The true preacher can be known by this, that he deals out to the people his life ... life passed through the fire of thought.
In Thoreau’s Walden, he wrote that he had three chairs: “one for solitude, two for friendship, three for society.” These three relationships are all relevant for spiritual life. Thoreau is remembered as a solitary prophet for the interdependent web, yet he left behind ideas about a multi-faceted search for meaning. This sermon was given to the UUs of Fallston on May 20, 2012.
1 week agoCellist Pablo Casals wrote that we should teach children that they are miracles, and that “we must all work to make the world worthy of its children.” This Mother’s Day, many of us have complicated feelings about parents and parenting, yet all of us have something to offer to make the world worthy of its children.
2 weeks agoPastoral Prayer for Union Sunday 2012
by Rev. Lyn Cox
Spirit of Life,
Who draws us together in a web of holy relationships,
Make your presence known with us and in us and among us.
Remind us that we are not alone in history,
Ignite us with the courage of the living tradition.
Remind us that we are not alone in entering the future,
Anchor us with patience and perseverance.
Remind us that we are not alone in our times of grief and pain,
Comfort us with your spirit, manifest in human hands and voices.
Remind us that we are not alone in joy and wonder,
Inspire us to honor and extend the beauty we find in this world.
Divine music of the universe,
Let our hearts beat in diverse and harmonious rhythms,
Cooperating with an everlasting dance of love.
May we move with the rhythms of peace.
May we move with the rhythms of compassion.
May we move with the rhythms of justice.
Source of stars and planets and water and land
Open our hearts to all of our neighbors
Open our souls to a renewal of faith
Open our hands to join together in the work ahead.
So be it, blessed be, amen.
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By way of context, the First Unitarian Church of Baltimore hosts a major guest speaker each year to speak about a vision for shaping our faith movement. UU’s from all over the region are invited to participate. The event is called Union Sunday and commemorates the Baltimore Sermon of 1819. This year’s guest was Rev. Marta Valentin. She spoke about understanding Unitarian Universalism as a sanctuary, especially as we consider what our calling might be in response to unjust immigration policy. I wrote this pastoral prayer for today’s service.
3 weeks agoIn honor of Earth Day, this sermon examines the possibility of caring for our planet, our local environments, and our own bodies as ecologically mindful spiritual practices.
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1 month agoThis Easter Sunday sermon is about the practices that help us to develop into a community of healing. Our ability to listen, to be companions, and to celebrate humanness helps us to highlight the wholeness that springs from within every person. Jesus’ healer aspect provides hints about what ordinary people can do, just as we are, to honor each other with healing presence. This sermon was written for the Unitarian Universalists of Fallston for April 8, 2012.
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1 month agoIn honor of U.N. World Water Day, stories about Miriam the Prophet provide a framework for understanding our spiritual and moral calling with regard to the human right to water.
2 months agoFlip to the inside front cover of some of the most beloved fictional classics and you’ll find maps. These imaginary landscapes may be fantasy, yet they tell stories that are true about separation and obstacles. Similarly, sacred texts from various traditions use terrain metaphors to discuss topics such as perception and the goals of spiritual community.
This sermon was written for the Unitarian Universalists of Fallston, March 11, 2012.
2 months ago(Source: uuquotes)
2 months agoUnitarian Universalist theology affirms the individual search, yet we do have a coherent tradition that offers a sustaining vision for religious life. I am particularly inspired this week by A House for Hope: The Promise of Progressive Religion for the Twenty-first Century by John Buehrens and Rebecca Parker. This sermon was written for the February 26 service with the Unitarian Universalists of Fallston.
3 months ago