January 2012
2 posts
Maketh All Things New
As we look to the year stretching ahead of us, we can be certain of uncertainty. The way we relate to each other is our best bet in terms of preparing for a future we can’t yet know. In this regard, Unitarian Universalism has some things in common with the World Wide Web. This sermon was delivered to the UUs of Fallston on January 8, 2012.
Introduction When I was a tween, I was involved...
UU Fallston Adult Religious Education Options
This post is directed at local members and friends of our “brick and mortar” congregation. Long distance friends may want to check out the resources we’re considering for your own study at home.
A four-session adult religious education class led by me (Rev. Lyn) will meet after the service February 12, February 26, March 11, and March 25. We decided at the summer...
December 2011
3 posts
“The shift from postmodernity to participatory culture means people find their...”
– Dr. Ryan Bolger (via azspot)
Interesting perspective. What do you all think? Are there more ways we can create together?
Searching for Calm and Bright
Today’s sermon (December 18, 2011) looks to the Winter Solstice for inspiration in bringing more peace and calm into our lives during what can be a high-pressure time of year.
“Come into my arms and rest, child,” [said Night.] … You were born out of my darkness, billions of years go, and you will return to me when all things end.” (From the story, “The Rebirth of the Sun” by Starhawk,...
Dedication
In advance preparation for Hanukkah, today’s sermon (December 11, 2011) examines two possible motivations for starting over: finding meaning and expressing love.
The Jewish holiday of Hanukkah is coming up in about a week and a half. The eight-day festival begins on the 25th of the Jewish month of Kislev, which this year falls on December 20. With the elementary religious education class...
November 2011
4 posts
Abundance
This sermon, written for the annual Stone Soup Sunday celebration at UUF (20 November, 2011), examines the idea of abundance from the perspective of our inner gifts. What gifts do we have among us in community that can help unlock a practice of generosity and a sense of abundance?
In Jon J. Muth’s retelling of Stone Soup, the villagers have been through a lot: famine, floods, and war....
Sharing
Sharing physical space, food, and spirit are some of the ways to practice recognition of our interdependence. Opening our hearts is difficult in tough times, yet music reminds us of the potential for finding joy in sharing. This sermon was written for the Unitarian Universalists of Fallston and was delivered on November 13, 2011.
A lot of people aren’t sure what to think about the Occupy Wall...
Roll Like Waters
We can find inspiration, encouragement, and resources for resilience in stories from the past, including ancient texts such as the Hebrew Prophets. This sermon was written during the Jewish High Holidays and was presented to the UUs of Fallston on October 9, 2011. (Apologies for the late post.)
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Ancestors
Remembering our beloved dead helps us understand our own place in the world. This sermon was written for the UU’s of Fallston, October 30, 2011.
Falling leaves and changing seasons remind many of us that death is part of life. Our thoughts might turn to those who have gone before. They are with us in mind and heart, and perhaps in other ways as well. Listening through the veil of life and...
August 2011
2 posts
6 tags
“Even when our hearts are broken by our own failure or the failure of others,...”
– Rebecca Parker (Unitarian Universalist, educator, minister, theologian)
“Neither duty nor suffering nor progress nor conflict – not even survival – is...”
– Carl Scovel (Unitarian Universalist, minister)
July 2011
1 post
“There was a dawn I remember when my soul heard something from your soul.
I...”
– Rumi (via revnaomiking)
June 2011
2 posts
Highways and By-Ways
This weeks marks a turn in the liturgical year at the Unitarian Universalists of Fallston. Summer services give lay leaders an opportunity to develop their gifts. (I’ll be spending the summer on research and behind-the-scenes preparation. Sermon posts will begin again in September.) As we prepare for seasonal changes, this week’s sermon focuses on the practice of Universalism as we go...
Make the World More Beautiful
This short homily was written for the annual Flower Celebration, a Unitarian Universalist ceremony of beauty and diversity. It picks up on themes from Miss Rumphius by Barbara Cooney, the Time for All Ages story for that day. This homily was delivered to the UUs of Fallston on June 5, 2011.
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Miss Rumphius invites us to “make the world more beautiful.” I believe we...
May 2011
4 posts
Slow-Growing Trees
Thinking long-term about earth, mind, and spirit allows us to share the blessings of the present with those who will come a long time after us. The title and inspiration for this sermon are from a line in Wendell Berry’s poem, “The Wisdom to Survive.” This sermon was delivered to the Unitarian Universalists of Fallston on May 22, 2011.
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Introduction There are...
“Universalists are often asked to tell where they stand. The only true answer to...”
– L.B. Fisher (Universalist, minister) Which Way? (1921)
The Blessings of Stubborn Rock
Our interactions with nature inspire various strategies for meeting the obstacles that come into our individual and collective lives. The title for this sermon comes from “Hymn to Matter” by Pierre Teilhard de Chardin. This sermon was given to the Unitarian Universalists of Fallston on May 15, 2011.
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Miles and miles of salt flats baked in the sun on either side of the...
April 2011
6 posts
Second Chances
In this Easter sermon, stories of Jesus illustrate some of the ways second chances can meet us in this life. There are second chances that come as unexpected gifts, second chances we make with persistent vision and adaptable strategies, and second chances we co-create through reconciliation. This sermon was delivered on April 24, 2011.
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My family had a Passover seder this week....
“The glory of the imperfect is that it gives to you and to me the great...”
– Eleanor Gordon (Unitarian, minister, member of the Iowa Sisterhood, social reformer)
TIME Cover: No Hell? Pastor Rob Bell Angers... →
For these new thinkers, heaven can mean different things. In some biblical contexts it is a synonym for God. In others it signifies life in the New Jerusalem, which, properly understood, is the reality that will result when God brings together the heavens and the earth. In yet others it seems to suggest moments of intense human communion and compassion that are, in theological terms, glimpses of...
“Religion and education meet in their responsibility to make possible the...”
– Aurelia Henry Reinhardt (Unitarian, educator, reformer)
Sojourn
The Exodus story can be informative as we consider the ambivalent blessing of calling, the perceptive powers of strangeness, and the community of travelers on a spiritual path. This sermon was delivered on April 10, 2011.
I don’t know if the story happened exactly this way, but I believe it’s true. Moshe was tending his father-in-law’s sheep on the rocky mountainside. It was a day much like...
Conscience
Unitarian Universalists affirm “the right of conscience.” As we create space for conscience, it helps to remember the context of community, and the arts of humor and gentleness. This sermon was delivered on March 27, 2011.
The first Gulf War broke out when I was a senior in high school. My friends and I were just a little to young to vote, but old enough that our response to the...
March 2011
3 posts
Collective Wisdom
Grassroots leadership and collective decision-making are, for us, aspects of faith. They go hand-in-hand with spiritual disciplines such as addressing privilege, sharing the daily tasks of the community, and loving boldly.
This sermon was given on March 13, 2011.
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Winds Be Still
When our search for truth and meaning passes through a difficult place, the world around us and under us and within us can provide touchstones of encouragement … Lately, when I stop to reflect on the natural world, I am inspired to be still, to listen, and to know that I am not alone.
This sermon was delivered on February 27, 2011.
We had a death in the family early this week. My...
Stardust
For spiritual seekers on a rational path, science and imagination about the cosmos can be inspiring. This sermon was delivered on February 13, 2011.
I love dinosaurs. I mentioned this in the newsletter. It bears repeating. My fascination with them really took off about eight years ago when I was planning a birthday party for myself and joking about getting old. People brought me all kinds of...
January 2011
2 posts
Many Names and None
As a pluralistic spiritual community, we need to be able to give voice to the sacred in ways that nurture acceptance and spiritual growth. The question of how to name God (or not name God) will inevitably come up; we may wish to begin with questions about our lived experience and our deepest longing as background for the ways we perceive the sacred. This sermon was written for the Unitarian...
Turning Corners
Spiritual practices are valuable tools in our search for meaning. Many spiritual practices are capable of adapting with us, serving different needs as we grow and change.
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One of my earliest memories of church is sitting next to my Dad, doodling together on the Order of Service (which we called a bulletin back then). Dad’s drawings were and are a hobby. Drawing together helped...
December 2010
5 posts
Our Better Angels
The winter holidays mean something different for everyone. They may mean something different for you than they did for your younger self. This time of year gives us many opportunities for personal growth as we challenge ourselves to interfaith dialogue. This sermon was delivered on December 19, 2010.
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We were planning a winter holiday gathering for our classmates at Starr King...
Flame of Hope
UU’s have a great deal of respect for our interfaith neighbors. This sermon is about the lessons of hope arising from Hanukkah, and what they might mean for us. It was delivered on December 5, 2010.
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Happy Holidays! Today is the fourth day of Hanukkah. At my house, like other Jewish and interfaith homes, we’ve gotten into the rhythm of the holiday by now. The Hebrew blessings...
The Larger Faith
Our Universalist heritage calls us to have compassion for the humanity in every person and to create conduits for compassion that will outlive us. This sermon was delivered on November 21, 2010
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There’s a legend about the American Universalist minister Hosea Ballou. I don’t know if the story happened exactly this way, but I believe it’s true. Universalism is a faith that teaches that...
Neighborliness
This sermon was presented on November 14, 2010. It was the first sermon I wrote for the Unitarian Universalists of Fallston following my return from maternity leave.
UU congregations affirm and promote seven principles. We’re taking time to examine these principles this year at UUF. Our November theme was “justice, equity, and compassion in human relations.” This sermon explores...
October 2010
3 posts
“Opponents of same-sex marriage cite Leviticus, which says that when a man sleeps...”
– Michael Coogan, lecturer on Hebrew Bible-Old Testament at Harvard Divinity School (via warrennotg)
curate: Prayer for Things Purple | Maren Tirabassi →
curate:
Gentle God, I give you thanks for all things purple – for sunsets and thunderstorm August nights. for lupine like freedom blowing above blue ocean, for the scent of lilac, and the transience of violet, and the exotic luxury of orchid, for advent candles that burn waiting and hope, for a…
On Faith Panelists Blog: An open letter to... →
Monday, October 11, is National Coming Out Day. This coming weekend is a good time for liberal congregations to talk about the fact that Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, Questioning, and Intersex people are valuable and welcome members of our communities.
Given the recent discussion of bullying and suicides of LGBTQQI teens, it’s a great time for religious leaders to make a point...
June 2010
4 posts
“I, for one, am very much in touch with my own needs and desires, and much of my...”
– Paige Getty: UUA: Service of the Living Tradition
Click through for the full script and video of the Service of the Living Tradition at General Assembly (24 June, 2010). The quote is excerpted from the sermon by Rev. Paige Getty, who is the minister of the UU Congregation of Columbia, MD.
Study Leave & Maternity Leave
Dear Blog Readers,
As you may have read, I’m on study leave until August, then maternity leave until November. That means I won’t have sermons to post for awhile. If I come across something on the Internet that seems to meet the interests of readers, I may post it here. Otherwise, I’ll see you in a few months!
Tapestry
This short homily is a comment about shared ministry and the ways we weave our lives together.
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When I was in college, I became interested in braiding. I liked to take six or eight strands of yarn and weave them together. When I ran out of yarn, I gave the braid away to a person or turned it into a cat toy. The doodles in the margins of my class notes looked like Celtic knot work, patterns...
May 2010
2 posts
The Heritage of Mind and Heart
Everyone in a UU congregation, no matter what age, is engaged in a process of calling forth the best that is within, forming common bonds with others in the community, and figuring out how to search for meaning in the company of other seekers. To me, these activities are summed up in the phrase “Religious Education.”
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Our stones of joy and sorrow are a fixture of the...
Living Tradition
This week’s sermon is part of a conversation with the Unitarian Universalists of Fallston about creating a vision for the future. It asks questions about what brings us alive. What inspires us with vitality as we carry the tradition forward?
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Tradition is a funny thing. There are things that I have learned from people who have nurtured me along the way, yet somehow what I’ve...
April 2010
3 posts
UU Fallston Workshop Survey for 2010-2011
Of interest to readers from the Unitarian Universalists of Fallston, here are some of the possibilities for workshops that may be offered next year. We will take an informal survey at the congregational meeting on May 23.
A Chosen Faith by John A. Buehrens and Forrest Church Study a more in-depth overview of Unitarian Universalism than we are able to cover in Path to Membership. Materials...
There Your Heart Will Be
This week’s sermon is about the spiritual path of generosity.
I climbed out of A and J’s Soviet-era compact car and stretched my legs. People were streaming from their cars parked along the road to the festival. Looking around, I couldn’t tell right away who were the Transylvanian Unitarians and who were the American Unitarian Universalists. We followed the stream of people until it...
Practice Resurrection
The title for this Easter sermon is taken from a Wendell Berry poem, “Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front.” Whether or not we find meaning in the Easter story on the literal level, we can find clues about the path of service, coping with loss, and reconciliation.
Rain hammered on the canvas roof while the actors valiantly continued with their performance. Their voices were...
March 2010
2 posts
Navigating the Narrow Places
The story told during the Passover seder offers clues for getting through the stuck, difficult times in our lives. We can team up. We can listen to the inner voice of wholeness. We can remember stories of resilience.
I don’t know if the story happened exactly this way, but I believe it’s true. The story begins in the land of Mitzrayim, which means “the narrow places.” We know this land as...
Covenant
Covenant is an important concept for Unitarian Universalists. We learn a lot about it from stories in the Hebrew Bible. Some of the things we learn are that covenants are mutual, that they are situated in a long-term context, and that they leave space for reconciliation.
I was having lunch with a friend the other day. She is a Christian education professional at a Presbyterian church and a...
February 2010
1 post
We Remember Them
Treasuring memories (without letting them trap us in the past) is one way of coping with loss. We remember through kindness, legacy, and celebrating life.
Being a minister is a tremendous privilege. In adult education classes like “Credo” and “Path to Membership,” I am touched by the personal stories that people entrust to the group. Watching this community thrive...
January 2010
2 posts
Sing a New Song
This is a sermon about music. It’s also a sermon about what some people might call God. How does the holy manifest in music, and what do we do about it? Our relationships with spirituality change throughout our lives, and we have some choices about our musical response. We might handle the change in three ways: adapt, create, or listen differently. Each response has its place, depending on...