A FIERCE UNREST The title for this Sunday’s service is drawn from a hymn by the same name whose text suggests that we humans are designed by nature for discontent. And indeed, contentment does seem to be an elusive sensation.  Should we seek or expect it?  Is contentment a worthy...

THE NATURE OF COMPASSION The Dalai Lama says that, “compassion is the radicalism of our time.”   Drawing on the works of Karen Armstrong, interfaith leader Eboo Patel, and our lived experiences, we will explore what it means to live a life of compassion.  What are the obstacles that get in...

THE 10,000 YEAR REVOLUTIONARY Agriculture is approximately 10,000 years old. Thus, it has only been practiced for a very small portion of human existence, yet agriculture is arguably the single most important development in human history. It is also probably the most ecologically disruptive development in human history. A sustainability...

“LIAR, LUNATIC, LEGEND?” An exploration of C. S. Lewis’ comment about Jesus that “a man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic–on a level with a man who says he is...

WHAT STORY SHALL WE TELL? A DIALOGUE BETWEEN SCIENCE AND RELIGION One of the biggest misunderstandings of the liberal religious tradition — by its proponents and its critics — is that we can “believe whatever we want”. In fact, the distinctive approach that Unitarian Universalism brings to the world of...

PRAYER FOR NON-BELIEVERS Prayer is a very “loaded” word in our culture. It carries a lot of baggage. And most people have traveled with that baggage for a long time. When we fly in an aircraft, we are always told to be careful when we unload our baggage from the...

THANK YOU FOR SMILING As a young teenager I adopted the motto, “It is better to light one little candle than to curse the darkness.” This has been my guiding attitude. It has also been my experience that everyone appreciates a smile and warm greetings. My message deals with the...

IN PRAISE OF THE GOD OF DIRT What’s eternity? Can we experience it in the “here and now” of this life? How? Where? Why does life include both joy and pain? These are tough questions! To wrestle with these, we need to use our imaginations. Poetry and music are wonderful...

CELEBRATING PLURALISM SUNDAY WITH OUR ARMS STRETCHED W-I-D-E OPEN I recently learned about Pluralism Sunday and am inspired by its aspiration to build respectful relationships among different religions.  We know this work needs doing every day, not just when bombs explode but every time faith communities explore new ways of...

MOTHERS: THEN AND NOW, PUBLIC AND PRIVATE (A Baker’s Dozen Sunday) Mother’s Day is so much bigger that the bond between someone and their mother or someone who is a mother and her children.  We’ll celebrate and ponder and use both ends of the telescope to honor Mother/mothers/mothering in our own lives...