This sermon captures a speaker reflecting on their initial experiences with a Metropolitan Community Church, highlighting its unique, lay-led structure and the speaker’s cautious first visit. The speaker then broadens the discussion to communal dynamics, emphasizing the importance of an accessible website for initial impressions. The narrative progresses to the speaker’s time pastoring in Boston and their eventual return, where they encountered unexpected social complexities within their former congregation. Subsequently, the speaker shares personal insights on building strong communities, focusing on the essential elements of authenticity, forgiveness, and the challenging aspect of reconciliation, drawing on experiences with various faith communities. The speaker concludes by discussing their current ministry as a guest speaker in Unitarian Universalist churches, emphasizing the importance of honoring the host tradition and fostering community growth.
Archives: Services
The Call of Selma
Reverend John Manwell’s sermon reflects on the experiences of Unitarian Universalist ministers who answered Dr. King’s call to Selma fifty years prior, drawing from Reverend Mark Morrison Reed’s book, The Selma Awakening. These ministers, despite their liberal backgrounds, were profoundly impacted by the visceral realities of the civil rights struggle, facing violence and intimidation while working alongside Black activists for voting rights. The sermon highlights the transformative effect of this period on their lives and their faith, shifting their understanding of community, justice, and the purpose of their religious tradition. It connects the historical events of Selma, including Bloody Sunday and the subsequent march to Montgomery, to the passage of voting rights legislation. Manwell’s message further calls on the present-day congregation to embrace the ongoing work of building a truly inclusive and just “blessed community,” inspired by the courage and lessons learned from the Selma movement.
Be the Bridge
The sermon contemplates the overwhelming nature of the modern world, marked by environmental destruction, governmental struggles, and religiously fueled suffering, which fosters fear and judgment. The speaker suggests that despite religiously motivated conflicts, the essence of faith offers a path to unity. Drawing on personal conversations with his grandfather, the speaker emphasizes that faith doesn’t require proof and can act as a bridge between seemingly different beliefs. He posits that this inherent human capacity for faith, akin to trusting a bridge or the air we breathe, is a potential energy we can harness to build a more loving and interconnected global community. The speaker believes in humanity’s innate ability to solve problems and envisions a future where diverse faiths coexist, fostering a shared belief in our collective potential for good and progress towards a “beloved community.”
The Great Deception
The sermon discusses the power of stories and the “truths” individuals and societies assign to them, which subsequently shape actions and beliefs. It uses the story of Robin Hood as an example of how narratives can encourage collective values like standing against oppression. The speaker then examines the biblical creation story, suggesting a reinterpretation where the “fall” from Eden was a necessary step for humanity to gain wisdom and distinguish good from evil. This perspective proposes that we never truly left a divine existence, but rather developed a psychological separation. Ultimately, the sermon argues that in the modern global context, our internal biases and the belief in our own superiority are the primary “oppressors,” and that recognizing the inherent value and interconnectedness of all life is crucial for future peace and sustainability.
On Assembling Your Personal Collection of Sacred Inspiration
This sermon explores the personal journey of spiritual transformation and the development of individual religious beliefs, particularly within the context of Unitarian Universalism. It discusses how individuals often reevaluate their foundational beliefs, influenced by various experiences and information sources, leading them to seek a faith that encourages a free and responsible search for truth and meaning. The speaker introduces the concept of a “loose leaf bible,” a personal collection of inspiring materials, as a spiritual practice to consciously curate one’s sacred understanding, drawing parallels to historical shifts in accessing religious texts and even contemporary cultural influences like Superman. Ultimately, the sermon champions the integrity of individual thought and the sacred act of choosing one’s own beliefs.
Waiting on Wings
The sermon explores the interconnectedness of all beings by drawing a parallel between the efforts to save monarch butterflies and the need to support individuals struggling with mental health. Just as a community cultivates gardens for the vulnerable monarchs whose survival is threatened, society should create supportive environments for those facing mental illness. The speaker emphasizes that like the arduous journey of the butterfly, the path to mental wellness is challenging and requires compassion, understanding, and the rejection of judgment. The sermon critiques societal values of extreme self-reliance, arguing that our lives are inherently interdependent, and this should extend to how we approach mental well-being. Ultimately, it calls for embracing compassion and interconnectedness to build “way stations” of support for those “waiting on their wings,” mirroring the care provided to the monarch butterflies.
Investing in Your Beliefs
This sermon presents a speaker reflecting on their personal journey with Unitarian Universalism, particularly through the lens of socially responsible investing and the speaker’s own contrarian biases. The speaker recounts their time working for Mobile Oil during the apartheid era in South Africa and the contrasting views within their church regarding divestment. They explore the complexities of boycotts and investment screens as tools for enacting change, contrasting them with the idea of impact investing. The speaker emphasizes the Unitarian Universalist approach of encouraging individual thought and action based on personal values rather than strict dogma. Ultimately, the sermon promotes thoughtful consideration of how personal financial decisions align with one’s beliefs and the pursuit of a better world.
A Place of Dreams and Hopes
This sermon interweaves Langston Hughes’s poem “Freedom’s Plow” with a historical narrative centered on the founding of Mount Olive Methodist Episcopal Church by formerly enslaved people in Gleedsville. The poem and the recounted history illustrate the enduring dream of freedom and equality in America, highlighting the arduous journey from slavery to building a community rooted in faith and self-determination. Despite facing immense challenges and the horrors of slavery, these individuals chose hope and worked diligently to establish their own lives, families, and a place of worship. The speaker emphasizes the resilience, strength, and forward-looking spirit of the formerly enslaved, contrasting historical victimization with their powerful pursuit of the American dream.
Reaction to Baltimore Riots
This sermon captures a meditative sermon delivered in response to the Baltimore riots following Freddie Gray’s death. The speaker reflects on Howard Thurman’s ideas about keeping dreams alive as essential for meaningful life, contrasting this with a pragmatic but ultimately shallow modern mindset. Connecting Baltimore’s history as the birthplace of American Unitarianism, the speaker laments the persistence of “two Americas,” echoing Dr. King’s observations of deep inequality and racial injustice highlighted by the recent unrest. Despite the pain and destruction, the speaker finds hope in the community’s response and calls for reflection and action to bridge the divides of race and class.
From Ignorance to Bliss
This sermon explores the idea that true happiness comes not from ignorance, but from moving from ignorance to a more engaged and connected existence. The speaker uses personal anecdotes, including a childhood experience and a story from the Vinyl Cafe, to illustrate how confronting reality and connecting with others ultimately leads to a deeper sense of contentment and bliss. By facing challenges and embracing community, individuals can evolve beyond the limitations of a self-imposed ignorance. The speaker suggests that while avoiding problems may seem easier initially, genuine fulfillment arises from active participation and empathy. Ultimately, the sermon champions connection and engagement as pathways to a richer and more meaningful life.