November 8, 2020
On November 8, 2020, I preached on “Post-Election Healing”. If you watch on Youtube, click on “show more” to see the Order of Service and time timestamps.
November 1, 2020
We took a healing look at death and the afterlife from a UU perspective. Guest appearances by Carolyn McCreary and The Artemis Singers. If you watch on YouTube, click on “show more” to see the Order of Service.
October 25, 2020
Our live, online-only worship for October 25, 2020 was “Listening to Your Inner Voice”. If you watch on YouTube, click on “show more” to see the Order of Service and blue time stamps.
October 18, 2020
On October 18, 2020, we thought about listening deeply to children. If you watch the video on YouTube, click on “Show More” to see the Order of Service and blue time stamps.
October 11, 2020
In honor of Indigenous Peoples’ Day, First Church Unitarian in Littleton’s live, online-only worship on October 11, 2020 was “Why Listen? An Indigenous Perspective”, with a homily by FCU’s own Lorinda Morimoto.
October 4, 2020
Starting the October Soul Matters theme of “deep listening”, we considered what we can learn from listening to the animals, on the Feast Day (in the Christian tradition) of St. Francis of Assisi. If you watch on YouTube, click on “show more” and you will see the Order of Service as well as blue time stamps that enable you to move to various worship elements.
September 27, 2020
This was the live worship service of First Church Unitarian in Littleton, Massachusetts, on September 27, 2020. If you watch on YouTube, click on “Show More” to see the Order of Service. The blue time stamps allow you to go directly to any particular worship element.
September 20, 2020
This was the live online worship service of First Church Unitarian in Littleton, Massachusetts, on September 20, 2020. When you watch the video on YouTube, click on “show more”, and you will see the Order of Service. The blue time stamps for each worship element enable you to skip forward or back to any particular time in the service. This service includes an excerpt from the book “Bossypants” by Tina Fey.
September 13, 2020
This was our live online-only (virtual) Ingathering and Water Communion service on September 13, 2020. When you watch on YouTube, click on “show more” below to see the Order of Service and blue time stamps that allow you to move from one worship element to another.
June 21, 2020
“Flower Communion Sunday and Farewell” to our DRE, Vicki Merriam. When you watch the video on YouTube, click on “show more” to see blue time stamps that will enable you to move forward or back to any particular worship element.
June 14, 2020
In honor of LGBTQ Pride, my homily began to take a closer look at the gender binary, its limitations, and how we can be better allies with our transgender siblings. Former FCU minister Rev. Fred Small’s song “Everything Possible” was featured, along with “The Rhythm of Life”.
June 7, 2020
We welcome some new members and award the Keeper of the Flame! Also, it was the “world premiere video” for “Spirit of Life” with signing by Lorinda Morimoto.
May 31, 2020
Rev. Jackie Clement, FCU member and retired UU minister, preaches! In times of stress or loss, in times like these, we seek equilibrium. We each have our own ways of doing that — through nature, through prayer or music or service or connection with others; through many avenues. But the one thing all of these ways share, is that they help us to make meaning. As we try to move closer to being fine, let us make meaning together.
May 24, 2020
In honor of Memorial Day, I took a look at what patriotism means. And, what do flags have to do with it? If you watch on YouTube, in the description you can click on “show more”. The blue time stamps will let you move forward and back to any worship element.
May 17, 2020
Lots of great surprises in this one! Click on “show more” in the description at YouTube and you will see blue time stamps the allow you to go forward and back to particular worship elements. Don’t miss the great skit (Time for All Ages)… don’t miss learning about A Well-Fed World… Don’t miss the video made just for us by Maple Farm Sanctuary. And more!
May 10, 2020
For Mother’s Day in our online-only worship, we explored “motherly love” and nurturing. After my remarks, there is a video with pictures submitted by members and friends of FCU of people who offered them motherly love, or to whom they offered such love. If you watch the video on YouTube, you can click on “show more” and use the blue time stamps to go forward (or back) to any particular worship element.
May 3, 2020
Our online-only worship service on May 3, 2020 was “Of Covid and Covenant”. If you go to YouTube to watch, click on “show more” in the description. The time stamps (in blue) will enable you to move forward and back to any particular worship element. (Note: in the process of editing in the YouTube studio, I inadvertently deleted the Community Matters announcements by Lezli Whitehouse and the Reading of the Warrant by our Clerk, Lori Grant. I apologize! – Rev. Lara)
April 26, 2020
A service in honor of the 50th Anniversary of Earth Day! Learn about Project C.U.R.E. during our virtual Share-the-Plate. See some great images during the Time for All Ages. Listen to Molly Lozeau’s playing. And watch my homily/video about the climate crisis in the time of Covid-19, and what it might mean. If you watch this video on YouTube, go down to the description and click “show more”. There you’ll see blue time stamps that will let you go to (or return to) any particular worship element.
April 19, 2020
In honor of the 100th Anniversary of Women’s Suffrage in the USA, FCU’s Artemis Singers bring us “Suffragette Sunday”! If you go to the YouTube link and click on “show more” in the description, you will see the Order of Service with blue time stamps that will enable you to move forward or back to any particular worship element. Service description: “We look back at a time just after the 1918 Spanish Flu epidemic and during World War I as women were finally able to get enough support to pass the 19th amendment of the United State Constitution. The women who led the movement inspire us by their courage, commitment, and persistence. In this service, we will hear the voices of the most prominent suffragettes and sing songs of the movement. The children join us in our virtual choir for the prelude and postlude.”
April 12, 2020
Our 5th online-only worship service, and the first-ever online-only Easter Sunday Service for First Church Unitarian in Littleton, Massachusetts! If you watch this on Youtube and click on “see more”, you can use the blue time stamps to skip forward (or back) to any particular worship element.
April 9, 2020
First Church Unitarian in Littleton, Massachusetts, had a virtual Maundy Thursday Service (with Tenebrae) using the Zoom platform. This video begins with an original piece of music by FCU’s Music Director, Molly Lozeau (“Starlight Song” (c) 2020 Molly Lozeau). I light the chalice and welcome all. FCU Deacons Lynn Courtney, Andy Leyenaar, and Cindy Malley lead communion and much of the service, as is the FCU tradition.
April 5, 2020
On April 5, 2020, the First Church Unitarian of Littleton, Massachusetts had its fourth online-only worship service during the COVID-19 pandemic. Before this service started, we showed a video (with original music by our Music Director) for the gathering time. You can see that video here. The service was titled “Of Plagues, Hardened Hearts, and Wandering in the Wilderness”. The topic was chosen in honor of Passover, which our Jewish siblings, friends and neighbors would celebrate the next week. If you watch the video on Youtube and go to the description, click on “See more”. There, you will see blue time stamps that enable you to move forward and back to any individual worship element.
March 29, 2020
This is the third online-only worship service for First Church Unitarian in Littleton, MA. The title for my reflection this week came from an episode of Cosmos from a few years ago. William Herschel, an astronomer born in 1738, was “the first person to understand that a telescope is a time machine”. With a powerful telescope like Hubble, you can see not only incredibly far away, but also incredibly long ago; you can stand (or sit) on the earth and see an image from before the earth even existed! Even looking at the night sky with your naked eye, you can see celestial objects that might not exist anymore. My reflection considers some of the theological implications that come from the realities of looking up at “a sky full of ghosts”. If you watch on Youtube, go down to the description and click on “show more”. Then you can use the blue time stamps to go forward, or back, to any particular worship element.
March 22, 2020
First Church Unitarian in Littleton, Massachusetts, has moved to online-only worship in this time of social distancing for Covid-19. We had planned to use Youtube Live with just the service participants, but we did not have that option this week. At the last minute, we switched over to an open Zoom format for the congregation. Below are the times if you want to skip ahead or go back to a particular worship element. The Order of Service: Prelude: Brian Tarbox on flute 0:00; Call to Worship: words of Lynn Ungar (read by Rev. Lara Hoke) 2:35; Chalice Lighting (Violet Malley) 4:32; Words of Welcome (Lara) 5:12; Time for All Ages: Aesop’s fable “Bundle of Sticks” (DRE Vicki Merriam) 7:25; Musical interlude (Music Director Molly Lozeau) 10:37; Special Guest Appearance by the Deacons (Andy Leyenaar, Cindy Malley, Lynn Courtney) 13:50; Offering – Virtual Share the Plate: COVID-19 Fund of the United Way of Mass Bay and Merrimack Valley (Guest: Lisa Rowan-Gillis) 18:17; Offertory (Molly) 21:48; Remarks (Short Sermon): “An Evolution of Love” (Lara) 23:16; (Prerecorded) Choral Interlude: The Church Choir 35:18; Improvisational flute (Brian) 37:25; Benediction 40:15; Postlude (Molly) 42:00
March 15, 2020
First Online-Only Worship Service in 306 Years of First Church Unitarian, Littleton, MA history! Order of Service: Prelude (Molly Lozeau) Call to worship: “Pandemic” by Lynn Ungar (Rev. Lara Hoke) Chalice Lighting (Vicki Merriam) Words of Welcome (Lara) Time for All Ages (Vicki) Musical interlude (Molly) Teach-in: “Fuente de Amor” (Rev. Jackie Clement and John Ford) Joys & Concerns Prayer, Time of Silence #123 “Spirit of Life”/“Fuente de Amor” Offering – Opportunity for Generosity: Loaves & Fishes Benediction Postlude [Afterwards: Online / Virtual Coffee Hour (via Zoom)]
March 1, 2020
Longtime First Church Unitarian in Littleton member David Butz, old 60’s era environmentalist and white-haired engineer, has been digging into the details of “green” energy options and finds that things may not be quite as simple as we think, nor the solutions as obvious. In this sermon, he shares his thoughts. Here are a couple of handouts that David made for the service:
February 23, 2020
This video starts with a Time for All Ages featuring a piece created by Rev. Erika Hewitt (I do my own take on it here). Then comes my short sermon “Leap (Year) of Faith”.
February 9, 2020
On February 9, 2020, FCU had our Stewardship Sunday. What a great day! Unfortunately you won’t get to hear the great music or taste the awesome chili from the Chili Cook-Off after the service… But here are three of the amazing testimonials from members (Eric Semple, Sara Cope, and Tatum Joy Hammer) of FCU and my brief reflection.
February 2, 2020
Rev. Dr. Michelle Walsh was the guest preacher at First Church Unitarian in Littleton, Massachusetts on February 2, 2020. Her sermon was “The Times, They Are A-Changin'”. Rev. Dr. Walsh, LICSW, is a Unitarian Universalist community minister and shares a private justice consulting and spiritual coaching practice known as Tuckerman Creative Ministries for Justice and Healing with her husband, Rev. Dr. Clyde Grubbs. She also has worked as a scholar activist for many years in urban contexts, teaches as a lecturer at Boston University, and is the author of Violent Trauma, Culture and Power: An Interdisciplinary Exploration in Lived Religion as well as chapters in other volumes.
January 26, 2020
What does it mean to “age gracefully”, and is it any different from “aging with grace”? I preached on some spiritual aspects of aging.
January 19, 2020
On January 19, 2020 we celebrated Martin Luther King Sunday. In this video, you will see Kris Ersland present the “Social Justice Moment”, sharing a video featuring civil rights leader John Lewis (and thanking FCU member Caroline Marvin along with FCU). There is also an unveiling of a portrait of a young John Lewis from the Civil Rights Movement, which now hangs in our Vestry. Finally, I share my short sermon, “Good Trouble”, with a titled inspired by the words of Lewis.
January 12, 2020
Nothing from nothing leaves nothing… Or so they say. How did the universe come into existence from nothing — or did it? And does it matter (no pun intended)? Lawrence Krauss’s book “A Universe from Nothing” was considered, along with other sources. At the end you will find bonus postlude music, “Nothing from Nothing” by Billy Preston, performed by our Music Director Molly Lozeau.
January 5, 2020
“Remembrance Sunday” is an annual FCU tradition when we light Candles of Love and Memory to recall irreplaceable family and friends who died in the past year. We also light Candles of Hope and Joy to celebrate children dear to us who were born in the past year. This video shows the end of the service, where I share an excerpt from “Charlotte’s Web” by E. B. White and a brief sermon, “Web of Life”.
December 22, 2019
On Sunday, December 22, 2019, my short sermon was “An Apocryphal Christmas”. This video starts with two excerpts from “apocryphal” nativity stories, the first from the Arabic Infancy Gospel (at 0:00, read by Deacon Cindy Malley), and the second from the Gospel of James (at 3:52). The short sermon begins at 9:38.
December 8, 2019
In our culture, it’s common to hear the words, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.” In this sermon, I talked about what it means to “fix” things, at a deeper level.
December 1, 2019
The guest preacher at First Church Unitarian in Littleton, Massachusetts on December 1, 2019 was the Rev. Dr. Clyde Grubbs. Rev. Dr. Grubbs’s sermon was “Tisquanta’s Gift”. Description: “According to written sources, an American Indian came among the settlers in the Plymouth Plantation soon after arrival and taught them essential knowledge that was key to their survival. Who was this mystery man whom the English speaking Pilgrims called Squanto?” The Rev. Dr. Clyde Grubbs is a Unitarian Universalist minister who served congregations in Indiana, Quebec, Massachusetts, Texas, Florida, and California. He is presently serving as Minister at Large of the Tuckerman Creative Ministries for Justice and Healing. Clyde honors his Native American heritage (Texas Cherokee) which informs his spiritual understanding and practice, and his anti-racist and anti-oppressive commitment. He has worked for peace, justice, and equality since he was in the Unitarian Universalist youth movement, Liberal Religious Youth.
November 24, 2019
On November 24, 2019, we had a “whole church” (multi-generational) Thanksgiving service. You will see some of the highlights here, including the time for all ages, led by DRE Vicki Merriam, where we made a tapestry together; a gorgeous performance by the choir (led by Music Director Molly Lozeau) of “Alleluia” by R. Thompson; a homily by me; and the end of the cornbread and cider communion, led by our deacons.
November 17, 2019
“The Question Box” (Also known as “Ask the Minister”)! Many Unitarian Universalist congregations have the tradition of setting aside one Sunday a year as the “Question Box” service. I gave it a shot! In place of a sermon, I answered questions submitted by the congregation. [One note/errata: I credited a quotation to Rev. Forrest Church, but in fact it was a quotation by Rev. John Buehrens (I was thinking of the right book, “Our Chosen Faith”, which was co-written by Church and Buehrens).]
November 10, 2019
Coinciding with the 550th anniversary of the birth of Guru Nanak, I preached about Sikhism. The 3rd source of UUism is wisdom from the world’s religions. How much do you know about Sikhism, the 5th largest organized world religion? This religious tradition is very dear to me, and I wanted to share something about it with the wonderful people of FCU.
November 3, 2019
This was my “response” (of a sort) to the previous week’s sermon (“God Is Not God’s Name”) by guest preacher (and former FCU interim minister) Rev. Steve Edington! Some Unitarian Universalists are agnostics; some are atheists; some believe in “God”, but just what does that mean? Do you have (what some have called) “a God concept”? Here I share some of my own ways of thinking about God, or “God”.
October 27, 2019
On October 27, 2019, Rev. Steve Edington (beloved former interim minister) returned to the FCU pulpit! The sermon title is also the title of a recently published book by Steve. It traces his religious and spiritual journey from an evangelical Baptist church in southern West Virginia to a forty-year career as a Unitarian Universalist minister; and offers some of the insights and conclusions he has come to along the way. Steve’s sermon has to do with how we explore and cultivate a relationship with that which we sense is greater than ourselves without getting too ensnared in religious language or terminology. It is part of our human condition to look beyond ourselves for some greater meaning or purpose in our lives. Our various religions have sought to deal with this condition—and it is a condition we all encounter however “religious” or not we may consider ourselves to be. Steve is the Minister Emeritus of the Unitarian Universalist Church of Nashua, New Hampshire—a congregation he served for twenty-four years. He has also been an interim minister for several New England UU congregations—including a very delightful time at FCU! Currently Steve is the quarter-time consulting minister for the UU Church of Franklin, New Hampshire. Steve and his wife, Michele, live in Nashua.
October 20, 2019
The FCU delegates for last year’s UU General Assembly (i.e., the offsite delegates and I) all learned a lot from a workshop on the topic of “white fragility” co-presented by Robin DiAngelo (author of “White Fragility: Why It’s So Hard for White People to Talk About Racism”) and Aisha Hauser, a UU religious educator. Why is it so often unsettling for white people to talk about race?