October 13, 2019
On October 13, 2019, we recognized Indigenous Peoples’ Day at First Church Unitarian in Littleton, MA. The sermon was in two parts. The first was “We’re Still Here”, by FCU’s Racial Justice Action Committee co-chair, Lorinda Morimoto. The second part was “Acknowledging Whose Land We Stand On” by FCU deacon Lynn Courtney.
October 6, 2019
I preached the following short sermon at the “whole church” (multi-generational) Sunday service in honor of St. Francis. The statistics cited come from these sources: According to a recent Public Policy Polling: Six out of ten Americans own a pet. (That number might be low; another poll suggests that it’s closer to seven out ten Americans who own a pet.) From http://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp One in five Americans report a preference for spending time with their pets rather than most human beings. From http://www.publicpolicypolling.com/main/2013/06/animals-and-pets-poll-american-prefer-dogs-fear-snakes.html The American Pet Products Association gathers statistics on how much Americans spend on their pets – including pet expenses such as food, their medicines and veterinary care, their grooming and boarding, and the initial cost of purchasing a pet. According to these statistics, it is estimated that in 1994, twenty-five years ago, Americans spent 17 billion dollars on our pets. Ten years after that, 15 years ago in 2004, we doubled it, spending more than $34 billion on our pets. The latest number, as of 2017? Doubled again! We spent almost $70 billion on our pets. From http://www.americanpetproducts.org/press_industrytrends.asp and https://www.vmdtoday.com/news/american-pet-spending-reaches-new-high Today there are about 900 million dogs on the planet. From https://www.worldatlas.com/articles/how-many-dogs-are-there-in-the-world.html
September 29, 2019
On September 29, 2019 at the First Church Unitarian, Littleton, MA, we had a “Unitarian Universalist Appreciation of Rosh Hashanah”. Together, we learned a few things about this important Jewish holiday and a few of its traditions. Here you will see a bit about the shofar and hear some brief remarks I made, ending with an excerpt (just the very beginning and ending) of a ritual inspired by the Jewish tradition of Tashlich, or “casting”.
September 22, 2019
There’s a good chance that in recent years you’ve heard someone say, “Impact is more important than intent.” Do intentions matter? If so, how much? Should we ever “assume good intentions”? And what does it have to do with privilege?
September 15, 2019
I preached this sermon at First Church Unitarian in Littleton on September 15, 2019. My sermon title was inspired by the song of the same name, composed by Rabbi Shoshana Meira Friedman and Yotam Schachter. The sermon came before the September 20 youth-led Global Climate Strike, demanding that transformative action is taken to address the climate crisis. (Gratitude to Rev. Peggy Clarke and other UU ministers who created a worship resource to help with this service. And gratitude for the folks from FCU who indeed went to the Boston Climate Strike on September 20!)
June 16, 2019
I preached this short sermon for our whole church (multi-generational) Flower Communion service.
June 2, 2019
What do you long for? I preached about longing and belonging. Recommended reading: “The Long Loneliness: The Autobiography of the Legendary Catholic Social Activist” by Dorothy Day.
May 26, 2019
I preached this sermon in honor of Memorial Day. The title comes from the quotation by Pope Paul VI: “If you want peace, work for justice.”
May 19, 2019
I was raised a UU, but I’d choose it for myself, too! I briefly explain some of the reasons why.
May 12, 2019
Together we considered Mother’s Day and motherly love. I was inspired by (in addition to my own mother) the poem “The Lanyard” by Billy Collins, which was our reading. You can read the poem here. Also, check out this horrible mug!
April 28, 2019
Unfortunately, the video for this service did not come out in an audible form. Here is the sermon text, which is pretty close to what I actually said that day in sharing my appreciations of Hinduism! I shared some basics about the tradition in the Time for All Ages as well.
April 21, 2019
On Easter Sunday, I preached about the non-canonical Gospel of Thomas, with help from the work of scholar Elaine Pagels, to think about what it might add to our understanding of “resurrection”.
April 7, 2019
I preached a short sermon on the forgotten Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. – the MLK who isn’t often discussed at civic events.
March 31, 2019
I tell a harrowing tale, and then talk about the “gift” of monotony.
March 24, 2019
My sermon considered whether hope is a feeling, or a choice… What does it mean to have hope? How can you find hope, and hold on to it?
March 10, 2019
On March 10, 2019, I was installed as the 28th settled minister of First Church Unitarian in Littleton. The sermon was delivered by the Rev. John Gibbons, and there were many other wonderful speakers and musical performances. It was a joyful afternoon!
March 10, 2019
The video starts with a reading made up of excerpts from Jon Krakauer’s “Into the Wild”. Following that is my sermon, “Lent: Into the Wilderness”. This morning was the first Sunday during Lent, the Christian season leading up to Easter. Specifically, Lent is the 40 days from Ash Wednesday to Easter (leaving out the Sundays). For many Christians, Lent is a time for sacrifice. It’s a time to repent, and take stock. And of course, Lent is to Easter what Advent is for Christmas; a time for preparation. We considered what Lent might offer for 21st century Unitarian Universalists.
March 3, 2019
In the hymn “Spirit of Life” we sing, “Spirit of Life, come unto me. Sing in my heart all the stirrings of compassion.” But why are we so restrictive — so selective — with our compassion at times? In this sermon I consider how we decide to mete out our compassion. And, hot sauce.
February 24, 2019
I preached this sermon on the morning before the Oscars, on the 80th anniversary of “The Wizard of Oz”. Synchronistic events (meaningful coincidences) reminded me of this wonderful story recently (the book as well as the movie). Watch and listen to explore some of the hidden theological and spiritual messages of the great tale by L. Frank Baum! (And note my rainbow stole, as well as my blue gingham shirt in honor of Dorothy’s dress.)
February 10, 2019
On February 10, 2019, I delivered a short “Sermon on the Amount” for Stewardship Sunday.
February 3, 2019
Our Unitarian forebear Ralph Waldo Emerson famously wrote: “A foolish consistency is the hobgoblin of little minds”. My sermon considered wise inconsistencies as well as life’s contradictions and what we can learn from them.
January 27, 2019
My short sermon was part of a whole church (also known as “multi-generational”) worship service reflecting on the concept of “Perfectly Imperfect; Impossibly Possible”, and considering things we “used-to-think”. (The service was followed by a whole church “Winter Comfort” Sunday Social where members and friends were asked to bring their favorite comfort food to share, and to wear pajamas. That is why I’m in pajamas!)
January 13, 2019
In Sanskrit, the word darshan means a chance for a meeting with a holy entity or even the sighting of a deity. In the west, we might call it a chance for holy communion or a Beatific Vision. Have you ever seen a deity? In this sermon, I discuss the day I saw God.
January 6, 2019
This reading (the poem “Astronauts” by the great Robert Hayden) and my short sermon (“Remembering the Astronauts) were shared at the end of Remembrance Sunday. Remembrance Sunday is an annual FCU tradition; the congregation lights Candles of Love and Memory to recall irreplaceable family and friends who died in the past year as well as Candles of Hope and Joy to celebrate children dear to us who were born in the past year. Errata note: The beautiful line in Hayden’s poem is “once Absolute Otherwhere” (not “Everywhere”, as I mistakenly say a couple of times in this video.) My apologies! Read his gorgeous poem at this link.
December 24, 2018
My Christmas Eve homily for 2018. Is your heart prepared to do the work of Christmas?
December 23, 2018
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.
December 9, 2018
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?
December 2, 2018
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.
November 18, 2018
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.
November 11, 2018
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.)
November 4, 2018
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
October 21, 2018
This is my best attempt to answer the “auction sermon” winner’s question: is Unitarian Universalism a religion?
September 30, 2018
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.
September 23, 2018
Just a few weeks into this new settlement, I tried to encourage parishioners to get past fears and to start thinking about changes ahead, even dreams, for First Church Unitarian.
September 9, 2018
Like many Unitarian Universalist congregations, First Church Unitarian in Littleton has a Water Ceremony (sometimes called Water Communion) for its ingathering, homecoming Sunday. This was the all-ages reflection that I delivered that day, my first Sunday leading worship as the settled minister of FCU, September 9, 2018.
September 1, 2018
I haven’t preached this at First Church Unitarian in Littleton… But this is the sermon your search team heard me preach back when I was a pre-candidate! Follen Community Church in Lexington recorded it when I was there on February 18, 2018, so here it is for the rest of you to watch if you like. And seeing as it’s your big chance to learn the meaning of life, you probably want to watch, right?
May 6, 2018
Help, Thanks, Wow—The Three Essential Prayers
April 1, 2018
The Easter story is being told in countless thousands of Christian congregations today. As varied the content of the Sunday services may be from one Christian congregation to the next over the course of a year, they are all on the same page today.
March 25, 2018
Culturally and politically speaking, what is generally referred to as “The Sixties” ran from, I’d say, late 1963 with the Martin Luther King March on Washington and the Kennedy assassination, and ended in the mid-70s with the end of the Vietnam War and the whole Watergate episode. However you frame it, it was a very tumultuous time in our nation’s history; and its legacy and meaning continue to be debated.
March 18, 2018
The spiritual journey is about seeking—and occasionally finding—a sacred or holy or divine dimension to life that resides within this natural world we inhabit.
March 4, 2018
What I want to do this morning is to share with you some of the discussions I’ve been having with prospective ministers for FCU, and tie those discussions to the Stewardship Campaign that is now underway for your 2018-19 church year.
