Over the past 50 years, Americans’ trust in institutions like the government and the church has steadily declined. At the same time, individuals’ trust in each other seems to have eroded as well. Why have we moved from trust to distrust, and what, if anything, can be done about it?

One of the ways of conceptualizing covenant is as a container for change–a kind of life laboratory that provides space for trying new ways of taking action in community while maintaining and strengthening relationships. How might our congregation be a container for change?

This sermon will explore such questions as: How do we find what we are meant to do, both as individuals and as members of a religious community? And once we have found those things that are most important, how do we go about doing them with joy and courage and invite others to do the … Continued

While it may not be clear to us, we are in the midst of an emerging new civil rights movement that builds on the  desegregation movement of the 1950s and 60s and seeks to address lingering inequalities. What are the ways in which we might participate in this movement and not merely observe.

Sometimes the best and greatest present we can give someone else, especially someone who is suffering, is simply our presence – not offering advice or platitudes – but just being there as a listening, caring presence. How do we go about doing this work with one another?

If we are to have any hope of addressing and undoing racism and other systemic oppressions, we must start at home- in our personal attitudes and behaviors, in our families, in our congregations, and in our larger association. Are we up to this task? If so, how do we start?

More than 250 years ago, John Murray, considered the founder of Universalism in America, extolled the value of preaching “hope, not hell.” What does it mean to lean into hope amid the challenges facing our country today?

Featuring several short wisdom tales from Anthony De Mello, this sermon will explore the nature of wisdom, as opposed to knowledge. How do we go about discovering wisdom, especially when we seem to spend most of our time just trying to get through our lives?

Often the stories of our lives are not told until after our deaths in the form of eulogies and obituaries. What is the story of your life, and why might it be important to embrace and tell the story now rather than later?

Why is the ritual of lighting a candle or lamp (or chalice) so powerful? What does this simple act accomplish, and how does it connect us with others? What does it signify for us? We will explore these questions by means of several stories from the Jewish tradition in celebration of Hanukkah, which is taking … Continued