December 24, 2018

• Rev. Lara Hoke
• Christmas
• Jesus

My Christmas Eve homily for 2018. Is your heart prepared to do the work of Christmas?

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December 23, 2018

• Rev. Lara Hoke
• Carl Jung
• psychology

In this month of mystery, I continue on with a look at the ideas of Carl Jung. We usually think of our “shadow side” as scary and negative. In the midst of this dark time of year, I consider Jung’s concept of the shadow and whether there’s something useful lurking there.

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December 9, 2018

• Rev. Lara Hoke
• The Tao of Psychology: Synchronicity and Self
• Carl Jung
• interdependent web
• psychology
• synchronicity
• Taoism

In this sermon, I talk about the connection between psychiatrist Carl Jung’s theory of synchronicity, the Tao of Taoism, Alice in Wonderland, and the Seventh Principle of Unitarian Universalism (the “interdependent web of all existence”). What might this offer for your life?

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December 2, 2018

• Rev. Lara Hoke
• Hanukkah
• Judaism
• miracles

This sermon is an appreciation of the Jewish holiday Hanukkah from my (inevitably) UU perspective. I consider the difference between what is a miracle, and what is mundane.

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November 18, 2018

• Rev. Lara Hoke
• thanksgiving

The highlight of FCU’s annual Thanksgiving Service is really the Cornbread and Cider Communion. But you really need to be there for that! Here’s my reflection, to share one small piece of the service.

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November 11, 2018

• Rev. Lara Hoke
• UU history

When I have given a brief overview of UU history to newcomers, there is sometimes still a bit of mystery in the air. Namely — hold on — did modern Unitarian Universalism come from Puritanism? My sermon attempts to explain this phenomenon. Learn about your puritanical spiritual ancestors, and how this history is relevant today. This sermon was preached on November 11, 2018 (Note: The Unitarians and Universalists merged into the Unitarian Universalist Association in 1961. It sure sounds like I say 1969 in the sermon; if so, I misspoke! It was 1961. In any case, most of what I learned about this era of Unitarian history I learned from Prof. David Hall at Harvard Divinity School in the fall of 1994. I will be forever grateful. Any mistakes are my own.)

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November 4, 2018

• Rev. Lara Hoke
• blues
• music
• race

At the UU General Assembly in June 2015 (in Portland, Oregon), Cornel West delivered the Ware Lecture. It was a rousing talk, and he had much to say in appreciation of Unitarian Universalism’s justice efforts. One of the intriguing bits of advice the Dr. West gave, at least to my ears, was that Unitarian Universalists “should learn from the blues people”. West has written (in Democracy Matters) that we should “learn from the blues people how to keep alive our democratic energies” in difficult times. He wrote, “In the face of cynical and disillusioned acquiescence to the status quo, we must draw on the tragicomic”. He talks about “the black invention of the blues in the face of white supremacist powers.” West tells us to listen to the people who formed their music on “the night side of America”—music that is “open to people of all colors”—music that “expresses righteous indignation with a smile and deep inner pain without bitterness or revenge”. Further recommended viewing: Cornel West’s Ware Lecture: click here
Selected blues videos shown after the November 4 service: click here

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October 21, 2018

• Rev. Lara Hoke
• Unitarian Universalism

This is my best attempt to answer the “auction sermon” winner’s question: is Unitarian Universalism a religion?

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October 14, 2018

• Rev. Lara Hoke

What can we learn from the behavior of the lost?

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September 30, 2018

• Rev. Lara Hoke
• immigration
• sanctuary

In the Sweet Honey in the Rock song, Ysaye M. Barnwell asks, “Would you harbor me? Would I harbor you?” In this sermon, I talk about what it is to offer safe harbor and sanctuary, particularly to our immigrant and refugee siblings.

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