently that America is suffering from “an epidemic of empathy.” He might be right–that empathy is something that you catch and can pass on to others–what a thought! Hearing this, I went back to a book a friend of mine, Professor Helen Riess, recently published, called “The Empathy Effect.” There’s lots to learn in employing … Continue reading Empathy

We Americans are very, very confused as to what success means–but then again, humans across the board have wondered what constitutes a full and fulfilling life. When Emerson wrote his poem on Success, he said near the end, “To know even one life has breathed easier because you have lived,” is a good place to start. … Continue reading Success

Many many years ago, I wrote a little book (still widely unpublished) on the emotional elements of our liberal faith–and the last chapter was on the spirit of generosity, a kind of binding agent to all the other “liberal” emotions.  I believe, and happily assert, that our free faith gives us the power and inclination … Continue reading Stewardship Sunday-“The Emotion of Generosity”

A tour through the twisted Orwellian world of double-speak and lies that seems to be our current daily travail–and what it will take to survive and assert a truer, more liberating reality that reveres and upholds truth. We have to make, and proclaim, a faith that adheres to reality–and creates a more creative future.Led by … Continue reading “People Can’t Believe What They’re Seeing”

As we enjoy and are invigorated by our after-service Climate Revival programs, Stephen wants to remind all of us that we do the work of climate justice not out of duty or dour warnings (though the dangers we face are real enough). I have been preaching on this subject for decades and I have decided that … Continue reading An Appeal to Beauty

It is accurate to say that our UU tradition is open to science, rationality, politics, beautiful music and poetry…it is also open to Transcendence. I discovered this faith long ago because it provided spiritual freedom, and also enough room to be a mystic! If our tradition has given the world anything, it surely is the Transcendental movement … Continue reading A New Manifestation is at Hand…

An interesting fact–Martin Luther King Day and Inaugural Day are the same Monday. Quite a combination! The extreme poles of American experience will be on forceful display, and so I want to take a page out of a new best-seller called “The Small and the Mighty” to offer a message of hope on how to … Continue reading “When People Matter”

Political prognosticating from the pulpit is not an attractive thing, this I admit. But sometimes life and impending realities back us into a corner–and then our pulpit becomes the right place to forcefully articulate our free religious values in the face of harsh possibilities. This sermon and next week’s are really two sides to one … Continue reading “Shock and Awe”

from Stephen: “For most of my career, at the turn of the year I have followed a wonderful UU tradition of the Question Box service, where you get to ask any question you’d like of me–and watch me deal with them in real time! Maybe there’s a question you’ve always wanted to ask one of your … Continue reading “The “Question Box” Service–“