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–“
Sparked by our great pick-up orchestra, it will be a warm-hearted service of traditional carols, and inspiring words and readings.Bring cookies!
At this time of Solstice, the North enters a seasonal labyrinth of darkness. It is a time to seek shelter, a time for reflection and stillness, but can it also be a time for growth and hope? We will explore stories of those who have, against all odds, THRIVED in winter’s long dark night, even … Continue reading “Held By Darkness, ‘Til Light Returns”
You may think that the “Christmas story” is the whole tale, all that is to tell–but what makes those mythical brief chapters appeal to our hearts is that, short as they are, they contain so many stories with universal truths far beyond the obvious. We UU’s shy away from the ‘supernatural” aspects of the Nativity, but … Continue reading “And the Lotus Blooms”
“Invitations to the Feast” A veritable buffet of seasonal music, and reflections on the theme of “Invitation” from Rev. Stephen Kendrick, Jesse Greist and Sunny Joy McMillan
No clue as to what I will need to say in the wake of the election–it will be written I suspect that Saturday (and the victor may not even have been declared at that point–and worse yet, one candidate is already preparing to not accept such a result until–January 6th?). So I will be speaking on … Continue reading “The To-Do List”
Well, this is it–the election is now upon us (though don’t expect it to be clarified until perhaps the weekend–see below!), and it is time to marshal our thoughts and hopes in the light of our free faith tradition. Plus excerpts from one of the greatest speeches ever written, RFK’s “Ripples of Hope” speech delivered in … Continue reading “The Soul of Democracy”
Sunday, October 20, 10:30am W.E.B. DeBois called the rich heritage of Black spirituals, “Sorrow Songs,” and he was not wrong–but he also called them songs of spiritual striving. In thinking about how we deal with adversity, and this election season feels like a long, hard slog of worry as well as hope, I keep coming back … Continue reading “The Uses of Adversity”
We all have conflicted and complicated ideas of how to deal with the past–particularly our own past, with its sweetness and bitterness all combined, our triumphs and our unrecoverable mistakes. We can’t change the past, but our attitudes towards how we deal with the past will shape every day of our lives to come…Led by Rev. … Continue reading “Advice from Satchel Paige”
