November 6, 2022
- Bill Duston
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Thea Shapiro
- Toward a Psychology of Being
- Human Potential Movement
- psychology
- Time for All Ages
- Transpersonal Psychology
An auction-sermon topic! Interesting stuff, to me.
All Sermons
“Dia de los Muertos”
October 30, 2022
- Peter Ersland
- Rev. Jackie Clement
- Thea Shapiro
- ancestors
- death
- Dia de los Muertos
- Native American
- Time for All Ages
FCU’s own (retired UU minister) Rev. Jackie Clement led a wonderful multigenerational service on “Dia de los Muertos” (“Day of the Dead”).
“Guns and the Culture of Violence”
October 23, 2022
I discuss guns and the culture of violence in the USA in light of Littleton’s own gun issue.
“Bobby Socks and the Bomb: The Spirituality of the 1950s”
October 16, 2022
The first in my series on the spirituality of modern US decades; I consider the spiritual lessons of the 1950s. Unfortunately, the first 28 minutes of the video were lost. The video starts at the very end of the choir’s anthem. Don’t miss the postlude!
“The Spirituality of Land Acknowledgement”
October 9, 2022
- Cindy Malley
- Lorinda Morimoto
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Thea Shapiro
- We All Go Back to the Land: The Who, Why, and How of Land Acknowledgements
- American Indian
- anti-racism
- Indigenous Peoples' Day
- Native American
- Time for All Ages
- white supremacy culture
For Indigenous Peoples Day Sunday, I preached on land acknowledgement and the reality that our church is on the historical lands of the Nashobah Praying Indians. Lorinda Morimoto also shared her own perspective.
“Behold, I’m Doing a New Thing”
October 2, 2022
I considered change and impermanence, and was bold (or foolhardy) enough to end with a reworking of Isaiah 43:18-19, which was the inspiration for the sermon title, of course.
“Blowing Our Own Horn: A UU Appreciation of Rosh Hashanah”
September 25, 2022
I explored the Jewish New Year, or Rosh Hashanah, and attempted to demonstrate some shofar blasts and their meanings. We had some difficulty with sound in this video.
“21st Century Transcendentalism”
September 18, 2022
- Patti Sardella
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Emerson's Essays
- Margaret Fuller: A New American Life
- Spiritual Pilgrim: Awakening Journeys of a 21st Century Transcendentalist
- The Transcendentalists and Their World
- Theodore Parker Sermons
- Transcendentalism Yesterday and Today
- Walden
- Advocates
- Transcendentalism
- Unitarian Universalism
I have been reading a lot about Transcendentalism lately. It occurred to me… we are Transcendentalists today! Upon reading further, other UUs agree (notably retired UU ministers Rev. Barry Andrews and Rev. Jim Sherblom, both of whose books confirmed many of the thoughts I have been having, including even Peter Mayer’s “Holy Now” as a Transcendentalist song… great minds think alike? (Unfortunately we had technical difficulties on this day and the first half of the service is missing from this video.)
Ingathering and Water Communion
September 11, 2022
Our annual Ingathering and Water Communion Service!
Flower Communion
June 19, 2022
- Cindy Malley
- Debbie Eston
- Karen Tucker-Barisano
- Laura Semple
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Thea Shapiro
- Flower Communion
- keeper of the flame
- Time for All Ages
Our annual Flower Communion Service and the presentation of our Keeper of the Flame award!
“LGBTQ+ Soul and Spirit”
June 12, 2022
I preached on a “Talent Auction” requested topic; namely, what is the impact on the spirit of growing up and going through life as an LGBTQ person? We also had a share-the-plate for The Bike Connector.
“The Question Box, Take Two”
June 5, 2022
We finish up the “Question Box” (aka “Ask the Minister”) that we started on May 15. Lots of great questions!
“Happy to Be Here”
May 29, 2022
FCU’s own Rev. Jackie Clement guest preaches!
“Theology of Baseball”
May 22, 2022
I give my own take on a “baseball theology”. Special music!
“The Question Box”
May 15, 2022
- Cindy Malley
- Debbie Eston
- Larry Kaylor
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Ask the Minister
- Question Box
- Time for All Ages
- Trevor Project
We just get started on “The Question Box” (aka “Ask the Minister”)… We have a Share-the-Plate for the Trevor Project.
“Motherhood and Choice”
May 8, 2022
- Debbie Eston
- Jen Jaksa
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Mother's Day
- parenthood
- reproductive justice
- Time for All Ages
We think about motherhood for Mother’s Day, in light of the leaked Supreme Court decision on Roe v. Wade.
“May Day”
May 1, 2022
Director of Religious Education Thea Shapiro led a May Day service, complete with joyful dancing around the maypole!
“Earth within You”
April 24, 2022
An Earth Day service, with a special meditation.
“We Rise” – Easter Service 2022
April 17, 2022
- Monica Pilman
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Thea Shapiro
- The Underground Church: Reclaiming the Subversive Way of Jesus
- early Christianity
- Easter
- Jesus
- resurrection
Another look at Easter — we rise together. Lots of influence from Robin Meyer’s work.
“A Unitarian Universalist Look at Prayer”
April 10, 2022
We took a UU-influenced look at prayer.
“Of Faith and Force”
April 3, 2022
We considered religious thought and the use of force.
“The Littlest Thing Can Begin a Transformation of Your Mind, Heart and Spirit”
March 27, 2022
- Bob Williams
- Dave T
- Debbie Eston
- Larry Kaylor
- Rich Lombardy
- Sam Williams
- Susan Tordella-Williams
- hope
- prison
- prison ministry
- Time for All Ages
- transformation
I powerful talk by a formerly incarcerated person. Share-the-Plate for Concord Prison Outreach.
“Being Peace: Remembering Thich Nhat Hanh”
March 20, 2022
A service to remember and celebrate the life and teachings of the Zen master Thich Nhat Hanh.
“Stewards of Hope”
March 13, 2022
Our annual stewardship Sunday, with a couple of special videos.
“The Best of All Possible Worlds?”
March 6, 2022
- Cindy Malley
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Thea Shapiro
- Gottfried Leibniz
- midrashim
- theodicy
- theology
- Time for All Ages
- Ukraine
- Voltaire
Could this possibly be the best of all possible worlds? Does it matter?
“Preach It, Sister!”
February 27, 2022
- Monica Pilman
- Rev. Jackie Clement
- Rev. Kathryn Pfaltzgraff
- ministry
- Time for All Ages
- women's rights
FCU’s own members and (retired) ministers Rev. Jackie (UU) and Rev. Kathryn (Church of the Brethren) preach!
“The Meeting House and the Temple”
February 20, 2022
- Monica Pilman
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Thea Shapiro
- A Religion for One World: Art and Symbols for a Universal Religion
- Charles Street Meeting House
- symbolism
- theology
- Time for All Ages
- worship space
We considered Ken Patton’s distinction between the “meeting house” and the “temple”.
“Toward Spiritual Wholeness”
February 13, 2022
- Bill Duston
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Thea Shapiro
- 8th Principle
- anti-racism
- spirituality
- white supremacy culture
We considered the proposed 8th Principle and the connection to spiritual wholeness.
“Disenchanted, Re-enchanted”
February 6, 2022
Can you get your enchantment back?
“The Secret to Happiness”
January 30, 2022
Our lead deacon Cindy Malley preached!
“Losers”
January 23, 2022
We considered whether losing can be beautiful…
“MLK Sunday”
January 16, 2022
Our annual Martin Luther King, Jr. Sunday service, thinking about voting rights then and now.
“Fear Itself”
January 9, 2022
- Bill Duston
- Molly Lozeau
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Thea Shapiro
- fear
- online worship
- spiritual practice
- Time for All Ages
We had an online-only worship service on Zoom, thinking about fear.
“Remembrance Sunday”
January 2, 2022
- Bill Duston
- Cindy Malley
- Martha Childs
- Monica Pilman
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Thea Shapiro
- afterlife
- new life
- remembrance
- Time for All Ages
An annual tradition: on the first Sunday of the new year, we remember those we lost in the past year, and celebrate those born in the past year. Co-led by me (Rev. Lara) and the Deacons.
“Potpourri Sunday”
December 26, 2021
An annual tradition! The Deacons led a service of sharing.
“Christmas Eve Service”
December 24, 2021
- Bill Duston
- Cindy Malley
- David Grober
- Monica Pilman
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Thea Shapiro
- Christmas
- nativity
- Time for All Ages
Our (hybrid) Christmas Eve Service was a little different this year! We started out inside, then ended outside by the fire pit so that we could have some singing. It was lovely!
“No Rehearsal Pageant”
December 19, 2021
- Bob Williams
- Debbie Eston
- Emily Welch
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Sara Cope
- Susan Tordella
- Thea Shapiro
- Christmas
- nativity
- Time for All Ages
Director of Religious Education Thea Shapiro led the whole congregation through a jolly no-rehearsal pageant! We had lots of fun.
“Cosmic Consciousness?”
December 12, 2021
I continued with my “Consciousness Series”, considering “cosmic consciousness” and whether the Universe might be conscious.
“Merry Agnostic Christmas”
December 5, 2021
- Carolyn McCreary
- Cindy Malley
- Monica Pilman
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Roger Price
- Thea Shapiro
- agnosticism
- Christmas
- nativity
- online worship
During “red light” conditions, we worshiped online-only. Guest preacher and FCU deacon Cindy Malley discusses what Christmas means to her as an agnostic.
“In the Hanukkah Story”
November 28, 2021
- Andrea Price
- Bob Williams
- Cindy Malley
- Jen Jaksa
- Martha Childs
- Rev. Lara Hoke
- Roger Price
- Hanukkah
- Judaism
- online worship
During our “red light” conditions, we worshiped online-only. We discussed who we might be in the Hanukkah story.
“Giving Thanks”
November 21, 2021
We did something a little different this year. Because of “yellow light” Covid-19 conditions, we could not do our traditional Cornbread Communion. Instead, the Deacons and I used menti.com to have folks share something that made them feel grateful.
“Choice Ancestors”
November 14, 2021
I explore the Soul Matters theme “holding history”, thinking about ancestors.
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